JUNE 7, 2006
It was exactly two years ago today that Mississauga citizen-activist, Donald Barber was arrested by Mississauga Corporate (City) Security guards.
In 2006 alone, Freedom of Information confirms that Mississauga Corporate Security issued a minimum of 815 Bans, Arrests, Trespass notices and "Others".
MISSISSAUGAWATCH says minimum because we've accumulated evidence that not all bans are recorded. Citizens are also banned over the telephone and through email. This behaviour is actually condoned by the Corporation of the City of Mississauga (at least we're forced to reach that conclusion considering we complained about such citizen treatment directly to the Mayor and Council --and received no denial, let alone reply that informal telephone/email bans are not allowed and that they'd be looked into).
"The goals of the policy are to stress accountability" --so they say.
"...and will take the appropriate action."
Which brings us right back to June 7, 2006 and the arrest of Donald Barber.
Today, MISSISSAUGAWATCH has prepared a response to June 7, 2006 in the form of the actual Mississauga Corporate Security video surveillance tape that Mississauga Corporate Security would use as "evidence" for Mr. Barber's inevitable trial.
The footage (from "Pelco One" --the security camera inside Mississauga Council Chamber) is one hour in length and spans the time 11:59:56 to 12:59:57.
Here's the deal. MISSISSAUGAWATCH asks why 11:59:56 to 12:59:57? What about the three hours of security footage showing Barber arriving and his presence in the audience? Why was this footage erased?
Given the way that Mississauga Corporate Security zooms Pelco One in on people, like right onto their notes, we'll never know the degree to which Mr. Barber's privacy was violated two years ago today.
I do know that the first time I decided to request security footage of me from Pelco One, Freedom of Information (FOI) informed me that there were "GAPS" in the surveillance footage and denied me access to the material. (This footage, plus others I've requested through FOI is currently held at the City Clerk's office pending an investigation by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner --Ontario).
"...and will take the appropriate action".
FACT:
The June 7, 2006 security footage selected by Mississauga Corporate Security to be used as evidence against Barber already shows shadows of what must surely be Security personnel waiting to remove/arrest him at 11:59:56 (the beginning of the tape).
There is a Woman-in-White sitting four benches back from Donald Barber.
FACT:
Donald Barber goes up for what he believes to be Open Public Question Period at 12:01.
FACT:
12:16:20 Barber is right beside this Woman-in-White who does her best not to watch what's going down. The Woman-in-White bears an uncanny resemblance to a Mississauga Corporate Security Security Area Manager (MissCorpSecSAM).
At 12:16:54 Mr. Barber (escorted by a Mississauga Corporate Security guard) leaves Council Chambers.
12:17:06 the escalator stair well still shows the shadows of three individuals.
12:17:07 the Woman-in-White gets up to leave (yes, really).
12:17:17 the Woman-in-White walks down the stairs. Footage also reveals the shadows of three individuals still in stairwell.
12:17:27 the Woman-in-White has left through the same door as Barber did (12:16:54) less than one minute before. (The feel of a MissCorpSecSAM...)
12:18:06 the shadows of three individuals (now almost certain to be Mississauga Corporate Security guards) leave.
12:18:20 no shadows in the escalator well.
12:59:57 video surveillance security footage ends.
FACT:
12:59:57 (end of tape) minus 12:16:54 (when Mr. Barber, escorted by a Mississauga Corporate Security guard leaves Council Chambers) equals 43 minutes and 3 frikkin' seconds USELESS to Donald Barber for his defence.
CONCLUSION
It's safe to assume that what Mississauga video surveillance footage is retained by Mississauga Corporate Security for "evidence" at trials suggests that the statement "...and will take the appropriate action" means "appropriate" to The Corporation.
It's also safe to assume that this --what can only be called ummm... "selective evidence practice" of security video surveillance footage, has happened to others and will continue to happen to others.
By the purest of luck, Mississauga Councillor Pat (Hang 'em High) Saito, co-founder of the Mississauga Crime Prevention Association, handed me one beaut of a quote at last Wednesday's Council meeting. (I weaved Saito through the "appropriate" Eurithmics music of this video.
"our employees are the eyes and the ears of The Corporation"
Peel Youth, especially those deemed "at risk" TAKE HEED. The employees of The Corporation of the City of Mississauga "are the eyes and the ears of The Corporation".
I met with Donald Barber yesterday so the question that I'm about to raise is one raised by both of us.
We ask, "HOW MANY OTHERS?"
This video commemorates the second anniversary of Donald Barber's arrest by Mississauga Corporate Security on June 7, 2006.
"BIG BROTHER MISSISSAUGA" SECURITY VIDEO SURVEILLANCE PRACTICES
(Click here to go directly to the clip on YouTube or Google Video)
Signed,
The ("The goals of the policy are to stress accountability") Mississauga Muse
[UPDATE: June 7, 2007 8:20 pm. I received feedback from one viewer saying that the security video surveillance footage is sped up too much for her to understand what was happening. There's a lot I didn't tell you about the footage. Like how at 12:13:51 pm June 7, 2006, a lady (in orange) nudges her butt over to the female guard, the Mississauga Corporate Security guard who ultimately arrests Barber.
At 12:13:53 pm "Agent Orange" whispers something to the guard. At 12:14:04 she's finished and returns to her original place. Now what can someone tell a Mississauga Corporate Security guard in 11 seconds?
I can say that by 12:14:49 the guard is directly behind Don Barber even though it's Roy Willis who's the one talkin'.
By my count there's three Mississauga Corporate Security individuals in the escalator well, then one directly atop the escalator, The female guard directly behind Barber, a new Corp Sec dude showing at 12:15:14, the Woman-in-White (presumed MissCorpSAM) plus Agent Orange. Total 7. When you count BIG BROTHER workin' Pelco One, that's eight CorpSeckers.
Eight.
It's impossible for me not to conclude that Barber was set up. They were waiting for him. When Barber goes up to address Council, the Woman-in-White seems to be using a Blackberry and then there's shadow-activity in the escalator well.
In addition, should that Woman-in-White be who I think it is, I'd certainly be justified to conclude that the Mayor and Councillors knew what was going to happen.
Please read John Stewart's Blog entry, The Political Torture of Donald Barber. Was this Mississauga's attempt to take out a political opponent during an election year?
I actually have a request from this reader to work up the Mississauga Corporate Security footage in real time --all of it. That is the intent. Including colour commentary by none other than Donald Barber and The Mississauga Muse.
Please be advised that I'm not near through analyzing the security footage. The intent is to match it to the Rogers Cable TV video of that Council meeting. I tried once but it was technically too difficult. I've learned a lot about video since then. The problem is TIME.
Standing up to Mississauga Big Brother takes every-ounce-of-thing I've got.
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"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)
"But what are we without him, our courage, our valor? Steady and righteous we may be, my friend, but without courage to risk ourselves for our brother, we are but politicians--blustering whores to rhetoric." (Christopher Moore novel, A Dirty Job)
"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