IF YOU CAN'T LICK THEM, JOIN THEM?

Or so the saying goes. I sent off today, two days ahead of the deadline, my Application to join MECAC (Municipal Elections Compliance Audit Committee) as a member. MECAC of course are the pack of individuals who demonstrated, for those members of the public who wished to more fully understand how politics are done in both Woolwich Township and the Region of Waterloo, what exactly cronyism and favouritism is all about. They gave Sandy Shantz a pass on even requiring a full and independent audit of her Financial Statements. They allowed her, after getting caught, to hire her own Mickey Mouse audit of her Statements. Now just to be clear, any privately ordered audit of a candidate's Financial statements are Mickey Mouse. Most of these audits have Limitations clauses in them, advising whoever wants to know, as to how superficial these private audits are. This is in stark contrast to a full and independent audit ordered by MECAC. Scott Hahn found this out the hard way and in fact that audit quite appropriately hammered him. Thank You Froese and Partners.

In my Application I included my education (1974 BA in Economics) along with a one year Accounting course. I also ran my own business for nearly a decade and gained bookeeping experience from that. I just wound up my term as the Chief Financial Officer for a local candidate in the provincial election from last month. I of course filled out the Financial statements for my candidate and submitted them. Then of course there was my two to three years experience here in Woolwich Township examining the Financial Statements (or lack thereof) of three successful candidates namely Mark Bauman, Scott Hahn and Sandy Shantz. Interestingly two of those three have now dropped out of our local political scene which I view as a very strong positive. MECAC had major credibility issues due to both conflicts of interest as well as due to either incompetence or bias or both. Way too many former local politicians and worse on that committee. MECAC's failure to point out that Sandy Shantz had forfeited her office due to her failure to provide an audit of her greater than $10,000 expenses and contributions was shameful. That took myself and Rich Clausi to bring that to the forefront.

Therefore clearly MECAC needs a redo. I'm putting my name forward to assist them. Clearly my Application will be accepted if they wish to have a more knowledgeable member and dare I say a member with fewer conflicts of interest. They will also have a member who believes in full disclosure and accountability.