Foodbanks

 

On a Tuesday in September this year I found myself driving across Norfolk County past fields of squash, pumpkins and zucchini to a local foodbank where, as a volunteer driver, I had taken a neighbour.  After lining up for one and a half hours, my neighbour emerged with a much-needed bag of food.  

Many in our community have no other option but to access foodbanks and community food programs. 

  

**One in six households in Haldimand and Norfolk Counties are food insecure. - they do not have enough money to buy food.

**The monthly cost to follow a healthy eating pattern for a family of four in Haldimand and Norfolk Counties was $1,122.43 calculated at May of 2023 using a tool called the Ontario Nutritious Food Basket

**Following a healthy eating pattern for that family of four with a full-time minimum wage earner takes up 27% of their income. 

Canada’s first foodbank was established in Edmonton’s Prince of Wales Armouries in 1981.  Its creation was intended to be an interim measure to address unmet community needs. Today there are 700 Foodbanks in Canada. In Haldimand and Norfolk there are thirteen foodbanks and food programs.

According to the The Ontario Living Wage Network, “Despite the annual October 1st increase to the provincial minimum wage to $17.20, there is still no place in Ontario where you could work full-time and cover all your expenses.”  

The Network calculates what is they call a “living wage.”  Each November they update the figure. Community-specific data is used to determine the expenses for a family with two working adults and two children. In Haldimand Norfolk that figure is $20.90 per hour.  

“Household food insecurity is a problem rooted in inadequate incomes. Research has shown that policy changes that support stable incomes that meet the cost of living can make a difference,” according to the local Health Unit. 

We drove home from the foodbank on that sunny September Tuesday through the countryside known as Ontario’s Garden. I pulled the car over in front of my neighbour’s home.  Across the street was a food market.  It wasn’t busy.

Everyone in our community should have access to safe, affordable and nutritious food that is right for them and their family.  

If you are able, consider supporting a local foodbank this holiday season.  The Mission Foodbank sserves Clear Creek, Houghton, Langton, Port Rowan, St. Williams and Walsingham.  It is located at 67 Queen Street in St. Williams ON N0E 1P0 · 

You can drop donations off there on the mornings of the first and third Tuesdays of the month 
or make a cash donation to PO Box 265 Port Rowan N0E1M0 or by calling Joan Skuce 
at 519-586-3003. 

A Thought on the Norfolk County 2022 Elections

There was a bit of a brouhaha November 17th 2020 down at the corner of Colborne and Calamity.  Maybe you will remember the occurrence.

Mayor Kristal Chopp called it a witch hunt, proceeded to axe and replace the Deputy Mayor and then left the building.

Of course, when Elvis left the building cheering crowds called for an encore but on the anniversary of the day when two rival municipalities Buda and Pest found a way to get along and merged a similar bonhomie was not to be found in Norfolk County. 

What about this witch hunting phenomenon?  It became the accusation du jour.

Witch hunting can be traced back to 18th century BC in ancient Egypt and Babylonia where punishment for nasty magic was addressed in the earliest law codes. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible  brought the term back and into the world of politics during the McCarthy era.   More recently, former President Trump consistently cast himself as a witch hunt victim on a par with the defendants in the Salem Witch Trials. 

Norfolk has its own tradition with the hunting of witches. Perhaps the witch trap used by Norfolk’s first settler, John Troyer, should be relocated from Norfolk Archives to Council Chambers to prevent any further transgressions.

However, lost in the excitement of that November afternoon’s shenanigans was the whole matter of the need for some clarity on what exactly the Norfolk Deputy Mayor does.

According to Norfolk Council’s procedural by-law as amended in 2017:

Deputy Mayor shall mean a Member of Council who is appointed, by By-Law or resolution of Council, to act from time to time in the place of the Mayor when the Mayor is absent from the municipality or absent through illness, or when the office is vacant and, while so acting, such Member has and may exercise all the rights, powers and authority of the Head of Council and this authority is delegated by Council under Section 23.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001 c.25

Not really helpful, is it?

Whatever the outcome on October 24th here is hoping the new Council will function with a much higher level of decorum and respect for its members and citizens.

And maybe they will update that procedural by-law as it relates to deputy mayor duties. 

"Truly Troubling"

Back in the day when I was a municipal councillor there was no such thing as an Integrity Commissioner.

Now, according to the Municipal Act, municipalities must have such a person.

