When former colleagues of yours are called names you take notice.
Burlington Councillors and Mayor Cam Jackson were recently called "disingenuous" and "duplicitous" by Hamilton Councillor Margaret McCarthy according to the today's Hamilton Spectator.
Let's see "duplicitous": Comes from the word "duplicity". It means tricky, suggests you're deceitful. It implies double dealing.
And "disingenuous" - lacking simplicity, frankness or sincerity; not straightforward; crafty.
Flamborough representative McCarthy uttered these harsh words after Burlington Council came up with what was described as a "compromise" position on the possible expansion of Waterdown Road.
When the name calling comes from a Hamilton politician, in a city where a major achievement is to get a quorum for a council meeting and civility and respect for the public are not often present - well, as my father use to say "consider the source."
The only thing achieved by such mud flinging is to raise the name calling politician's profile in the local press. Mission accomplished.
McCarthy is also quoted as saying the city's new position is "not defensible." This "d" word comment merits consideration.
One can argue that there is no Burlington position now. Not yet. Staff have been asked to take another look at the file.
One suspects, however, that when they come back with the same professional opinion that they put forward a year ago and when the various other experts (Conservation Authority, Escarpment Commission and Regional Planners) hold firm we'll find that Burlington may be on the hook for most of the costs of the inevitable road widening.
That will be disappointing. And taxpayers will be disgruntled.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Monday, March 12, 2007
Drive Throughs Need Restrictions
Orillia Saturday March 10 3:00 p.m. -
It is busy inside Tim Horton’s on Orillia’s Colborne Street.
Busier, though, at the drive through. The cars (many SUVs and 4x4’s), most guided by a single occupant encircle the store like ants around a picnic basket.
Can’t the municipality do something about this? Wouldn’t happen in my town. We care about the environment and we’ve got an anti-idling by-law. Right?
Burlington Sunday March 11 - noon -
On Assignment
whenthemayorsmiles dispatches Hunter R. Wilson, crack gonzo journalist, to a typical Tim Horton’s in order to perform the requisite 15 minutes research that befits the high standards set by this blog.
Hunter R. is in his element, undercover in a New Street phone booth. Don’t want these "drive throughers," if there are any in beautiful Burlington, to get wise to this research.
Hunter’s fifteen minute stake out yields the following:
-A continuous line - always at least five cars idling - nine in line on Hunter’s arrival and seven when he leaves.
-One car waits, engine running, for five minutes and five seconds.
-The average wait is four minutes and five seconds.
Facts
*Natural Resources Canada argues that stopping unnecessary vehicle idling is an important way of improving air quality and thus the health of communities (1998).
*Five minutes idling produces 271 grams (more than half a pound) of greenhouse gases.
*If every driver in Canada avoided idling for five minutes per day we would prevent the creation of 1.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
It is against the law to idle in Burlington for more than three minutes. The by-law also includes a commitment to public education so we can all learn about the negative impacts of idling.
This by-law does nothing to discourage the kind of idling that drive throughs produce. Good planning can.
Hamilton, hardly an environmental leader, is looking at this. Shouldn’t we?
The upcoming Future Focus strategic planning discussions offer an opportunity.
Our city can do something.
It must.
It is busy inside Tim Horton’s on Orillia’s Colborne Street.
Busier, though, at the drive through. The cars (many SUVs and 4x4’s), most guided by a single occupant encircle the store like ants around a picnic basket.
Can’t the municipality do something about this? Wouldn’t happen in my town. We care about the environment and we’ve got an anti-idling by-law. Right?
Burlington Sunday March 11 - noon -
On Assignment
whenthemayorsmiles dispatches Hunter R. Wilson, crack gonzo journalist, to a typical Tim Horton’s in order to perform the requisite 15 minutes research that befits the high standards set by this blog.
Hunter R. is in his element, undercover in a New Street phone booth. Don’t want these "drive throughers," if there are any in beautiful Burlington, to get wise to this research.
Hunter’s fifteen minute stake out yields the following:
-A continuous line - always at least five cars idling - nine in line on Hunter’s arrival and seven when he leaves.
-One car waits, engine running, for five minutes and five seconds.
-The average wait is four minutes and five seconds.
Facts
*Natural Resources Canada argues that stopping unnecessary vehicle idling is an important way of improving air quality and thus the health of communities (1998).
*Five minutes idling produces 271 grams (more than half a pound) of greenhouse gases.
