Hey there, Mississauga.
First things first. I need to thank Harvey Waring for the support he gave me in his recent Letter to the Editor (Mississauga News).
Got to appreciate the elegance of a letter of support that doubles as a conduit of complaint about the Ward 3 Councillor! So KUDOS, Mr. Waring! Here it is (note, I've corrected the spelling of my first name)
More needed
By: Harvey Waring
May 6, 2008 08:43 PM - Dear Editor:Re: McCallion lectures critic on excessive e-mails, April 25 edition.
Good on Ursula Keuper-Bennett for attempting to lift the veil of secrecy that is becoming the norm for City Council.
The alleged excessive e-mails, for it is only the mayor's opinion as to what is excessive, is a further example of an insular Council. Furthermore, as the writer indicated, "my e-mails weren't being noticed anyway."
If the mayor cannot handle communications from the taxpayer, she could learn from the Ward 3 councillor on how to install a fire wall so she may also hide behind an electronic barrier, as the councillor has done.
Does one need any better example of a 'secret society' and why we need people like Ursula Keuper-Bennett.
I especially love this part, "she (the Mayor) could learn from the Ward 3 councillor on how to install a fire wall so she may also hide behind an electronic barrier, as the councillor has done."
Seems that Harvey Waring is a fellow-sufferer of the Conversation in the 21st Century folks (I wonder just how many others are out there?). Waring's lucky he just got blocked by a "fire wall".
There are citizens who are banned from access to Council by a Mississauga Corporate Security email --yes, really, Big Brother comes on with " I am your only City contact - not the City Manager, not the Mayor and Council."
Now THAT'S an "insular" fire wall! Speaking of The Corporate bedside manner...
Check out the Mississauga News article on how Mississauga forced the Applewood Tennis Club to fall in line with all other clubs and incorporate. I have to hand it to the two Applewood deputants. They fought to the bitter end. They even kept their cool when the Ward 3 (yes, Prentice again) condescended all over them with her quite-frankly-I-don't-know-what-all-the-fuss-is-about-noise.
The only true way to know what all the fuss is about is for the Applewood Tennis Club to drop down a Freedom of Information --something like, "All records, reports, documents, working papers, ESPECIALLY EMAILS relating to the incorporation of tennis clubs in the City of Mississauga. (should include "genesis" of the concept through to present). Request especially the emails of specific City staff that Applewood was dealing with in Corporate/Legal and Community Services."
I'd love to drop that one down but my Freedom of Informations are currently maxed-out. Come to think of it, because there's no such thing as being too suspicious of The Corporation, if I were the Applewood Tennis Club, I'd also FOI "All records (especially emails) pertaining to the Applewood Tennis Club for the past [time] years."
(That FOI might cost in search and severance time but it'd potentially make for one fine corporate-colonoscopy...)
CLOSED POVERTY MEETING
Don't know how many readers have been following the Peterborough Poverty meeting.
Liberals defend closed-door poverty reduction consultations
Posted By NICOLE RIVA/Examiner Staff Writer
Posted 1 day agoThe provincial Liberal Party Tuesday defended its decision to hold closed-door meetings about poverty reduction amid harsh criticism from opposition leaders and some Peterborough politicians.
The first session of the province’s committee on poverty reduction was held Monday in Peterborough. The invite-only meeting, led by Children and Youth Services Minister Deb Matthews, was attended by about 24 people, mostly members of the Mayor’s Action Committee on Poverty. The second session was held Tuesday in Cobourg.
Yesterday I was given the heads-up that video from that Poverty meeting had been posted to YouTube.
"Viral Video" by aronevans
(Click here to go directly to YouTube)
Now if I were those Poverty activists and I really wanted to know how the Peterborough mayor organized that Invitation-Only Poverty Town Hall meeting, why, I'd drop down a Freedom of Information and-- :-)
While we're on videos, found a terrific one on Big Brother and video surveillance.
Big Brother (CCTV) is watching YOU by faintstarlite
(Click here to go directly to YouTube)
That's it. For the record, Mr. Waring is correct. There's every indication that it is an "insular" Council and there is a "veil of secrecy". But what only Freedom of Information can confirm is that under that "veil of secrecy" is one impressive jaw-dropping virtually-impenetrable fortress-bunker mentality. (Fortunately the operative word is "virtually").
Signed,
The (Special thanks to aronevans) Mississauga Muse
P.S. For the record (and it's an important one), citizens can thank Donald Barber for the brilliant Freedom of Information wording, "All records, reports, documents, working papers, ESPECIALLY EMAILS relating to..." If you believe The Corporation also has videotape on you, FOI those too (but you have only five days max retention for that)
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"It's almost inevitable that power corrupts. The head of the establishment, in this case, the mayor, surrounded by lackeys and eager acolytes intent on their own ascension, seldom is able to discern the subtle, imperceptible descent into arrogance and greed." --Royson James, Toronto Star
"Big Brother has his hand firmly planted in our back pocket – government revenues his lifeline; unaccountability his refuge." (Andre Marin, Ontario Ombudsman --June 27, 2007)
"We must employ every possible tactic to dissuade those who try to silence us with fear" ---The Mississauga News Editorial (2007-03-24)
Want (or worse, need) to learn more? Link to MISSISSAUGAWATCH.CA
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