By Staff
January 16th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
These wet lands are a critical part of the way storm water is handled and how wild animals find the habitat they need.
So the bureaucracy is taking a closer look at just what the provincial government did when they opened up some of the wetlands in the Greenbelt.
That action added to the sniffing around the OPP Rackets Squad is doing just might get the Premier to walk back the decisions that were made.
Marit Stiles, Incoming Leader of the Official Opposition, released the following statement in response to the Office of the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario and Office of the Auditor General of Ontario opening an inquiry:
“I am relieved to see that this matter is being treated with the seriousness that it deserves and pleased to see this response from the Integrity Commissioner and the Auditor General.
“Ontarians are owed answers about the Greenbelt, and I am confident that today is a step in the right direction to understanding what happened.
“I am hopeful that Ontarians will be able to get answers in a thorough, timely manner because of these investigations.”
It’s an error to ascribe the situation to incompetence. It is part of a well coordinated game plan, except they probably don’t expect to get caught at it. Ever since election the PCs have operated by stealth, while occasionally issuing shiny treats like buck-a-beer or free license plates to distract observers. Ford has refused to release the mandate letters of his ministers. His “caucus” is full of invisible MPPs who remain underground unless called to Queens Park to vote when prompted. Our current MPP apparently was not even a party member until a few months before the election, ran no campaign, and again has disappeared, just like her predecessor. Where is the local riding association in all this? Does one even exist?
Unfortunately, the two opposing parties are unable to present a credible challenge, and almost two-thirds of the electorate apparently could care less. Perfect storm. We get the government we deserve.
Actually, it is incompetence. Ford has been in politics long enough to know about things such as “conflict of interest”, “arms length relationships”, and undue influence. If he is unaware then he must be reckless, careless, or just plain stupid. He’s touted his business expertise for years, although I suspect much of that was leveraging his daddy’s influence. That’s also why pols surround themselves with so called “subject matter experts” to supposedly, keep them out of messes like this. Queen’s Park is teaming with lawyers. Someone should have spoken truth to power.
Alas. The latest screw-up in an ongoing litany of errors, mistakes, poor judgement calls and missteps in Doug Ford’s error prone government. Until Ford came along I used to think Bob Rae’s 1990-95 NDP government was the epitome of political mismanagement and incompetence. Sadly, I was wrong.
As a former PC supporter I kept hoping that Ford would somehow morph into a seasoned political leader with reasonable policy measures based on sound reasoning and astute political judgement. I kept thinking that somehow his rag-tag caucus of used car salesmen and development hacks would somehow mature into seasoned political leaders a la Bob Welch, Tom Wells, Roy McMurtry, Alan Lawrence and Betty Stephenson. Such appears not to be the case.
Since the NDP’s penchant for recycling spendthrift school board chairs like Marjit Stiles continues I guess it’s up to the Liberal Party to put forward credible leadership and policy alternatives. Either that, or else a backroom revolt amongst the Tory caucus embarrassed and outraged by Ford’s continuing series of gaffes and miscues. On second thought, given our local MPP’s demure performance and low-profile perhaps the odds are better for a provincial Liberal revival.