*If every driver in Canada avoided idling for five minutes per day we would prevent the creation of 1.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
It is against the law to idle in Burlington for more than three minutes. The by-law also includes a commitment to public education so we can all learn about the negative impacts of idling.
This by-law does nothing to discourage the kind of idling that drive throughs produce. Good planning can.
Hamilton, hardly an environmental leader, is looking at this. Shouldn’t we?
The upcoming Future Focus strategic planning discussions offer an opportunity.
Our city can do something.
It must.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW
Joan Little does an excellent job covering municipal politics in the Hamilton Spectator.
Joan is thorough in her analysis, thoughtful and fair - traits that were put to good use when she served as a Burlington alderman and Halton Councillor.
Unfortunately the Spectator limits her to only a couple of columns per month.
Columnists are supposed to put forward a point of view. Joan has waded in with her assessment of Burlington’s new mayor opining in a previous piece that his “Camship” was not a team player.
A recent column called him a one man-band; accused him of mismanagement on the McMaster file; noted that he craves adulation; claimed he is creating morale problems amongst staff; and more.
Far be it from me to stand up for Cam Jackson, a man I ran against once. On most days his views are 180 degrees from mine. And his personal style rubs me like fingernails on a blackboard but....
Cam is the Mayor
He ran city wide capturing 14,941 votes. By comparison the next biggest vote getter on Council, Ward One’s Rick Craven, received 4,826 votes in a two-candidate race. Clearly, Jackson has the mandate to speak for all of Burlington. Yet those pusillanimous practitioners of parochial ward politics - two of them anyway - have the nerve to criticize the mayor while hiding behind the anonymity offered through speaking without attribution.
The Great Burlington Tradition
Ms. Little paints a rosy picture of a local government of “seamless team transitions,” “mutual respect” for staff, stability and “solid decision making.” But other mayors have shown a lack of respect for staff and, while this behaviour should not be condoned, it must be said Jackson is not unique.
What is needed in Burlington is a well-articulated code of conduct for politicians like the one that exists for staff. Such a code would go some way to ensuring staff are treated fairly.
A Honeymoon Period
Typically, newly elected mayors are given some time to get use to office. After all it is a tough job. In fact, it may be the toughest one Cam has had. Let’s give him some time. Perhaps he’ll learn from these early missteps.
Joan is thorough in her analysis, thoughtful and fair - traits that were put to good use when she served as a Burlington alderman and Halton Councillor.
Unfortunately the Spectator limits her to only a couple of columns per month.
Columnists are supposed to put forward a point of view. Joan has waded in with her assessment of Burlington’s new mayor opining in a previous piece that his “Camship” was not a team player.
A recent column called him a one man-band; accused him of mismanagement on the McMaster file; noted that he craves adulation; claimed he is creating morale problems amongst staff; and more.
Far be it from me to stand up for Cam Jackson, a man I ran against once. On most days his views are 180 degrees from mine. And his personal style rubs me like fingernails on a blackboard but....
Cam is the Mayor
He ran city wide capturing 14,941 votes. By comparison the next biggest vote getter on Council, Ward One’s Rick Craven, received 4,826 votes in a two-candidate race. Clearly, Jackson has the mandate to speak for all of Burlington. Yet those pusillanimous practitioners of parochial ward politics - two of them anyway - have the nerve to criticize the mayor while hiding behind the anonymity offered through speaking without attribution.
The Great Burlington Tradition
Ms. Little paints a rosy picture of a local government of “seamless team transitions,” “mutual respect” for staff, stability and “solid decision making.” But other mayors have shown a lack of respect for staff and, while this behaviour should not be condoned, it must be said Jackson is not unique.
What is needed in Burlington is a well-articulated code of conduct for politicians like the one that exists for staff. Such a code would go some way to ensuring staff are treated fairly.
A Honeymoon Period
Typically, newly elected mayors are given some time to get use to office. After all it is a tough job. In fact, it may be the toughest one Cam has had. Let’s give him some time. Perhaps he’ll learn from these early missteps.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Budget Consultation
Blown into budget consultation by last Thursday night's brutal winds your curious correspondent is somewhat surprised at the reasonably good turnout braving the cold February night.
About thirty citizens hear and watch the usual staff suspects, Mayor Jackson and Councillor Goldring dish out power point presentations, handouts, lots of insights and refreshments in a two-hour plus meeting at the Appleby Ice Centre.
This City presentation was one of four scheduled over a two week period.
