Theeeere Off!

As my father used to say, "They're off: as the monkey sat on the circular saw!" As are the political parties in their quest for electoral success, Cathy Galt opened her office, local Liberals are gloating about the largesse of the Provincial government (as explained in a leaflet received last week from Loo), and the NDP are holding their first official planning session this week.

Fixed election dates mean longer election campaigns, the question is - can we stand them? I saw election signs in Oshawa yesterday, it's going to be a long Fall.

So what are the local election issues? Please use the comment box to explain your issue and what you think will be a theme as the parties go to the hustings.

For those of you with too much time on your hands!

If you have plenty of time to spare give some of it to these guys Jackie & Dunlap. I really liked this one click here

Remember this story?

I have written about this before, I guess it will not go away! Ohio's 2004 Presidential Election Records Missing

Two provincial issues with local links

Premier Dalton McGuinty, announced two funding endeavours today: one was to spend 26 million dollars and the other to try and get some of his slush fund money back.

Firstly the OPP issue, it is more than a bit galling to discover that the money will be going to fund more OPP officers of a general nature, and only a few to go to an anti-gun squad. That means that urban taxpayers will once again be subsidising the rural policing efforts. What is more than galling is to realise that at present urban taxpayers are still subsidising rural police users although Mr Harris tried to end the practise by making rurals pay for their policing. He did institute a charge for policing but then issued grants to offset the costs. Of course urbans, like Cobourg and Port Hope ending up paying twice; once for their own police costs and then again for the police grants to the rurals. But it gets worse as the urban taxpayer has to pay more toward the rural police because of a way that the OPP staffing is structured. It is a fact that about one third of all the local complements budgets come from a allocation called "Provincial Complement" and is used to pay for events and circumstances beyond the normal rural policing as well as to pay for replacements to the complement due to sickness and absences. For example when the Havelock detachment has to be expanded for the Jamboree the Municipality doesn't get billed, the Provincial Complement pays for it. Correspondingly in Cobourg we pay for everything. We know that all the extra costs of the Waterfront Festival are our costs. Perhaps we should have the Festival at the Pentecostal Camp, in Hamilton Township, and the province (meaning us) will pay?

The second issue of trying to get the slush fund money back will be problematic as all the grants were unconditional and the organisations that received the money can do what they want with the money. But here is a suggestion, now would be the perfect time to give Mr McGuinty his 1.3 million dollars back and the Fountain/ Rink controversy will go away!

A realistic account of a pols summer BBQ

Just as our pal Loooooo boasts about his BBQ, in today's CDS, along comes this account of another, can we all recognise the inherent cynicism? Read this and be cynical

So it's the summer there are still big issues lurking!

It is the summer and all of the pols have taken a vacation, except Looooooo. He is doing the BBQ circuit and dragging in as many compliant Liberally trained seals as possible to bolster up this swing riding. The latest on the spot was Greg Sorebeara, the hairy slick finance man who was only allowed to talk to invited persons of interest. Who told him that things were just peachy in N'land and will only get better if we elect the fiberals again.

But lurking under the surface is the big issue of the County - the OPP bid to police the County. There are some procedural problems here, as well as the big issue of costs. We have been told that the bid will save money but as the great unwashed haven't been allowed to see the apples we only suspect oranges. The big problem for me is the impartiality of the examination. The OPP bids; and the guy who is vetting the bid and making recommendations for acceptance/rejection is a long serving OPP pensioner. What's the potential for bias there?

But the big problem is that the County has structured a steering committee to deal with the issue. The steering committee consists of all seven councillors and the CAOs of all the municipalities. So the big wheels hash out the details of the County response behind closed doors and then go into the full session of a County Council meeting, sometime in Sept/October and report to themselves. Do you think they are going to repeat the discussions for the benefit of the public? fat chance! So the actual specifics of the discussion that should be in open session will never be heard just the big fat whack of a rubber stamp.

