The schlemozzle over the pay of councillors who sit on the board of Enersource Hydro Mississauga and the structure of the board is obscuring a subplot that is almost as interesting: Will long-time Enersource board member Ron Starr keep his job there?
Starr, of course, challenged Ward 6 Councillor Carolyn Parrish at the polls and history tells us that those who run against a councillor and lose and then reapply for a citizen appointment are summarily handed their head on a platter. For references, see Wendy Pozak, Peter Ferreira, Ted Blackmore, etc.
It may be a vindictive policy but it is a long-standing one. If you run, win. If you lose, don’t expect your old job back.
Councillors were understandably disconcerted when the proposal was made to simply return the existing board of Enersource to office en masse, without the niceties of advertising and interviewing candidates. The theory was that the board did a great job so they should get a free ride for another four years.
The board has done a very good job, but that is not the point. So has the committee of adjustment and no one made the suggestion they should not reapply, even though they are a highly competent and experienced group too.
By the way, Ward 10 candidate Craig Lawrence, who sits on the committee of adjustment, has reapplied for membership.
So apparently has Peter McCallion, the mayor’s son, who is in the real estate and development business and is also considering a run for the federal Tory nomination in Mississauga-Streetsville.
Needless to say, having anyone in real estate and development sit on the committee does not seem appropriate. Add the complication of the surname and you have a whole new perception problem. Generally not a good idea all around.
While the so-called “double-dipping” of councillors who sit on Enersource has drawn all the attention, several politicians were even more concerned that City Manager Janice Baker sat on the Enersource board and drew a second salary. Divided loyalties are never a good thing when the inevitable disagreements arise between the City and the retail electricity company of which it owns 90 per cent.
In the new constitution of Enersource, the mayor and three councillors will sit on the board. No staff member will.
• • •
Has anybody else noticed the absence of The Watcher?
Since the November municipal election, in which Donald Barber probably surprised himself as much as anybody else by collecting 5,571 votes, or a whole five per cent of the mayoralty vote, Mr. “Brown Envelopes are Welcome” has been lying very low.
Probably just recharging his batteries for the legal fight to come next month when he appears in a Brampton court to fight the assault charges stemming from the aftermath of the council meeting last year where local politicians reshaped their long-standing open policy on public question period. Barber vehemently denies that he assaulted a security guard after he left council chambers and will plead not guilty.
On his web site he has accused “those who fight dirty” of sabotaging up his computer during the campaign. He says he is back now and has lots to post once he gets going.
The bail conditions that keep him from attending City Hall must be proving an impediment. Bet you Donald has the most complete set of City council tapes outside of Rogers Community Television.
Comments (4)
The Mississauga Mews is on side defending those who may be mentally challenged or who have other disabilities and she quotes DB as a defence to her statements. However, if people do not LEARN what is going on and how their various levels of government work , how their tax dollars are spent, and instead rely on such quips from DB who jumps at everything at any given time and the only consistency with him is that he starts something and cannot back it up. So who are you going to LEARN from. My father , an immigrant from Poland in the 1920's brought us up with the discipline that "everything in life has a political base and if you don't learn your politics, you will be at the losing end of the stream. Don't be an armchair critic, participate" Sounds better in Polish. I stick with what I wrote earlier: enough of DB who is inconsistent and does not follow up on his so called research. People should be enraged at what this guy is attempting to do.
Posted by Irene | March 20, 2007 11:38 AM
Posted on March 20, 2007 11:38
The ideology worthy of guessing games, Ron Starr would be converting a warehouse for windmills and solar panels while Don Barber tries figuring out how the parts fit together.
This weeks Ontario Works in Peel “Platter Specials for Mississauga South” consists of 2 pizza slices and coffee at the Compass Outreach Centre Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Thursday’s The Open Door at Square One for soup and sandwich.
On Fridays from 6 til 7 the soup kitchen opens at St Marys By the Sea entrées a jam-packed coarse of meatloaf surprise with a side order of mashed potatoes and carrots
But Saturday’s worth while checking out the Freedom Centre’s full coarse Pasta, chicken and Chinese rice (nobody knows about) The trick is to bus there early and bring the doggie bag, that is, in case the election ballots don’t match up the same address on our T-4 slips before what ever next election!! Again!!
Posted by Wayne Nagy | March 11, 2007 2:11 PM
Posted on March 11, 2007 14:11
As you know, John, I've become interested in municipal governance ever since I became aware it wasn't anything like it appeared to be. A good part of the research that I'm now doing is focussed on how municipal governance affects The Voiceless.
As few months back, while surfing the Net, I came upon a Hansard transcript that expressed precisely what I had concluded --and why I continue to be on this mission-of-research.
Allow me to quote --comments regarding Bill 68.
"The mentally challenged belong in our society, just as much as the elderly do. They are a part of the world we are created to live in, and it is dehumanizing for all of us to try and purge the streets of their existence. Governments have often made hard decisions regarding what people want and what is best. The wisdom of the ages has guided many. It is better to err on the side of caution and often the truth is the exact opposite of the popular perception."
and later --the best part, a Truth:
"Members of the public have often been bullied by the government because they are poor or lack the knowledge to stand up for their rights. Added to this, the poor can't fight back, a fact known by the poor and recently reported by the National Council of Welfare. Our legal system discriminates against the poor from start to finish. This is the most important point, as many would boast that there are laws to protect Canadians' rights. The truth is they have to be bought. You have to buy justice in Canada. If you can't afford lawyers to fight back, our lives are just flushed."
These two short paragraphs crystalized the volumes of text that I'd already read about The Voiceless. I read them over again wishing that I'd written or said them.
Whose words are these, John?
Don Barber's.
I'm offering them up here in your Comments section to remind others of "the merit in this guy".
Signed,
The (I too, care about The Voiceless) Mississauga Muse
Posted by The Mississauga Muse | March 11, 2007 7:31 AM
Posted on March 11, 2007 07:31
John for all the merits of this web log why would you spoil that by reminding us of DB "the deficit". I find no merit in this guy and you have opened the door for him to take up space on this web log ... and I am sure there will be more from after his court case.... hopefully Justice will be done and this guy will get "community service" and a fine and a warning .... The"community service" would be to clean up Cawthra Bush, and a few other places and I can send a list......
please get him off these pages
Posted by Irene Gabon | March 9, 2007 11:11 AM
Posted on March 9, 2007 11:11