By Staff

March 3rd, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Halton Regional Police Services Board announced that Ms. Jane McKenna has been appointed as a Provincial representative to the Halton Police Board.

Ms. McKenna is a lifetime resident of Burlington with a strong background in Ontario politics. She was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2011 to 2014 and again from 2018 to 2022, representing the riding of Burlington. In 2018, she was appointed by the Premier as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Labour and served as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development and as Minister of Children and Women’s Issues. Before entering politics, she worked in advertising and ran her own successful small business, Rainmaker Consulting.

“I am honoured to join the Halton Police Board,” said Ms. McKenna. “Together with my fellow board members, I am committed to keeping Halton residents safe by providing strategic governance to police services, and proactively responding to safety issues that matter most in our region.”

“We are pleased to welcome Jane McKenna to our Board. With Ms. McKenna’s vast community knowledge and experience she will be an invaluable member of our team and will bring meaningful insight to our deliberations,” said Halton Police Board Chair Councillor Jeff Knoll.

Ms. McKenna was sworn in on Friday, March 3, 2023, and will join her first Board meeting on Thursday, March 30, 2023.

About the Halton Police Board

The Halton Police Board is a seven-member board that provides strategic governance to the Halton Regional Police Service. It is a provincially mandated legal entity that operates independently from the Regional or Municipal Council – four members of the Board are appointed by the Halton Region Council and three are appointed by the Province of Ontario. It is the Board’s responsibility to ensure the residents of Halton Region receive adequate and effective police services following policing standards issued by the Province.

In essence, the Board is the trustee of public interest regarding the provision of all police services in the community.

By Pepper Parr

March 2, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Committee of Adjustment is the only Board that pays the people who are appointed.

The work is complex and calls for a level of understanding of property matters that few people have.

It is important work that deals with minor property variances. The city doesn’t always agree with the Committee of Adjustment.

Members of the Committee are usually people who apply to be members – Council decides who is to be appointed.

Leblovic is a member of the Committee but does not appear to have taken part in very many CoA hearings even though there are reports that the CoA schedule is months behind.  What usually takes less than three months is now taking more than six months for a CoA hearing.

Nicholas Leblovic, a lawyer, and a close friend and confident of Mayor Meed Ward, is the only person who was part of the Mayor’s Campaign Committee in 2018 that was part of that Campaign Committee during the 2022 campaign.

Leblovic is reported to have approached two people who are active in civic matters to join the Committee of Adjustment.  It appears that Friends in high places is part of the political culture in Burlington.

On a full disclosure level Leblovic is the first person to sue me for $1 million.  He chose to represent himself and the matter went know where.   It was Abraham Lincoln who said: A man who represents himself, has a fool for a client.

 

By Pepper Parr

March 2, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Jim Thompson will be delegating at City Council today.

Expect a withering series of comments on just how the city engages and informs its citizens.

Based on a preview of what Thompson plans to say we can share the follow statements with you.

Thompson has focused on the renovation and Conversion of Robert Bateman High School

Thompson points out that the Community Engagement Charter and asks for Clear Language not Jargon

The Charter calls for Transparency: “The city’s decision-making processes will be open and clear to the public and the city will actively encourage and facilitate citizen and stakeholder participation in them.”

On Engagement Matters Thompson will point out that Early and Widespread Notification is required. “The City of Burlington will provide early and widespread notification to citizens and stakeholders about proposed developments, policies, initiatives and municipal projects. Widespread notification will not be given for purely localized issues such as neighbourhood traffic calming.”

He will then point to just how the city says it will engage and points to a statement: : A public engagement plan is being developed and adds the following: A comprehensive engagement plan that complements a communication plan will be delivered once more of the project timelines and opportunities for authentic engagement are determined.

He will probably point out that this has yet to happen.

On occasion council members will ask questions of a delegation. We will see if that happens this morning.

Related news article:

Thompson giving Council a piece of his mind.

By Staff

March 2, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

This is what is taking place on Sunday.

Races are a part of Burlington’s culture along with complaints about street closures.  For the runners – it is a major event.

Be part of it.

By Pepper Parr

March 1st, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Council met is as a Standing Committee on Tuesday – it was a long day with a complex agenda.

Heritage and the designation of properties took up a lot of time which we will report on else in the Gazette.