IN ATTENDANCE
Your correspondent wonders who is here and why.
Gracie Noll is present - worrying that budgets are just part of some large conspiracy to hide information from the public. Your correspondent marvels over the absurd, but common, public perception that if you can't read about it in the Burlington Post then City Hall is involved in some sort of cover up. The proposed development of a McMaster campus in downtown parking lot #4 is a case in point.
Tex Burden is in attendance as well. Tex reminds us that all levels of government have been piling on him for years. Tex waxes nostalgic about the good old days. Armed with half-baked Fraser Institute analysis, Tex apparently uses no public services. He wants to be left alone.
Juan Issue speaks as well. Nothing wrong with expressing an interest in one particular program or service or pointing out an oversight or lack of consistency in policy or program implementation. Tonight, it is soccer that is the focus of Juan's concern.
Yes, says the Mayor, we need equity in programs. Soccer has been badly treated in relation to sports like hockey and football. Some audience members are surprised by the mayor's disclosure.
Many in attendance, perhaps the majority, are here purely out of interest. They like living in Burlington and want to contribute as citizens by better understanding their hometown. They appreciate that public processes like budget consultations exist and that staff and politicians make themselves available to answer questions/provide information.
The City's website, for example allows you to question staff/politicians and even get answers.
A Budget Question
Let's see how this works. Your quizzical correspondent's question is:
At last week's budget consultations in Ward Five the mayor indicated that the City has not supported soccer to the same extent that it has other sports such as hockey and football. Why has this happened? Are there plans to address this inequity?
I'll get back with the answer next week.
About thirty citizens hear and watch the usual staff suspects, Mayor Jackson and Councillor Goldring dish out power point presentations, handouts, lots of insights and refreshments in a two-hour plus meeting at the Appleby Ice Centre.
This City presentation was one of four scheduled over a two week period.
IN ATTENDANCE
Your correspondent wonders who is here and why.
Gracie Noll is present - worrying that budgets are just part of some large conspiracy to hide information from the public. Your correspondent marvels over the absurd, but common, public perception that if you can't read about it in the Burlington Post then City Hall is involved in some sort of cover up. The proposed development of a McMaster campus in downtown parking lot #4 is a case in point.
Tex Burden is in attendance as well. Tex reminds us that all levels of government have been piling on him for years. Tex waxes nostalgic about the good old days. Armed with half-baked Fraser Institute analysis, Tex apparently uses no public services. He wants to be left alone.
Juan Issue speaks as well. Nothing wrong with expressing an interest in one particular program or service or pointing out an oversight or lack of consistency in policy or program implementation. Tonight, it is soccer that is the focus of Juan's concern.
Yes, says the Mayor, we need equity in programs. Soccer has been badly treated in relation to sports like hockey and football. Some audience members are surprised by the mayor's disclosure.
Many in attendance, perhaps the majority, are here purely out of interest. They like living in Burlington and want to contribute as citizens by better understanding their hometown. They appreciate that public processes like budget consultations exist and that staff and politicians make themselves available to answer questions/provide information.
The City's website, for example allows you to question staff/politicians and even get answers.
A Budget Question
Let's see how this works. Your quizzical correspondent's question is:
At last week's budget consultations in Ward Five the mayor indicated that the City has not supported soccer to the same extent that it has other sports such as hockey and football. Why has this happened? Are there plans to address this inequity?
I'll get back with the answer next week.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
City Budget Off and Running
The Group of Seven smile at me from page eleven of Friday's Burlington Post. Cam and the Happy Gang announce the beginning of "Budget 07 - Have your Say."
The show hits the road this week with stops at the Burlington Art Centre (Feb 19), Appleby Ice Centre (Feb 22), Notre Dame High School (Feb 28) and Paletta Mansion (March 1).
OK, so its not a Beatles reunion tour - but it matters. According to the City's website:
"Public participation in the process is deemed essential because a municipal budget is more than numbers or setting tax rates. It is a policy and planning document that outlines the city’s priorities and where we are heading. It’s a tool to make Burlington a better place to live."
You can send the City your three budget priorities. You can also request a response from the mayor, a city councillor or various staff.
While public input is valued; it is not easy to achieve. Understanding a municipal budget is about as complex a task as putting together a Rubik's cube while blindfolded. Those who desire to seriously involve themselves in this process have both my thanks and my sympathies.
I'll try to keep on top of it.