There is one big fat elephant in the room: the Police Service Act (PSA), it only allows a five person Police Services Board (PSB) some of whom have to be Provincial appointees. So how can the County guarantee a place on the Board for all of the Municipalities. Governance being the hot topic it is no Municipality is going to forgo a seat on the Board. In the last report from the consultant, OPP pensioner Watkins, it was written on Page 30 that a proposal to change that provision to allow a 7 person Board was being considered by the Province. Well since that time a letter has been circulated that explains the Provinces stand toward changing the PSA and in it the following quote is seen, "This ministry's position is that the Police Services Act (PSA) prescribes the membership of police services boards and their responsibilities in providing oversight and governance on behalf of the municipality. Other structures are not provided for in the legislation and are, therefore, prohibited.” So much for the seven member proposal!! The letter also states that the proposal from the County had not formally been presented to the Ministry for consideration. So who was trying to mislead whom during the last set of public discussions with a report not completely based on fact?

That's not my biggest worry. The fact that the County is not having public discussions until October at the earliest and the other fact that the OPP costing may run out in December means that there will be political pressure on all Municipalities to complete the "triple majority" procedure in a hurry. That means that Port Hope and Cobourg, who have to vote to disband their services before the OPP can police Countywide, will be rushed to do it in 8 weeks - a very hasty proposal. This leads to the fear that in October a very well wrapped parcel of OPP goodies will be presented by the Mayors to their Councils as faits accomplis. What a political opportunity for those who wish to kill the local Services, just say to the electorates that "The County made me do it!!"

Did he really say that?

Now for a moment of truth. Some guy at the County, probably a consultant who doesn't care whether he is invited back, actually committed verbal heresy. He said, recollect, "Having a WalMart and Home Depot isn't economic development". now ain't the the truth, but I never expected to hear it coming from a hired gun. I just hope that the elected councillors sitting in the same room heard it. Say it again - "Having a WalMart and a Home Depot isn't economic development"

Now how about this for a summer read?

Most disturbing to a leftie, but people do think like this I can even name a couple around town! Neocons on a Cruise: What Conservatives Say When They Think We Aren't Listening

Who elected this guy King?

I don't understand the nuances of the separation of the branches of government as mandated in the USA's constitution. But when the President can disregard the Congress with impunity under "executive privilege" isn't that just like being a King? Just what that tea party in Boston all about anyway if Bush, or any President can rule divinely. Hopefully the American citizenry will see more of this behaviour and take action.Bush orders former counsel to defy House committee's subpoena

Now the vote is over, what next?

Cobourg Council has delivered its verdict, we are going to get an ice rink/fountain at the waterfront as well as the buildings that are needed to support them. Although the question of the building is far more important to the project than most realise. That building is going to provide a $20,000 a year subsidy because it is also a bus stop - if ever there was a corruption of function to provide form I cannot find a better example of it.

The opponents are considering legal action, something they should have done before, although the honourable judge might have ruled an application premature as Council had not finished its deliberations. But there are other options. This transaction of Council has to award the tender, by bylaw, there may be an appeal against that bylaw as it could be deemed unwise and a waste of money, something the OMB might consider.

But let's look at the fallout from this. Citizens are now split into two camps - those who support the Mayor and those who don't. This event comes about as a "perfect storm" and really shows the vehemence that some of the electorate still harbour as a result of the last election. Those voters who cannot believe that only two new councillors were elected and naively believed that the returnees would show compromise and magnanimity toward those who wanted change showed their disdain for the Council's actions since the election by signing on to the petition so quickly. The other piece that fell like a tile off the roof between the eyes, was the political slithering of Deputy Mayor Brocanier. This fellow so keen to show that he can listen voted with the opposition claiming that he didn't have enough time to study it. But when given the opportunity to have more time - by supporting a motion to table - he voted against it. He knew where the votes were and he used opportunism and slimeball tactics to look good. Fortunately , for him, the average voter fell for it and he still has the shine of a good guy hanging around him.

The Mayor and Council won this one but at what cost? I know local people who are so hopping mad at this they just want to vomit. This decision will only further the feeling that "they are going to do what they want to do!" Hopefully it will galvanize the watchers into critical observation and be ready for the next big decision (which most of the same people believe has already been made) the vote to switch to the OPP.