At the beginning of each meeting the Chair asks if there are any Conflicts of Interest that Councillors may have. The practice is for Council members to declare that they have an interest and to recuse themselves from the portion of the meeting at which the item is to be discussed.

The Tuesday session has morning, afternoon and evening meetings.

During the evening session a development application for a two tower project – 32 and 30 storeys, was discussed.

The proposal is to facilitate the redevelopment of the subject lands with two high-rise mixed-use buildings with heights of 30 storeys to the south and 32 storeys to the north, connected by a shared podium with a height of 6 storeys fronting Cooke Boulevard and Masonry Court and 3 storeys to the rear. Overall, the development includes a total of 809 residential units and 2 retail units. A total gross floor area of 49,743 square metres is proposed with a FAR of 9.51. The gross floor area of the ground floor retail is 581 square metres. A total of 641 parking spaces are proposed within two levels of underground parking as well as ground floor parking, of which 118 are visitor spaces and 523 are residential spaces.

The concern heard from the two delegations was about the lack of parking space.

No one declared a Conflict and it wasn’t until the evening session that it became evident to this reporter that ward 1 Councillor Kelvin Galbraith appeared to have a conflict.

The practice is for the member of Council to make the declaration.

The Gazette asked Councillor Galbraith for some comment on how he handled himself during the Tuesday evening meeting.

He said: “My advice from the Integrity Commissioner was to declare a conflict when the final MTSA policy work and implementing land use policies are completed by city staff and being recommended to council for approval.

“As for individual applications I was advised to use a general rule of thumb of 120 meters from my properties to trigger a conflict of interest.  Last night, the application was 550 meters from my property.”

In a follow up question we asked Galbraith:

“When did you get the advice you refer to in the comment you sent me this morning ?  To be more specific – have you met with the Integrity Commissioner since your meeting in March 2022 on the Aldershot MTSA developments ?”

Galbraith responded: “I had met with the Integrity commissioner a few times as I had declared conflicts on 2 MTSA developments as per his advice dating back to 2019.  I have not met with him on any MTSA developments specifically since the Advice memorandum provided in March 2022.”

In March of 2022 Galbraith met with the Integrity Commissioner, explained his property interests and was given clear and explicit instructions is as to the procedure he should follow.
Tuesday evening, while Council was discussing a development application that would result, if approved, in the construction of two towers; at at 30 storeys and the other at 30 storeys. Both were on Cooke Blvd where it meets Masonry Road.

The proposal is to facilitate the redevelopment of the subject lands with two high-rise mixed-use buildings with heights of 30 storeys to the south and 32 storeys to the north, connected by a shared podium with a height of 6 storeys fronting Cooke Boulevard and Masonry Court and 3 storeys to the rear. Overall, the development includes a total of 809 residential units and 2 retail units. A total gross floor area of 49,743 square metres is proposed with a FAR of 9.51. The gross floor area of the ground floor retail is 581 square metres. A total of 641 parking spaces are proposed within two levels of underground parking as well as ground floor parking, of which 118 are visitor spaces and 523 are residential spaces.

In March of 2022 the Integrity Commissioner advised Galbraith:

This is in response to our conversation and your inquiry of February 24, 2022 regarding whether you might have a conflict of interest if you participate in consideration of planning changes affecting properties you own within the area known as the Major Transportation Study Area (MTSA) for the Aldershot GO, in Burlington.

You have advised that you own two properties along Waterdown, 1016 and 1018 Waterdown Road and one property located at 15 Plains Road West from which you operate your business, The Fitness Firm.

These three properties effectively book-end, abutting at the rear, the property which sits directly at the corner of Waterdown and Plains Roads.

You have advised that the two Waterdown Road properties were formerly residential dwellings, which were removed a number of years ago, and that your future plans include integrating them into a larger development through land assembly.

The relationship of your properties relative to the MTSA Aldershot Hub area as presently delineated is depicted on the following map view:

The Integrity Commissioner provided a map to help explain specifically where the Conflicts are.

As a Member of the Council you are subject to subsections 5(1) and 5(2) of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act (“MCIA”) Those sections require that you not take part in discussions or voting on a matter, or attempt in any way before, during or after a meeting, to influence the voting on a question related to the matter when you have a direct or indirect interest in the matter. Those sections also require you to disclose the general nature of the interest, and where the matter under consideration takes place in a forum not open to the public, to not be present.

