Over a year ago, on Fri, 22 Dec 2006, I emailed John Gerretsen, the Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs & Housing at the time.
I wrote Mr. Gerretsen:
"I've been trying to determine the accountability mechanisms in place regarding municipal enforcement officers/personnel."
In an email dated Fri, 19 Jan 2007, Minister Gerretsen responded:
"It is the duty of a municipal council to ensure that policies, practices and procedures are in place, and to ensure the accountability and transparency of the operations of the municipality. It is also the duty of the head of council to make recommendations to council on these issues"
Yes, Friday, 19 Jan 2007. So. Exactly one year later --January 19, 2008, to mark the one year anniversary of John Gerretsen's email stating:
"It is the duty of a municipal council to ensure that policies, practices and procedures are in place, and to ensure the accountability and transparency of the operations of the municipality. It is also the duty of the head of council to make recommendations to council on these issues"
...MISSISSAUGAWATCH bought a kite (yes, a kite) and painted on it, in flourescent letters, the question "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" --Latin that roughly translates to "Who watches the Watchers?"...
So. This video is dedicated to John Gerretsen, former Minister of Municipal Affairs & Housing and now Minister of the Environment. (Minister of the Environment?! Heads up Tree Huggers!)
(Surf here to go directly to YouTube or Google Video)
Exactly one year later, we still ask:
"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?"
And we ask again:
Quis?
UPDATE! WHOA! JUST NOTICED THIS IN THE MISSYNEWS!
Now WHY would Jim Flaherty open the Federal $$spigot$$ to Ontario municipalities when far as anything I've researched and determined (whether it's sitting in on Audit Committee meetings or through Freedom of Information), it's not possible to confirm how that Municipal $$money$$ is spent? Like. Confirm-confirm.
The (Allow the Ontario Ombudsman into Municipalities!) Mississauga Muse
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"In contrast to the local law enforcement agencies, Corporate Security provides a distinct difference in approach to providing a safe and secure environment within the community." --City of Mississauga Corporate Security 2003 Strategic Draft Plan
"We must employ every possible tactic to dissuade those who try to silence us with fear" ---The Mississauga News Editorial (2007-03-24)
FOR READERS' COMMENTS --SCROLL TO VERY BOTTOM OF THIS ENTRY.
FELLOW-CITIZEN BLOGGERS
The CRYSTAL BEACH STRAND (Fort Erie Citizen-Blogger, Sharon Bowers)
TORONTOIAM (compilation of GTA Blogs)
Voices of Ajax (Citizen-Blogger, Karem Allen)
WindsorCityBlog (Citizen-Blogger, Ed Arditti)
Woodstock Ontario Independent News (Jim Bender)
FURTHER READING
MEDIA Bloggers:
Click here for John Stewart's Blog, RANDOM ACCESS
and Craig MxBride's X MARKS THE SPOT
"MISSISSAUGA --HOWZIT'S GOING" CARTOON ARCHIVE
Links to all previous cartoons in the Mississauga Howzit's Going series.
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