If you want input - you can't have it!!
This police discussion is going to nasty before it gets better. The debate is going to boil down into whether Cobourg can influence it own destiny and how much money are we going to save? Here is a letter that I wrote this week that sums it up
The first issue is where the Council of the day is going to be on the spot, but however much they huff and puff, what they think or do is of no consequence. And that is a democratic crime. For any municipality to lose a chunk of its local culture is wrenching. Sometimes people can't wait to chuck a piece overboard but in this case, the loss of a venerated service - Cobourg historically had a police force before a local council, we don't know what the community wants. But we do want the people of Cobourg to decide!
It will be a crying shame if the debate about the loss of local police service engenders less action than a silly piece of concrete at the harbourfront. Although the issue is the same - can we save money and do we need it. This debate has two aspects, both extremely important: one is the right to determine our own affairs, in other words Cobourg should decide to dissolve the Police Service not have it decided for us by people who don't like us. Secondly we need real facts upon which to judge the argument. The Policing Study penned by an OPP apologist is biased and misleading and many cases just inaccurate - factually wrong.
Given the importance of this subject I anxiously await what Councillor Frost is allowed to tell us - after all he is the coordinator.
The first issue is where the Council of the day is going to be on the spot, but however much they huff and puff, what they think or do is of no consequence. And that is a democratic crime. For any municipality to lose a chunk of its local culture is wrenching. Sometimes people can't wait to chuck a piece overboard but in this case, the loss of a venerated service - Cobourg historically had a police force before a local council, we don't know what the community wants. But we do want the people of Cobourg to decide!
It will be a crying shame if the debate about the loss of local police service engenders less action than a silly piece of concrete at the harbourfront. Although the issue is the same - can we save money and do we need it. This debate has two aspects, both extremely important: one is the right to determine our own affairs, in other words Cobourg should decide to dissolve the Police Service not have it decided for us by people who don't like us. Secondly we need real facts upon which to judge the argument. The Policing Study penned by an OPP apologist is biased and misleading and many cases just inaccurate - factually wrong.
Given the importance of this subject I anxiously await what Councillor Frost is allowed to tell us - after all he is the coordinator.
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