Where a member … has any pecuniary interest … in any matter and is present at a meeting of the council … at which the matter is the subject of consideration, the member, shall, prior to any consideration of the matter at the meeting, disclose the interest and the general nature thereof; shall not take part in the discussion of, or vote on any question in respect of the matter; and shall not attempt in any way whether before, during or after the meeting to influence the voting on any such question.

A matter which has likely financial impact (positive or negative) on your own property constitutes a pecuniary interest to you.

Your properties all fall clearly within the area being contemplated as the study area, and which will be subject to policy amendments to support and guide future development under the relevant official planning document.

Accordingly, we conclude that, now that the plans include reference to proposed designations affecting your properties, you are required to recuse yourself from the discussion and voting on consideration of the Aldershot GO MTSA. This includes refraining from participating and attempting to influence the outcome during the open house and other occasions at which the public, staff and Members of Council are contemplating proposed policies affecting the Aldershot GO MTSA.

Any time consideration of the matter is before Council or any of its committees, your specific declaration might go something like this:

As the owner of several properties within the study area which will be affected by the proposed land use designations being contemplated, I have a pecuniary interest and will be recusing myself from participating in or voting on this matter.

At no time during the evening meeting at which the matter was discussed did Galbraith declare a conflict. He spoke directly about the development on at least two occasions and was the Council member who moved the motion.

Related news stories:

Integrity Commissioner advises Councillor Galbraith

Galbraith statement on his conflicts

By Pepper Parr

February 28th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

In May of2020, the Gazette published a story on Shawna Stolte’s experience is as a newly elected member of city council. There is a link to that story at the bottom of this article.

On February 28th of this year the Gazette published an opinion piece with the title is this a Farce or a Tragedy. A link to that opinion piece is also set out below.

Shortly after the Opinion piece was published we got an email from Kwab Ako-adjei, Director of Communications and engagement, complaining about statements I made in the Opinion piece which he said were false.

His note to us said:

“If you see something happening at the City and you have questions, reach out, you know you will get a response.

“Articles like this do nothing but harm people’s reputation, especially when it turns out to be false.”

This was followed by some back and forth with Kwab.

Kwab: “This is what needs to be corrected. Because what you’re writing/musing is not true. You can’t use opinion pieces to make things up, thereby hurting staff’s reputation and leaving it out in the public that this was all some sort of plan that was hatched”

I responded: “The interview I did, which was taped, makes no mention of a staff rotation. There is nothing that requires me to ask anyone if what Stolte said was true or not.”

“Further, to take someone as experienced as Gartside to provide staffing for a new councillor and call it a staff rotation is to me a real stretch.”

I added: “As you know, the Mayor embarrassed herself and the position of Mayor with her rant in June of 2022

“I think what you are doing is trying to limit the damage. There is nothing I did that harmed Gartside – she identified herself. We didn’t.

In a following note from Kwab he said:
“You might want to go back and look at this quote from one your articles where a “home job” is mentioned:

Kwab refers to an article I did some time ago where I mentioned that Staff have what are referred to is as “home” jobs from which they are from time to time rotated from to some other job to gain additional experience.

Kwab then says: “This clearly points to job rotations and how staff have “home positions” when they go on those rotations. This is about getting the facts straight and not fishing for stories and ruining reputations.”

Not so fast my friend.  I have a problem believing that a two decade employee who is an excellent Committee Clerk would be sent out as an Administrative Assistant is as part of a job rotation.  She may have been filling in for someone but that is not what Shawna Stolte said during the interview.

Kwab: “At the City we have job rotation opportunities where staff go can to different departments to work, this was a case of that happening.”

I had a problem with believing that a two decade employee who is an excellent Committee Clerk would be sent out as an Administrative Assistant is as part of a job rotation.

He asks: “So again, will you correct the record?

What is there to correct?

Realize that we did not know that Georgie Gartside was the person who had been assigned to Stolte.  Gartside was not identified by the Gazette – she self-identified after which the Mayor took up her cause to have Stolte make a public apology. And we all saw how that went.

At one point it was not clear to me which article Kwab was unhappy with.

He cleared that up by saying: “it was the Opinion piece of January 24th adding that “Even the title is problematic.”

