Thursday, October 8, 2015
EFFORTS ON THE MECAC FRONT
I received an e-mail late last evening from the Township Clerk asking if I would be available at 9:30 am. Tuesday October 13/15 to attend the second MECAC hearing regarding Mayor Shantz's election campaign finances. That of course is both immediately after the long weekend and the holiday Monday. While some families may be celebrating Thanksgiving on the Sunday we are attending dinner with family on the Monday. That said the Clerk was quite clear in her e-mail that she understands the timing is both last minute and right after Thanksgiving and if it doesn't work for me she will reschedule. I am making a few inquiries today regarding others who wish to attend before I can commit one way or the other.
I reread this morning my six page submission to MECAC dated September 25/15 plus the other two accompanying documents. The one is also a six page document from the Ontario Bar Association discussing the Election Act, MECAC and the very low threshold required for them to order a Compliance/Forensic Audit. The final document is my two page Delegation to Woolwich Council on September 15/15. It discusses both the Ontario Bar Association article as well as case law which makes it clear that MECAC must order a Compliance audit upon any failures and contraventions by the candidate of the Municipal Elections Act.
Both my Delegation to Woolwich Council and my September 25 Application to MECAC pull no punches. My Delegation to Council occurred after their idiotic and disrespectful walkout during my earlier Delegation a few weeks prior. Contrary to the blatantly false and inaccurate Woolwich Observer article that followed, my conduct was not the issue. Both my written Delegation plus taperecordings indicate that Council came looking for an excuse, any excuse to walk. Chair Larry Shantz was interrupting me within the first or second sentence of my very calm and mild Delegation.
Hence it is ironic that a few weeks later I did indeed give Council and MECAC appropriate hell for their behaviour. Council were advised that the sports metaphor "winning ugly" should be revised in Woolwich Township to "winning illegally". While Council were not happy, this time they listened to the truth appropriately and kept their interrupting mouths shut and their butts in their chairs, exactly as they are paid to do.
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Yes Council Members and appointees cannot become leaders till they become our servants first. Anyone that does not like it should resign. They need to listen more and speak less and they need to treat the taxpayers with the utmost of dignity and respect. When our leaders start to act like "our bosses" they will get all the respect they deserve, NONE! They work for us - we do NOT work for them.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with your post today. I don't think that your delegation was calm or mild that night and I don't think that they were looking for excuses to leave. You spoke about a topic that was not listed in your delegation, and, you raised your voice at Council. I was there and watched the whole thing. After that, Viv (who did not have a delegation) yelled at Council and then you both stormed out. She was raising her voice and wagging her finger at them. It was far from calm.
ReplyDeleteRealizing your frustration at not being heard, they listened to you the next time - and you responded by disrespecting them on your blog the next day and again here today.
Both you and the 9:41am poster have suggested that it is their job to "serve" you and keep " their interrupting mouths shut and their butts in their chairs, exactly as they are paid to do". This is utterly untrue. They are not paid to be abused by members of the public. Serving the public does not mean sitting there and being berated without being allowed to respond or defend themselves.
If you want to be heard, you can't treat people like garbage and tell them that they are being paid to sit and shut up and do what you want them to do. I know you have a long history and mistrust of council members, but you won't get anywhere with anyone (new or old) if you treat people badly.
To the 9:41am poster - you want them to treat taxpayers with dignity and respect, but don't want to show them any dignity or respect. Why? How is that fair?
That is because they work for me , I do NOT work for them. I am far more concerned with the truth, not the warm and fuzzy and manipulated "fairness doctrine". Why should Mr. Marshall treat his sworn enemies nicely? They have made it clear that they hate him and most importantly they hate the truth. These people are out of control! It is clear that to me that our modern public servants do not even like the majority of people who they are to serve (and in many cases are sworn to serve). In my years/wide variety of experience I have seen public servants become the opposite of what they should be and I have also noticed that a large percentage of voters have allowed themselves to be scammed and manipulated and unfortunately many voters are completely dumbed down to the truth. In our democracy that leaves us in the control of demons. We live in a sick world (in the grip of satan and his vices) and as a result of course our community is suffering and so I will NOT be playing any games where evil truth is evident for all to see. One cannot deal effectively with satan and his minions by "blowing kisses". I decided that I would support only things that are good for all, AND I would stand against anything that is not! It is not that I am so high and mighty, it is just that what I discern most often is corrupt at the core. The lukewarm, limp-wristed, fuzzy, liberal, wealth re-distribution, communist, dumbed down society is NOT something that I will give myself up to! Free Will was a Gift we were all given and I have chosen to stick up for the truth, because it always makes me free.
DeleteThis reply does not make sense. More grandiose, colloquial generalizations of good and evil. Does not relate to what is being discussed here.
DeleteI stand by my earlier statement. Entering into public life does not mean that a person is supposed to tolerate sustained abuse. Council members are working for the "greater good" (which you claim to be doing too)... sometimes what people believe is in the interests of the "greater good" is not in line with your point of view... by being a member of a civilized society you must accept this and be civil to others. You must treat them with the same respect and dignity that you demand. Otherwise the process will fail. Bottom line.
Re anon at 1035am: The process has failed! Most people in "public life" suck more out of the system than they put in. In addition each new batch of politicians and appointees leave a worst mess and more debt than existed before. We desperately need genuine gifted public servants and LESS government. Taxpayers no longer respect each other or their government because of systemic abuses and loss of personal freedoms. Any attempt to change public servants into officials of public life is an insult to everyone. Only the blunt truth keeps me free now. The condescending and dismissive reply shows me that I made perfect sense and am right on point! People like me can no longer be co-opted or controlled by eloquent words or grandstanding, or even mere silence. If things do not change for the better, just imagine someday soon, you too will have it lorded over you by the majority.
DeleteFirstly there is no rule about speaking about two matters during a Delegation. That is a typical made up rule by Council or Chair. Secondly my Delegation was calm and mild prior to their walkout. I only raised my voice when they returned and yelled at me. Thirdly Council can defend themselves via asking questions of the Delegate afterwards or by simply making a statement after he is finished and sitting. They are abusing the Delegate and the public by repeatedly interrupting during his speaking & especially by walking out.
ReplyDelete