Priorities
Speaking of priorities. Here are mine:
First, lets maintain the level of services we have now. Start the discussion there. Keeping taxes down is important too but the debate has to be around the services we pay for.
Second, let's see what our city can do to improve our environment. There has been a big move in public attitudes on this in the last year. We have to communicate this to the decision makers.
And third - a pet peeve of mine - staff remuneration. After eight and a half years away from the municipal scene I returned to find many staff making significantly more than they earned in 1997. We need decent salaries to maintain and attract good staff. But the city must also reflect what goes on in the real world.
Two Consultations?
An interesting sub-plot to the budget consultation is an apparent attempt by the mayor to run his own separate consultation. A motion put forward by his worship sought permission for a kind of pre-consultation by Mayor Cam with selected groups. The motion lost.It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
The show hits the road this week with stops at the Burlington Art Centre (Feb 19), Appleby Ice Centre (Feb 22), Notre Dame High School (Feb 28) and Paletta Mansion (March 1).
OK, so its not a Beatles reunion tour - but it matters. According to the City's website:
"Public participation in the process is deemed essential because a municipal budget is more than numbers or setting tax rates. It is a policy and planning document that outlines the city’s priorities and where we are heading. It’s a tool to make Burlington a better place to live."
You can send the City your three budget priorities. You can also request a response from the mayor, a city councillor or various staff.
While public input is valued; it is not easy to achieve. Understanding a municipal budget is about as complex a task as putting together a Rubik's cube while blindfolded. Those who desire to seriously involve themselves in this process have both my thanks and my sympathies.
I'll try to keep on top of it.
Priorities
Speaking of priorities. Here are mine:
First, lets maintain the level of services we have now. Start the discussion there. Keeping taxes down is important too but the debate has to be around the services we pay for.
Second, let's see what our city can do to improve our environment. There has been a big move in public attitudes on this in the last year. We have to communicate this to the decision makers.
And third - a pet peeve of mine - staff remuneration. After eight and a half years away from the municipal scene I returned to find many staff making significantly more than they earned in 1997. We need decent salaries to maintain and attract good staff. But the city must also reflect what goes on in the real world.
Two Consultations?
An interesting sub-plot to the budget consultation is an apparent attempt by the mayor to run his own separate consultation. A motion put forward by his worship sought permission for a kind of pre-consultation by Mayor Cam with selected groups. The motion lost.It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Transit Committee
In the same week that the Town of Oakville took care of unfinished business the City of Burlington did too - although in a slightly less dramatic way.
Oakville put in place a by-law to regulate cosmetic pesticide use after hearing more than thirty delegations in two nights of committee work last week.
The Community and Corporate Services Committee (C & CS) of Burlington Council heard only one delegation and then went ahead and strengthened a staff recommendation to create a Burlington Transit Advisory Committee. Staff had been asked to look at this matter by the previous Council. (See CC 39 -07 on the City's website for more details.)
The Committee will provide input to Council and staff on initiatives and strategies affecting public transportation services. They'll also deal with Burlington's Accessibility Plan and will likely incorporate as a sub committee an Accessible Transit Sub Committee to deal with these matters.
The proposed terms of reference were strengthened after a motion by Councillor John Taylor to have this committee look at the allocation of gas tax revenues and also to have transit operators sit on the committee as resources. These were suggested by the delegation - your blogger.
The C & CS Committee struggled some with the committee composition concerned that the "disabled" be well represented on this new body. Staff were left to come up with appropriate wording to define "accessible transit users."
There was some debate around what a mobility device is. It says here that such devices include the newer motorized scooters and the traditional mobility device - the white cane.
The creation of this committee is one indication that municipal public transit and the environment is being taken more seriously these days. Heh, maybe we'll have a pesticide by-law in place in Burlington soon.
Oakville put in place a by-law to regulate cosmetic pesticide use after hearing more than thirty delegations in two nights of committee work last week.
The Community and Corporate Services Committee (C & CS) of Burlington Council heard only one delegation and then went ahead and strengthened a staff recommendation to create a Burlington Transit Advisory Committee. Staff had been asked to look at this matter by the previous Council. (See CC 39 -07 on the City's website for more details.)
The Committee will provide input to Council and staff on initiatives and strategies affecting public transportation services. They'll also deal with Burlington's Accessibility Plan and will likely incorporate as a sub committee an Accessible Transit Sub Committee to deal with these matters.
