A change of pace today Missy Dudes and Dudettes --to some good things that happened last week that I'm only getting around to this week because of all the bad things that happened last week that I had to report on first a long torturous introductory sentence, I know.
Here goes.
On Thursday June 19th, Malton Neighbourhood Services celebrated 30 years of providing dedicated support to the Malton Community. Their party was some kind of wonderful --joyous. I loved it. Great time.
I was waiting for a Good News day to show this Malton video. Today's as good as any. Treat yourself to the history of Malton Neighbourhood Services set to song.
MALTON NEIGHBOURHOOD SERVICES celebrates 30 YEARS (18:30 min)
(Click here to go directly to Google Video)
Another Good News video. On Friday, the Peel District School Board made a presentation to the Peel Police Services Board thanking Peel Police for the work they do helping Peel students and teachers in their own schools.
Right now there are 31 middle schools in Peel and kids --Grades 6 through 8-- would certainly benefit from daily Police presence and guidance. I hope that Peel Region will somehow find the budget to assign one Peel Police officer for every two middle schools. That'd be ideal.
Back in the Fifties when I was a kid, we-all loved Constable David Yakichuk visiting us. I know that my affection for Peel Police began at Fairview School with him.
Anyway, here's that Peel Schools thank Peel Police video.
PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD thanks PEEL REGIONAL POLICE SERVICES
(Click here to go directly to Google Video)
NOW THE BAD NEWS
Mississauga Transit was bustin' out in song about their new Body Shop opening yesterday. At the mississauga.ca website it stated that this Open House would be a "Photo Opportunity."
Here, right from their website:
"Photo Opportunity:
Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion, C.M., Member of Parliament for Mississauga-Streetsville Wajid Khan, and the Mississauga East-Cooksville MPP and Minister of Tourism Peter Fonseca inside the body shop's high-tech paint booth.
Displays at the event will feature the City of Mississauga transit projects including the Bus Rapid Transit Project and Transit Security."
Like I said, "Photo Opportunity".
A couple of Transit geeks emailed me to see if I was attending because they couldn't. They asked me to take pics and shoot video for them. I even met the YouTube MissyTransitGeek called "ORION" face-to-face for the first time. "ORION" cradled a camera. Even his TransitGeek friends had cameras.
We all went outside to the back of the facility --them to take pics of Missy Transit service vehicles and me to check for any evil empire Pelco PTZ's about. (But you didn't hear that from me).
Back inside the body shop, I set up my tripod to video the line of beautiful Missy buses when a Mississauga Corporate Security Manager wearing a Transit Enforcement uniform approached me and said I couldn't take pictures. I don't know what confused me more, seeing what I knew to be a Mississauga Corporate Security "SAM" wearing a Mississauga Transit Enforcement unitorm or being told that I couldn't take pictures at this mississauga-ca-announced "Photo Opportunity".
Believe me, it's a strange-strange feeling looking straight into someone's eyes who's looking straight into yours and you know that he knows that you know that he's a law unto himself. I put the camera away.
Then I saw the Mississauga Transit Enforcement Dodge Charger 302 car tucked in the corner of the Body Shop and things got worse. I recognized yet another Mississauga Corporate Security guard dressed up in a Mississauga Transit Enforcement uniform. (Now I'm more confused. What gives? Freedom of Information revealed that anyone applying for this new/specialized 8-member Transit Enforcement Team had to pass this rigorous Transit Enforcement Team test. There are only two unpalatable possibilities here. Either way, MissCorpSec, not even a good try.)
I decide to investigate.
After making sure that my audio-recorder was working, I target the Mississauga Corporate Security guard leaning on my 302 car. The guard sees me and smiles --he wasn't smiling last time he saw me on June 20th 2007 when Mississauga Civic Centre architect Michael Kirkland was giving his talk. (Note to readers: MissCorpSec ain't the only one keepin' a database).
I looked directly into his eyes and said:
"Hi, you're Mississauga Corporate Security, right? I recognize you from before."
"Yes, that's right."
"Can I have your name and badge number, please?"
He gives me the info because he has to.
I wonder how many others of the 8-member "new" Mississauga Transit Enforcement team are really just Mississauga Corporate Security guards wearing prettier shoulder patches.
So. We're not allowed to take pictures at this secretive, shadowy "Photo Opportunity".
I decided to do what I always do when I'm not allowed to take pics. I slumped to the floor and started to sketch. Believe it or not I even got careful-looks from staff for that. I sketch some more...
Later, "ORION" and his Transit-geek friends came over to me and enthused about how "Enforcement" had told them that they'd try and set up a new policy so we could all take photographs in the future. I shot a glance at the CorpSeckers over by the 302 car....
"ORION" said that Enforcement working up a photo policy was great and showed how progressi-- I cut the kid right off at the third syllable with "PLEASE. Don't use the words "enforcement" and "progressive" in the same sentence" and walked away.
I went back to sketching..
AND VOILA!
(For a larger version, click here)
AND MY PERSONAL FAVOURITE SKETCH
(For a larger version, click here)
Huhnnn... The Missy News even mentions the Transit geeks.
"Checking out the new facility during the open house was David Vincent, 16, a self-described 'transit enthusiast.' Besides touring the facility, Vincent learned about Mississauga Transit's history and its future vision.
'l’ve always been interested in how public transit works, so I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to come out,' said the Cawthra Park Secondary School student. Vincent said he spends hours each week 'bus spotting' and in a chat room discussing the transit-related industry in Canada.
Mississauga Transit, he says, 'isn’t bad, but has a long way to go' before it can consider itself an excellent service provider.
'The worst part is all the waiting passengers have to do,' said Vincent, whose goal is to become an urban planner, specializing in public transit.'"
So "ORION"'s real name is David Vincent.
Signed,
The (Next time I get told I can't take pics, I'm sketching the MissCorpSeckers NAKED wearing an Oktoberfest hat with floppy feather!) Mississauga Muse
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"The technologies of the day helped automate access control into sensitive areas, but it did not help stave off the streams of visitors coming and going from the [Civic Centre] building." (City of Mississauga Corporate Security 2003 Strategic Draft Plan"
BEHAVIOUR IN A PUBLIC PLACE Malton Community Centre and Library "Under Provincial law, any person can be directed by staff to leave at any time without cause"... (Malton Community Centre and Library entry sign)
"We continue to encounter ingrained organizational attitudes and practices that at times can make public service seem more like public nuisance...These maladies persisted this year, leaving many Ontarians in what I can only describe as the twilight zone of public service." (Andre Marin, Ontario Ombudsman - June 17, 2008)
"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