That individual is expected to report to Council in an independent manner on a number of local government functions.  For example, they will look at the application of the code of conduct for Council and local Board members and the application of any procedures, rules and policies governing the ethical behaviour of members of council and of local boards.  There are other functions set out in the Act. 

The concept of promoting transparency and ensuring codes of conduct are adhered to is a good one.   There are detractors of course. Cost is an issue.  But that is beyond the scope of this brief post.  

Let’s take a quick look at the 2020 Annual Report of the Integrity Commissioner for the Corporation of Norfolk authored by John Mascarin.

The report  can be found beginning at page 31 at https://www.norfolkcounty.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/CIC-Agenda-April-13-1.pdf

Here are some highlights.

Complaints

Three complaints were examined in 2020. 

1. It was alleged that Mayor Chopp offended the Code and the County’s Procedural By-law when she displayed a cartoon image of a fecal sandwich in a meeting with provincial staff.  The Commissioner found “when considered in context, however crude and juvenile the display of the cartoon may have been in a formal meeting it did not amount to a breach of the Code.”  We trust that this wasn’t a lunch meeting.

2. A second complaint grew out of the first one.  That complaint “related to the improper disclosure of the identity of the complainant on the part of the Mayor.”  A Norfolk County bylaw is clear.  The Integrity Commissioner shall identify all complainants to the individual who is subject of the complaint and require that the subject maintain the identity of the complainant as confidential. (See Section 14.6 of By-law 2018-33) Mayor Chopp contended that the Commissioner was the one who had breached confidentiality. The Commissioner “concluded otherwise” and determined it was the Mayor who had breached. 

3. This complaint alleged that the Mayor Chopp contravened three provisions of the Code of Conduct in interactions with members of the public in Port Dover on May 2nd.  The Commissioner concluded she hadn’t.

Inquiries

The report summarized  inquiries received over the last year.  They fell into three areas.  People were concerned about that fecal sandwich cartoon and the Mayor’s public square haircut stunt but most importantly, in my view, were concerns regarding the dysfunction of Council. 

Haircut Protest - Photo from blogTO.com

The Commissioner called this situation “truly troubling.”  

Council Relations

The November 17, 2020 Council meeting is cited. Many will recall that the attempted addition of the topic of Council Relations to the Agenda prompted the mayor to make allegations of a witch-hunt, axe and replace the Deputy Mayor, and exit the building in the midst of the meeting.

In an understatement the Commissioner wrote that  “the acrimony between members of Council was never more apparent than at this meeting.” And if you thought that was bad the Commissioner noted that “we have been advised that the level of discord has not abated in 2021.”

Should the average Norfolker care if Council members get along?

For sure.

The report notes: 

• The lack of team unity.

• The “dread” some feel about attending meetings of Council and committee.

• The adversarial and hostile atmosphere both inside and outside the Council Chambers.

• That Council operates in a debilitated state but also in a selectively secretive manner with a “complete disregard for the Code of Conduct, Council and staff policies, and policies that are put in place to protect members of the public.”

Council training and team building, agreed to some time ago,  have not happened yet.  It may be too late for the team of 2018-2022.  But when elections come around in October 2022 voters should expect answers from incumbents and contenders on how this will all be fixed. 

Just a Thought- How about a Caretaker for Ward 2?

On Tuesday,  Norfolk Council will consider a 41-page staff report on how to fill the Ward 2 Council vacancy.   https://www.norfolkcounty.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CIC-Agenda-Feb-9.pdf

We live in a democracy so a by-election is clearly the way to go.

Some will take issue with the financial cost of such a by-election.  Not me.  The expenses are pegged at a reasonable $22,000-$33,000.

However,  as with everything else these days, the pandemic puts up significant barriers to a successful by-election. 

Staff identify these obstacles and list special procedures that could address legitimate  health and safety concerns.  Some examples: 

*The nomination process set out in provincial legislation can’t be amended.  That means that at least 25 people must sign a candidate’s nomination papers.  Since electronic signatures are not allowed a separate form for each signature is needed to reduce touch points of the mandatory forms. 

*Door to door canvassing is problematic.  Staff recommend that candidates undergo a daily health self assessment; door campaigning should take place “through the door” whenever possible and hand sanitizer should be used by all involved in campaigning.

These are all good ideas but impractical and not easily enforceable. 