“Again, if you had reached out to me or anyone in communications we would have told you what I said before.  Those staff moves at the Clerks Office and Customer Experience had nothing to do with demotions.

(We never said there was a demotion. A Gazette reader in a comment raised that issue)

Kwab:
Specific to Georgie Gartside, Georgie’s ‘home position’ is as a Councillor’s Assistant, she was on a job rotation in the Clerks Office as a Committee Clerk. That Committee Clerk opportunity was available because that person was also on a job rotation.

“These job rotations usually have end dates and that’s what happened in this case. The rotations ended, which meant everyone had to return to their ‘home positions.’
In our interview with Stolte she made no mention of the person assigned to her (who turned out to be Gartside) was there on a rotation.

Rotations are a process used to give Staff members experience in different roles. Gartside had been around for some time; she served is as the Assistant to Rick Goldring when he was a Council member, she worked with Mayor Meed Ward during her first term of office

Kwab continues: “Even though it’s an opinion piece, journalist standards would still mean you could reach out for comment or clarification instead of musing about what could be taking place. In doing so, you yet again tarnished someone’s reputation for something that wasn’t even true. It was simply the end of a job rotation, that’s it.

That’s his view. Kwab seems to want us to call him up and say: “I’m doing an Opinion piece on job rotations that were done recently – can I get some input from you.”

Kwab gets more specific:
“I’ll point out some things below that were part of your article:

Questions that get asked are:

Did Galbraith ask for Gartside to serve as an Administrative Assistant? What role did the Mayor play in all this? –

Kwab said: “The Mayor has no role in this.”  The placing of staff in whatever position they serve in is an administrative matter that is controlled by City Manager

(Technically everything that happens is ‘approved by the city manager. He would not have been directly involved but given the sensitivity that now surrounds almost everything Gartside does (am I damaging her reputation here?) the City Manager would want to be briefed.

Who approved the transfer of Gartside is as the Assistant to Councillor Galbraith ? We suggested that the Mayor would have been involved – but not in any official capacity.

Kwab says: Again, not true. All you have to do is ask and not assume or infer.

In the article I said: “What we are seeing is people playing fast and loose with what is important – how the city is administered. It doesn’t do very much for morale at city hall. –

Kwab: “Again, not true. This was the end of a staff rotation that affected many staff. These staff rotations happen all the time at the City.”

Kwab has chosen to make this series a tempest in a tea pot issue (a small problem or event that has been blown out of proportion.)

Kwab: “This is what needs to be corrected. Because what you’re writing/musing is not true. You can’t use opinion pieces to make things up, thereby hurting staff’s reputation and leaving it out in the public that this was all some sort of plan that was hatched.

What we have found during the past three years are continued efforts on the part of  Kwab Ako-adjei, the Director of Communications and Engagement to influence the direction and tone a story takes.

That is his job. Members of Council bristle when they are given a script to read when they are chairing a Standing Committee meeting.

Kwab takes the position that all we have to do is call and he will get us an answer. That’s not what journalism is about.

Kwab may not like what we do. We don’t do what we do to make Kwab happy.

We are not all that keen on the how Kwab does his job. We have had comments from members of Council and from people who are very active volunteers; they don’t sing out praises.

Kwab adds that: “that, as City Manager, Tim wanted me to make it clear to you and to your readers that Georgie has performed exceptionally well in both positions and is a valued, respected and long-serving employee of the City.”

This is what communications staff are paid to do – put the best possible spin on whatever is being sent out.

The complete story on the two Gartside job rotations will probably never come out. But some light was shed this week on just how intrusive some of the direction coming from Kwab’s office is and how unhappy some members of Council are.

We will get back to you on that one..

Kwab asks: “Now that you have the facts behind what happened I would expect a correction to your article. Feel free to use the contents of this email for the correction.”

Well, that didn’t happen.

Related news and Opinion articles:

The Opinion piece

The Stolte interview

By Pepper Parr

February 27th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

OPINION

Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes, CM, is founder, executive director of Rainbow Faith and Freedom and senior pastor emeritus of the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto commented recently on the transgendered teacher working at an Oakville High School.

Speaking to the problem in front of the Halton District School Board trustees Hawkes said: “Whatever your opinion on this issue, it’s crystal clear that the public conversation around it is on the wrong track.”

“Prioritizing the safety and well-being of transgender people — including this educator — and all students is the clear objective.