The proposed terms of reference were strengthened after a motion by Councillor John Taylor to have this committee look at the allocation of gas tax revenues and also to have transit operators sit on the committee as resources. These were suggested by the delegation - your blogger.
The C & CS Committee struggled some with the committee composition concerned that the "disabled" be well represented on this new body. Staff were left to come up with appropriate wording to define "accessible transit users."
There was some debate around what a mobility device is. It says here that such devices include the newer motorized scooters and the traditional mobility device - the white cane.
The creation of this committee is one indication that municipal public transit and the environment is being taken more seriously these days. Heh, maybe we'll have a pesticide by-law in place in Burlington soon.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Ornamental Pesticide Use
Oakville’s recent revisiting of the cosmetic pesticide issue got me thinking way back to last summer when I made a fairly futile attempt to resurrect this issue at the Region of Halton.
After all spraying your lawn for no good purpose other than so you can say yours is prettier than your neighbour's is hardly a community priority.
And hazardous to our health, right? Look it up.
The Canadian Cancer Society, for example, has called for a ban on the use of pesticides on lawns and gardens as "ornamental use of pesticides has no countervailing health benefit and has the potential to cause harm."
Their position is based on science. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a World Health Organization research body, found that "some substances used in pesticides are classified as known, probable or possible carcinogens."
Another group, the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, wants to move towards a legislated end to cosmetic pesticide use within two years. This was recommended by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development.
That Committee says we ought to "give absolute priority to the protection of human health and the environment within any decision making process regarding the regulation of pesticide use."
I can cite other sources.
Halton’ s Answer - Prudent Avoidance
According to the Region of Halton Medical Officer of Health spraying might not be good. But, instead of banning it, he has recommended (and Council has continued to support) a policy of "prudent avoidance." Many Councillors like this strategy because it sounds erudite or scientific, I guess.
A typical "made in Halton solution," or so I thought.
In fact, "prudent avoidance" is an American concept developed in 1989 relating to exposure to Electro Magnetic Fields. Now adapted to pesticide use it is the cornerstone of Health Department policy - that, and the contention that it is really up to local municipalities to enact by-laws that ban or restrict use. That contention was found to be incorrect in a report from Halton’s Legal Department last summer.
The House of Commons Committee again:
"The most effective way to protect human health and the environment is undeniably to prevent the generation of polluting substances in the first place, rather than minimizing or mitigating the risks associated with their use."
Am I wrong or isn’t protecting human health what Public Health is supposed to be about?
The Precautionary Principle
This widely accepted principle argues that "where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation."
This Principle is supported in Canadian law.
A Region wide enforceable by-law would cost a half dollar or so per person per year.
Let’s do it.
After all spraying your lawn for no good purpose other than so you can say yours is prettier than your neighbour's is hardly a community priority.
And hazardous to our health, right? Look it up.
The Canadian Cancer Society, for example, has called for a ban on the use of pesticides on lawns and gardens as "ornamental use of pesticides has no countervailing health benefit and has the potential to cause harm."
Their position is based on science. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a World Health Organization research body, found that "some substances used in pesticides are classified as known, probable or possible carcinogens."
Another group, the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, wants to move towards a legislated end to cosmetic pesticide use within two years. This was recommended by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development.
That Committee says we ought to "give absolute priority to the protection of human health and the environment within any decision making process regarding the regulation of pesticide use."
I can cite other sources.
Halton’ s Answer - Prudent Avoidance
According to the Region of Halton Medical Officer of Health spraying might not be good. But, instead of banning it, he has recommended (and Council has continued to support) a policy of "prudent avoidance." Many Councillors like this strategy because it sounds erudite or scientific, I guess.
A typical "made in Halton solution," or so I thought.
In fact, "prudent avoidance" is an American concept developed in 1989 relating to exposure to Electro Magnetic Fields. Now adapted to pesticide use it is the cornerstone of Health Department policy - that, and the contention that it is really up to local municipalities to enact by-laws that ban or restrict use. That contention was found to be incorrect in a report from Halton’s Legal Department last summer.
The House of Commons Committee again:
"The most effective way to protect human health and the environment is undeniably to prevent the generation of polluting substances in the first place, rather than minimizing or mitigating the risks associated with their use."
Am I wrong or isn’t protecting human health what Public Health is supposed to be about?
The Precautionary Principle
This widely accepted principle argues that "where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation."
This Principle is supported in Canadian law.
A Region wide enforceable by-law would cost a half dollar or so per person per year.
Let’s do it.
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