Oh thank goodness for involved and keen citizens. Despite decades of reading technical hydrogeological reports and understanding them and then providing informed advice which was generally ignored if it cost 25 cents more than another option; this time I will be a tad frivolous in my advice. In today's K-W Record Luisa D'Amato warns us that lawsuits are on the way. Her article on page A3 is titled "Region is running out of time to avoid legal action on water supply". My suggestion is this: Embrace the the judicial system sticking their noses in, their supercilious attitudes, user unfriendly processes and procedures all combined with occasional ignorant judges and go for it. Sort of. Here's what you have to do. It's called judge shopping and the fact that it has a name indicates that it is a thing.
Pick Justice Craig Parry to be the sole jurist. No jury involved to dilute the pool of common sense that he has recently displayed. Based upon his obvious displeasure with the public as represented by 48 adult women versus one male doctor (we'll call him Dr. "hands") a lawsuit made up of mostly male plaintiffs aimed against a mixed bunch of regional councilors should be a slam dunk in favour of the developers and house builders at the expense of the public interest. This sounds to me right up this Judge's alley don't you think?
Now on the other hand if you were to pick judge Robert Reilly instead you could likely tailer the legal decision differently. If as I was told, after the fact, he favours females over males then by putting all the female regional councillors in the front row to emphasize regional council's femininity versus the masculinity of rough/tough home builders and construction guys; then the decision would be a slam dunk in favour of the public interest (politicians) over wealthy, influential, monied interests.
There is yet another legal term involved. It's called "home cooking". Basically courts who rely somewhat on the good will of the people they terrorize.... oops I mean tenderize, prefer to make decisions that the public can get behind no matter their legal merits. Hence each party needs to do a small, subtle con job on the judge alone (possibly favoured by Reilly & Parry?) which is much easier than winning over a jury of citizens based upon evidence. The party that the Judge feels represents more people should generally win court decisions to avoid controversy and worse such as bringing the administration of justice into disrepute.
So who really is in charge in Waterloo Region? Is it the behind the scenes movers and shakers or is it the pack of dummies that get elected every four years? Those politicians may get elected on the lies they tell the public during the election but it's the truth they tell the movers and shakers privately beforehand that gets them money and organization to run in the elections.
Exactly how rigged is the system? Can you believe the coincidence that speed cameras are being torn down in Waterloo Region literally at the same time as surveillance cameras are being put up? Who masterminded that Orwellian nonsense without public input? Waterloo Region still refuses to divulge what should be public knowledge regarding the 770 acre land grab in Wilmot Township. They also still haven't come clean as to the quantity of contaminated groundwater combined with incredibly dirty Grand River surface water requiring massively expensive treatment.
My personal view is that we are watching a bruhaha between the greedy and the incompetent. There will ne no winners but I can guarantee you who the losers will be! We can't vote out the movers and shakers but come this October we can vote out every single regional councillor plus incumbent mayors on regional council.
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