Mayor Cleveland in his efforts to demonstrate his resolve in standing up for ‘law and order’ is not going to tolerate any more criminals in his Town! He has had a letter declaring that fact, published in a local news blog, read the letter here. This letter, as we read it, is both a boast of what he has done in regards to 310 Division St. and an attempt to diminish his detractors. This quote says it all when he denies reality – “The other ridiculously false narrative is around an attack on the homeless or those who are socio-economically challenged; utter nonsense and it is offensive.”  Apparently I am not the only one who feels this way – read this post from social media:

But the disturbing part of all that he writes is that in all of his quotes, both in the letter and on social media Mayor Cleveland evades the question of what happens to those who cannot access 310 Division St.  

In the effort to clean up the Town he is abetted by the Chair of the Police Services Board, Adam Bureau. In a local internet publication Cecilia Naismith wrote, and I paraphrase and summarise – He introduced a motion to remove a couple of items from the existing bylaws, calling for renewed and proactive enforcement of the town’s anti-encampment bylaws. Along with enforcement of the 11 p.m. closing of municipal parks and public lands, the motion includes the removal of the two-week requirement for holding individual property and the minimum 48-hour notice to vacate public lands.” This prompted a letter from Jenny Frinke, read it here, detailing her experiences as an outreach worker in Peterborough and the situations she has witnessed when encampments are destroyed by the authorities. Some of Cllr Bureau’s Council colleagues were obviously moved by the letter as Cllr’s Bureau’s motion was amended to allow the chattels to be held for a week.

In defending the original motion Bureau stated that very few people claimed their belongings anyway. In another quote “However, with the looming July 4 closure of all ground-floor facilities at 310 Division St. – the warming and cooling hub, the showers, the laundry facilities, the lockers, the washrooms – Councillor Bureau remarked, “Things are going to start getting worse.”

In the light of these facts one would have thought that the Mayor and Cllr. Bureau would have put more thought into the effort to clean up the Town. Instead of criminalising abhorrent social behaviour they should try for solutions. But both men have said “Not our problem – that’s somebody else’s problem – let them fix it.” The problem is that it appears that both men are devotees of the Provincial Government – such a pity then that Government has let them down again!

Footnote dated 28th June:

• This situation has morphed into something else, other than a rant by the Mayor. His letter, which has been edited and published on the Cobourg News site here, spawned an appeal from the Cobourg Police not to rant about criminals – read it here – the CPS has it under control. In the meantime others have written to the Mayor about his inflammatory and negative language read it here. This affair has legs – stay tuned.

Footnote dated 29th June

• In a battle of duelling letters a letter has been published on the right-wing local ‘hang-’em high’ website. In that vein the letter from Carol Leighton – read it here – leads the cheers for the Mayor’s stance in this issue and takes aim at the letter referenced above. However in this letter Carol Leighton did attack Theresa in a very personal way, this is unacceptable when speaking in a public forum. The distasteful paragraph  has since been edited out.
• Also the Deputy-Mayor – Nicole Beatty, speaking as a member of the Police Services Board has issued a statement read it here calling for unity in the Community.

Footnote dated 30th June

• This affair may have the potential to turn really ugly, in a letter written by Heather Stubbs and put up on Facebook – read it here, she explains her dismay at the attitude and conduct of the Mayor and actually says: “In conclusion, Mayor Cleveland, I would like to compliment you on the success of your Market and Smor business. It’s my favourite place to shop for produce, and there are numerous meals created in your kitchens that I particularly enjoy. However, until I see a recognition in you that everyone, even those who are homeless and suffer from addiction, deserves respect, dignity, and a helping hand when in desperate need, I will not shop at your store, and I will encourage all my friends to do the same.”
• Another letter – from Valerie Rhodes, supporting the Mayor. Read it here.

Footnote dated 3rd July

• Another letter from Lois-Anne Johns where she pledges allegiance to the Mayor read it here. An identical letter has turned up on Facebook but signed by a different person – Margaret Taylor. As I mentioned in a comment if identical letters turn up on the Mayor’s desk will they all carry the same weight or will it be one letter signed by many people – just like a petition!
• Facebook is full of “I support the Mayor” posts and comments; this situation is heating up.

 

 

 

Footnote dated 4th July

• Two more letters from familiar letter-writers, unfortunately one from  Margaret Taylor is so inflammatory that Pete Fisher must have burnt his fingers when receiving it. Read it here
• The other one asks a reasonable question; if local residency qualifications have to be used to dump stuff at the County dump why are local residency rules used to access County social services? Read it here
• The Mayor has issued a statement standing firm in his resolve and explains why he walked out of a Council Meeting. Read it here

I just hope that this does not carry through to its worst conclusion

 

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For those who have not been following the news from America

This image taken from a news site in America shows security personnel handcuffing a disabled person they have deemed to be a criminal. In fact the person was participating in a protest against Medicare cuts.
It is placed here to show the extremes that security forces are going to enforce the law as they see it. “Nobody is above the law and it will be applied equally”