By Staff
October 21st, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
At the opening of each Council meeting Mayor Meed Ward reads a statement:
Did Jim Thomson hear the Mayor? She didn’t say anything about T-shirts
“We ask folks not to engage in any behavior that may be considered disruptive, interrupting, shouting, clapping if you agree, booing, if you don’t. We want everyone to feel absolutely comfortable to say what they came to say, and not worry about whether they will be popular or unpopular in expressing those views. So we ask folks to just be respectful. We don’t permit indecent, offensive or insulting language or speaking disrespectfully about anyone or to anyone in council chambers that includes staff or other members of the public and certainly committee members.
David Barker and Blair Smith – YAWN – it’s time for you to “get a room”
Rooms – plural, please.
Hi David – I have a t-shirt (amongst my many) that I think might be appropriate here. It boldly states – “I was going to challenge you to a battle of wits, but I see that you are unarmed.”
Honestly, I really have no issue with the fact that you seem determined to defend this Mayor and this Council ad infinitum, ad nauseam. But do you realize that you are parroting their condescending and overly frequent response to difficult delegations. How often have you heard the Chair state (with swarmy smile) – “I see no questions. Your delegation has been so complete that you have answered any questions there may have been”.? The first reason for this response is that Council simply wants to shut down as quickly as possible the difficult issues that a delegation might have raised. So, no questions no follow-on discussion. Beauty!! The second reason is that they have not done any reading or background research on the issue, so could not respond with an intelligent question if their life depended on it. This is a very frequent case – particularly with regards to the Ward 1 Councillor. Please note how he routinely lets all others speak and précis the issue before he comments (always with the view of the majority) or casts his vote.
I think that it is time for both of us to retire from this forum. We have stated our opinions to the point in which they have become tedious. I have a very definite bias against this Council and admit same. You sir, are so far ….
Blair, my comment was directed towards the content of both Lynn’s and Gary’s comments and can in no way be interpreted as defending anyone, least of all Council and attacked nobody.
“I see no questions. Your delegation has been so complete that you have answered any questions there may have been”. Maybe, just maybe that statement is the truth. Just because you don’t like it does not make it false or condescending. Maybe someone throwing some Latin phrases at you comes over as being condescending but was not intended to be so. Huh?
I do wonder why though you felt the need to insert yourself into this and attack me while so very much misconstruing what I said.
I too have a t-shirt that would be appropriate for me to wear at this point. It has this on its front, “In no longer being with us & now being with them you have raised the IQ of both groups”.
Opinions are neither right nor wrong!
I’ll let you have the last word. LOL
Have a lovely day.
Pretty Polly
Reminds me of another T-shirt I like:
“People Say I’m Condescending.
(That means I talk down to people.)”
Perhaps the mayor can stop treating residents like we aren’t fit for being in public? She said the same thing at every meeting on her budget tour and had a slide about it which she showed at the top and then later brought back with another reminder when questions started. Ridiculous.
What is the point of this article?
That statement makes perfect sense.
There is one thing that I find offensive to delegates. They don’t get to do any of the aforementioned “bad things or utterances”. Neither do members of Council or Staff. Fair enough. But delegates do get to present arguments and opinions. That’s the purpose of delegating. Members of Council have no obligations toward delegates other than to supposedly listen, then possibly question.
What is offensive to many delegates is that Council can makes no response whatsoever to delegates whenever it pleases them. This is the ultimate dismissal of the delegate and the delegate’s presentation. This is open government? This is democracy in action? This is citizen engagement? Silence?
The whole delegation process needs to be overhauled so there are questions and answers and back and forth dialogue between Council and citizens. Otherwise citizens see the research and planning ahead and the deliverance of their delegation at Council in the end as just not worth the time or trouble.
239 (7) of the Municipal Act was at one time complied with by the municipality and delegations were summarized and recorded in the minutes. So the position of delegates I.e. resident taxpayers were recorded so it was obvious when they were simply ignored Gary. We have been working on this to take to the Ombudsman if it does not change since January our latest effort October 15th. See our recorded second delegation.
You are right Council are turning delegations into a complete waste of time and effort by simply not responding to the delegation but worse still are approving inaccurate minutes that simply record what the title is and ignore the requirements of 239 (7) that requires the points made by the delegation to be recorded. The answer to the 2014 Ombudsman complaint you are aware of was the first time the Ombudsman called them on non compliance with 239 (7) and council totally ignored it. This issue was put in the hands of Commisso and Hurley Jan 2024. Commisso failed to do what he committed to do in front of Commissioner witnesses and Hurley has thus far supported no action to put this right. We have12 months to addressn with Ombudsman so preparing it for November if we see no change to our efforts and a new Clerk who we believe is committed to compliance with Municipal Act
We also have the issue before a provincial committee where Effie is a member and recorded on Hansard in terms of little available to ensure transparency and accountability Jim’s issues that he keeps pounding away at and is represented by his T-shirt.