Couple of notes today.
Remember Stephen Wahl's dust-up with City Hall over ward boundaries last fall?
Wahl took umbrage at what he saw as the illogic of the lines that were used to add two new wards to the municipal map for the election Nov. 13. He wasn't satisfied with the brush-off he got from council and appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board where he was not nearly as well-prepared as he ought to have been and took a beating from OMB Vice-Chair Susan Campbell.
As Campbell carefully couched it, Wahl's, "allegation of gerrymandering gives the impression of this being a frivolous and vexatious appeal."
Not satisfied to have Wahl's complaint so summarily dismissed, the City saw the opportunity to deter all future municipal malcontents (can you say Donald Barber?) by asking Wahl to pay its legal costs of $8,795.16.
It was a punitive and vengeful move that can only have a chilling effect on citizen appellants. What message does it send to ordinary Joes who disagree with council, but don't have the means to hire professional planners and lawyers to state their case on appeal?
A slightly-chastened Wahl wrote to the OMB in response saying, "I believe it is the duty of citizens to speak up and take a stand even when it is difficult or you must stand alone."
Well, the OMB has now responded and has fudged the issue further by asking Wahl to pay $1,000 to the City. So the Board accepted the City's argument, apparently, but not its accounting.
Wahl is thinking of paying... if somebody insists. Has the City made its point or is it now going to press for its blood money? Stay tuned.
* * *
Ward 10 council candidate Sue McFadden got her knuckles wrapped recently by City Hall for using its corporate logo in an ad, which is a definite no-no.
There was a time not that long ago when councillors thought nothing of sending appeals for funds for their individual re-election campaigns out on municipal letterhead. Those days are long gone, and rightfully so.
McFadden, who looks like the front-runner of the baker's dozen candidates in the new Ward 10, got in trouble when she bought an ad in the program for a roast for Fire Chief Garry Morden. Without her knowledge, she says, the campaign ad included Mississauga's corporate logo.
The Ward 9 trustee Peel District School Board trustee knows the rules, and knows she broke them. She turned herself into the logo police by calling City Hall.
"It was an honest error," she says. "I can live with myself."
The mini-hubbub the incident raised around the horseshoe at 300 City Centre Dr. suggests not everyone at City Hall is a McFadden fan.
Comments (5)
On an interesting note on Class Actions, Sean Dewart was doing a phenominal job with Kimberly Rogers until her tragic ending. Considering the Deb Mathews report confirmed Ontario Works hadn't worked in the first place, property tax payers should be entitled the right answers from AMO.
http://www.sgmlaw.com/Page478.aspx
Posted by Guitar Man | May 24, 2006 11:09 PM
Posted on May 24, 2006 23:09
It's all part of the Harper/Tory strategy to root out public servants who are nor members of the Conservative Party and replace them with card holders who are creatures of habit.
Posted by Guitar Man | May 23, 2006 1:28 PM
Posted on May 23, 2006 13:28
As a punative and vengful empire , it's unlikely the Mississauga Legal Community Services staff lawyers have physically won any of these legal cases despite that fact that Ontario Works doesn't worked because it didn't work in the first place. It's the same Frankenstien that angry tax payers armed in torches and axe handles need an inquiry to chase down the spin doctors that created these monster deficets through Public Private Partners.
Posted by ppag | May 18, 2006 1:29 PM
Posted on May 18, 2006 13:29
Hi John,
Regarding The Corporation (I refuse to refer to it as The City) you wrote, "It was a punitive and vengeful move that can only have a chilling effect on citizen appellants."
John. The Corporation forcing Mr. Wahl to pay its legal costs of $8,795.16 is a punitive and vengeful act because The Corporation is a punitive and vengeful (and above all), hypocritical empire.
Mr. Wahl wrote "I believe it is the duty of citizens to speak up and take a stand even when it is difficult or you must stand alone."
I'm writing primarily to express appreciation for Mr. Wahl standing up to The Corporation. (Davids rarely win against Goliaths in real life. Regardless, it's their duty to TRY.)
Second, I wish to let Mr. Wahl know that he does Not Stand Alone.
Posted by The Mississauga Muse | May 7, 2006 5:32 PM
Posted on May 7, 2006 17:32
If all one has to do is read the paper and connect the dots, Harpers Hierocracy has already chosen Peel Region to seat John Tory for the next Premier of Ontario through Caledon
It smells a lot like old carp if we’re running provincial elections funded through the municipalities and have to spend an additional $66 million to pool Stephan Wahl “Out of Sight “ and “Out of their minds”. Maybe Tilson should repay his $111,000 Welfare over payment before they keep upping the anti.
Posted by Wayne Nagy | May 6, 2006 11:49 AM
Posted on May 6, 2006 11:49