Other Concerns with a By-Election

There are issues with voting methods as well ;  “complexity” concerns with internet voting, for example.  And internet access is problematic for many in Ward Two.   

Staff prefer a mail-in ballot, although the accuracy of the voter’s list is a big problem which can’t be resolved until 2024.  

One concern not mentioned is that the successful candidate won’t be sworn in and able to begin serving Ward 2 and Norfolk constituents until June 8th. As we know it takes quite a while to learn the ropes in any new job.   Municipal government presents a big learning curve for new members.  By the time the new councillor is up to speed the October 2022 municipal elections will be here.

Given all the above the appointment process might be a better approach. Here is a thought:

A Caretaker

In 2006, I was selected over 20 other applicants through a transparent community process as Ward 5 Councillor for Burlington/Halton.  That process involved a public meeting and an in-camera interview (allowed under the Municipal Act) with Council and senior staff.

What did I offer?  For six years I’d served most of that ward as Councillor before deciding to return to my old field of work.  Voters had not tossed me out and that, I’m sure, was a consideration.  

I had been off council for more than eight years but still had an understanding of how local government generally and local governments specifically worked.  What was most important though was,  in combination with my experience,  I made a commitment that I would not run in the upcoming municipal election.  As Norfolk staff correctly note in their report there is a huge advantage for incumbents in municipal elections.  It can be argued that those who have that advantage by being elected by voters deserve it.  But one who has not faced the electors certainly doesn’t.

I spent nine productive months as a caretaker councillor. I worked with constituents, brought forward some new initiatives that had been put to one side, plugged away on Official Plan updates that I had background on from my earlier term on council and other matters.  I was also quite involved in promoting civic participation through organizing and chairing an all candidates meeting and making myself available to discuss issues with those candidates.

Norfolk County

An appointment process with interviews in public and applicants’  intentions for the next election being factored in to the decision could be the way to go for Norfolk. 

As far as I’m aware, candidates in an appointment process can’t be required to commit to not contesting the next election.  In fact, I recall some who made such a promise then broke it.

My view is that Council can ask for the commitment and if it is broken then the voters can decide in 2022.  

That would be the democratic thing to do. 

Getting it Right

 

Thoughts on the South Coast Shuttle

(Following is a sequence of numbered tweets that was posted on twitter.  I've posted it here as the twitter feed may not have worked for everyone/anyone.) 

1. Some thoughts on the South Coast Shuttle.  The shuttle operated this summer in #NorfolkCounty.  Follow our numbered tweets


2. Operating on Erie’s north shore @10woodbb was involved in a small way as a sponsor. $250 got R name on some ads & 10 free tickets
 
3. The Shuttle was actually 2 buses running weekends and holiday Mondays on a longish 55 kilometre route- Port Dover to Long Point

4. The idea was to provide a safe and reliable transportation option to destinations and amenities from Port Dover to Long Point…

Normandale Inn

5. …with stops at many locations along the way: as well as 2 promote many tourism options 4 visitors & residents of Norfolk County


6.  Sorry for that bureaucratise.  It is in the staff report.  You can look it up at www.norfolkcounty.ca/ on the agenda page-Nov. 17


7. Let’s put it another way. The Shuttle was an option to the car. People could go 2 bars &; restaurants, have a drink or 2 &  not worry…


8.  ...about how to get home.  Good idea, eh?


9.  Also you could take your bike on the bus, go for a ride then take the bus home. We enjoyed the Lynn Valley Trail that way.

Lynn Valley Trail

10. OK.  You want to know, did it work?   And what did it cost hard working, abused and under loved taxpayers of #NorfolkCounty 


11. First, did it work?

12. 20 riders per day. Ridership varied dramatically but it was better than the regular Ride Norfolk ridership


13. 1/2 of the riders were from away.  1/2 were from Norfolk. Riders said drivers Bob and Linda were ‘prompt and obliging”


14. Businesses were happy: E.g. Great promotion. More customers. Locals checked out their county.  Believe it will only get better


15.  Now, what did it cost?  Nothing to local taxpayer.  Sponsors, grants, fares and Gas Tax footed the bill.

Burning Kiln Winery

16. For next year we like the idea of scheduled wait times at certain stops so riders can look around.


17. Shorter loops may be an idea to look at too.


18. Thanks to staff @NorfolkCounty particularly Brad Smith for a job well done.



Here is a video on the South Coast Shuttle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=n2RKoTrGTMY