Rev Hawks has failed to understand that the school board is in place to educate students and to protect them while they learn and grow into adulthood.

The rights of teachers are important and the transgendered community needs understanding and acceptance but not at the expense of the students.
Hawkes maintains “those objectives have been brushed aside. A recent direction to implement a “professionalism policy” (at the relevant school board) threatens to worsen this situation.”
Hawkes added: “In my experience, this conversation requires everything it has lacked thus far: sincerity, civility and calm, trust in those institutions working to find solutions, and faith in reasonable debate.

“To be clear this case is about human rights. So, anyone entering into this conversation, must check their assumptions at the door and listen, first, to those whose rights are at stake.

“As a community, the urgent question we must ask, therefore, is how to make this conversation not easier, simpler, or magically expedient, but more civil, compassionate, and clear in purpose.”

While all the above are important – the students are the responsibility of the society they live in – and at this point my view is that the rights of others, not the students, which is what matters most.

Rev Hawkes had played a major role in helping the wider community understand people who face huge barriers in living their lives. He is to be commended and has been recognized for the work he has done.

Hawkes adds: “Many of our fellow Canadians are depending on us to find this answer. We have found it before, let’s find it again.”

Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.

By Pepper Parr

February 25^th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Now that they have the title – Council is going to discuss the job description.

Here is what we know about the process they will go through on Monday:

Deputy Mayor with Portfolio

Overview

• A new model of governance to make the best use of the diverse experience and background of Council
• To deliver on the Vision to Focus Strategic Plan and ongoing initiatives and priorities
• Results in new positions for this term of Council based on the skills and strengths of each Councillor
• Deputy Mayor for Business and Red Tape Reduction – Kelvin Galbraith
• Deputy Mayor for Community Engagement & Partnerships – Lisa Kearns
• Deputy Mayor for the Environment – Rory Nisan
• Deputy Mayor for Housing – Shawna Stolte
• Deputy Mayor for Strategy & Budgets – Paul Sharman
• Deputy Mayor for Recreation & Community Services – Angelo Bentivegna

Proposed Principles

• Deputy Mayors works in collaboration with Mayor’s Office;
• Deputy Mayors work will advance key city initiatives as defined through the V2F Work Plan or other corporate documents;
• Deputy Mayors are assigned an executive lead by the City Manager for ongoing dialogue and resource needs;
• Deputy Mayor role does not replace the City’s governance structure. All decision-making still rests with all of Council by vote;
• Council can direct or endorse actions of Deputy Mayors.

Proposed Roles

The role of the Deputy Mayor with Portfolio is to:

• Raise awareness and support the advancement of strategic initiatives.
• Bring forward to Council and sponsor policy and city related legislation proposals.
• Participate in intergovernmental meetings and delegations on portfolio items and other advocacy work.

Q & A

What else do you want to know about the new Deputy Mayor with Portfolio role?

Reflecting on Deputy Mayor with Portfolio Model

1. What aspects of the Deputy Mayor with Portfolio model are clear? What is not clear to you?
2. What excites you about the new Deputy Mayor with Portfolio model?
3. Does anything concern you about this new leadership structure?
4. What implications will this new model have on how Council does its work? Will this model impact or change Council process and if yes, how?
5. What changes will be required to ensure the Deputy Mayor with Portfolio model is a success?

Reflecting on Deputy Mayor with Portfolio Model

Proposed Principles

• Deputy Mayors works in collaboration with Mayor’s Office;
• Deputy Mayors work will advance key city initiatives as defined through the V2F Work Plan or other corporate documents;
• Deputy Mayors are assigned an executive lead for dialogue;
• Deputy Mayor role does not replace the City’s governance structure. All decision-making still rests with all of Council by vote;
• Council can direct or endorse actions of Deputy Mayors.

What else should be considered and added?

Reflecting on Deputy Mayor with Portfolio Model

Proposed Roles

The role of the Deputy Mayor with Portfolio is to:

• Raise awareness and support the advancement of strategic initiatives.
• Bring forward to Council and sponsor policy and city related legislation proposals.
• Participate in intergovernmental meetings and delegations on portfolio items and other advocacy work.

What else should be considered and added?

Reflecting on Deputy Mayor with Portfolio Model

Commitments to Each Other

What commitments can Council members make to each other to ensure this new model is effective and efficient?