WOOLWICH COUNCIL EMBRACE MOST OF THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS MODERNIZATION ACT

I am a little surprised that to date I've seen no articles or comments about this legislation in the local media. Considering the travails of half of Woolwich Council with their election expense scandals that is odd. I was also disappointed in Woolwich once again burying an item of obvious local interest on the second page of their Council meeting Agenda and at the same time not advising the three local citizens who led the charge for Election Act (MEA) enforcement that it was coming up. Almost as if once again they prefer to fly under the radar on issues of which they've been burned. Politics yes, democracy no.

One interesting item in the "Modernization Act" is the apparently new permission for candidates who file early to make changes to their filed Financial Statements. Really this is new? Did I miss something in the old Municipal Elections Act which prohibited that action? If I did then that adds even more shame to our judicial system as I had asked them to determine if indeed our mayor had done exactly that in the spring of 2015, as I'd been so advised by a reputable source.

Last evening Council sat in stony silence while I read my Delegation to them concerning this so called Modernization Act. They had no questions or comments. I referenced the ten recommendations sent in to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs early last summer by Mr. Richard Clausi. Sandy Shantz made a couple of ill informed comments regarding Ranked Ballots. Perhaps this is the bottom line for our local councillors. They've won at the first past the post system and don't want to test their support in a system that more closely mirrors citizens concensus on candidates.ie. fear of change.

I see virtually no recognition or admission in this Draft Bill 181 that acknowledges that the curent legislation is badly flawed in that enforcement of the MEA is dependent upon citizen complaints followed by the knowledge, integrity and nuetrality of local political appointees (MECAC). The Municipal Elections Audit Committee presented to Woolwich was grossly flawed including conflicts of interest with two members including the Chair Carl Zehr. His political and Board connections through Metrolinx and Regional Councillors in a contract position with Metrolinx were unacceptable. His alleged nuetral position judging mayor and regional councillor Sandy Shantz gave every appearance of an unacceptable conflict of interest.