MississaugaWatch update: Please hold... your call IS important to us... (Mississauga Musings)

Apologies, once again, Mississauga dudes and dudettes for no new Blog entry since December 13th. (Yes, I know --you keep hearing that.)

I've been outrageously busy. (Yes, I know --you keep hearing that too.)

The one thing that readers need to know about this Blog is just the hours of "homework" demanded, sometimes for just one entry. Many of those hours are spent sitting on a comfy swivel stool right up on Big Yellow's clerk's office on the 3rd Floor.

Yesterday I filled in eight (yes, 8) Freedom of Information forms (a record, even for me). The physical act of filling in those forms doesn't compare to the much longer time that went into researching what questions to drop down. (and Ho Boy do you have to be precise in the wording.)

So now we wait.

There's other stuff that we're waiting on. MISSISSAUGAWATCH still hasn't been able to report on the Bill 130 "Investigator" issues for Brampton, Caledon, Mississauga and Peel Region because we're still waiting for 1:00 pm today, when Caledon delivers its decision to go with Local Authority Services.

Then we'll produce a full video historical record of how Peel (Brampton, Caledon, Mississauga) all voted to block their citizens access to their Ontario Ombudsman.

So off Caledon (Mississauga-North). Tra la.

More later this evening.

THE MORNING AFTER UPDATE:

OK, so little did I know that I couldn't report "this evening" because the Caledon Council meeting that started at 1:00 pm was still going strong by 6:00.

My stomach got rumbly so I was forced to leave the meeting before it was finished. However being a dedicated municipal watcher, I still took the time to videotape the Pelco video surveillance camera posted at the major Caledon Town Hall entrance/exit, the lack of "signage" at the door and (all in one take) a December 18th Toronto Star to document the date.

The date... December 18th --Why it was exactly one month ago --November 18th when I took another Toronto Star and documented the lack of video surveillance "signage" at Big Yellow.

And a few days later, December 21st, documented the lack of video surveillance signage at Mississauga Living Arts Centre.

Which brings us to--

MUNICIPAL DREAMZ --THE RING

I want to leave the following for the record. How often is it that we hear that people who stand up to a city government are "cranks" "nutbars" and dismissed as "ill-informed"/"delusional" (if they're lucky) or banned/arrested (if they're not)?

I want to share a portion of email from Sharon Bowers, the citizen-Blogger who covers Fort Erie Council.

"As to Edward R. Murrow, I saw in your blog that you were a fan and I am as well. Every time I'm reminded of Ed Morrow, it brings back memories of my father, who was my real hero. He was a fire chief in Buffalo, New York and he fought hard against [snip]. I have a copy of Good Night and Good Luck and will watch it again over the holidays for inspiration.

[snip] he asked me why I do this and I thought for a second and said, "It's my obligation. I can write and can use that talent for good." It was never an option to not do it; it was what I must do. Surely you understand what I mean. It's almost an addiction now; I need to see this through."

The part that really got me the most was:

"It's almost an addiction now; I need to see this through."

It's exactly the same with me --"an addiction now". (The "addiction" is all those unanswered questions!)

And then there's Ajax-based, citizen-Blogger, Karem Allen who found (and then linked to) another citizen-Blogger from the Welland area. Then Ms. Allen suggested something intriguing and I'm throwing this out to citizen-readers who might be on the verge of becoming municipally-active.

"We need to get our 905 blog ring going. We may come from all political stripes but we all share the goal of increasing public awareness."

....the goal of increasing public awareness.

Signed,
The (Citizens! Join the 905 Blog ring.) Mississauga Muse
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"We need to get our 905 blog ring going. We may come from all political stripes but we all share the goal of increasing public awareness." --Karem Allen Ajax-based citizen-Blogger