"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Wednesday 24 September 2014

They Can't Take That Away From Me

What a weird wind-up for a last council meeting.

Started off with delegations about trafficking of women and consequences of bullying. Two organizations funded by government presented.

Council was advised children in high schools are being drawn into prostitution rings by boyfriends.

If such a horrendous thing is happening in Aurora, school boards and parents should be first alerted.

On the other hand, if it's happening one would think they should already know.

And-if not-it's an extraordinarily unnecessary fearful statement to make.

Bullying and intimidation are not foreign to Council.

I've experienced my share.

Yet it seems a proactive defence against degradation and humiliation is also frowned upon and leads to more of the same.

The first meeting of this Council called for termination of litigation against three residents by the Mayor using their own tax dollars to add insult to injury.

This Council paid the fees incurred after terminating the litigation.

A judge ultimately found the lawsuit was a deliberate attempt to silence political criticism during an election campaign. To me, it was a vengeful act.

The target families were served notice of action on Thanksgiving Eve.

The complainant twice refused to commit to reimburse the municipality for funds expended
on her behalf.

Council proceeded to pay the bill anyway after incurring an additional legal fee of $8,000 to advise.

I did not agree.

It was the first indication of how the term would proceed.

As it has-with barely a pause.

A final piece of  twisted mosaic fell into place last night.

Six town house units on half an acre fronting onto Old Bloomington Road, were approved last night. The section was abandoned by the Region thirty-five years ago.

It dipped down steeply from Yonge at Bowen Motors corner and the Region decided in their wisdom to abandon the hazardous section and move the alignment of Bloomington Road south.

The town inherited a rough gravel right -of -way serving about fifteen lots of record created perhaps, as long ago as 188 years. Similar to Ridge Road on the opposite side of Yonge Street. Both would have been carved into the hills in neighbouring rural townships at the time of original settlement.

Six modern town houses said to be worth a million dollars apiece, urban density in a rural setting are now going to use the road for access and egress.

The road is seriously inadequate. Millions will be required to upgrade it to an urban standard.

With only twenty assessed properties to contribute to the cost.

No road have ever been planned for that location. Whats there was abandoned for useful purpose.
Without the possibility of development on the south side, economic feasibility is completely impractical.

Staff informed that lot levies could contribute.

Six levies will contribute little.

Lot levies were recently re-calculated.  Re-construction of an existing right-of-way cannot have been charged.

History is many faceted. Not easily absorbed. Especially by one with little experience beyond the classroom or Council Chamber.

Councillor Pirri expressed difficulty.

Forty-seven years of experience can only be acquire with forty-seven years of experience.

But the Councillor dismissed everything he heard with the sweeping statement it made no sense.

In eight years, only once have I sunk to the level of naming a Councillor "Jackass". In politics, name-calling is unwise. It signifies loss of control and opens the door to like-minded retaliation.

All dignity is lost.

I didn't do it last night, the re-call was enough.

Oh my...it felt so good.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

It was interesting to listen to & watch the two ladies speaking about the terrible bullying. My difficulty was when they were asked just who people with problems should call. There were no solutions offered beyond the current procedures. And one certainly should Not contact Their groups for help.

Anonymous said...

That Old Bloomington is wicked in winter. Even Bloomington has oodles of accidents and it is in good shape.. Once school buses start to require a road, the costs have to rise. There will be demands that Old Bloomington be made more " safe ".

Anonymous said...


I wonder how many members of council would want to live in one of those six townhouses that were approved last night?

Half an acre is 21,780 square feet; divide this by six and you get 3,630 square feet. For $1 million you should reasonably expect 3,000+ square feet excluding the basement, or 1,500 square feet on each of first and second floors. Now what about a garage or a driveway or a bit of grass front and back?

The two floors will consume 3,000 square feet leaving 630 square feet for garage, driveway, a place for pooch to poop, or whatever.

This development will be an isolated eyesore.

Well done, Council.

It's too bad you couldn't end with something constructive, a feel good!

Anonymous said...

15:11
They sure did not cite the sources of their information. It was all anecdotal stuff.

Anonymous said...

There are some good letters and articles in the Auroran.

Anonymous said...


Do you realize that Toronto's inadequate, and in places, crumbling transportation system is costing billions of dollars, those many millions of hours entering and exiting the city.

And in the past four years absolutely nothing has been done to improve the situation. Not a shovel has moved dirt, not a dollar has been invested.

You can't place the blame solely on a cartoon. It must be shared equally among the others who could have made a difference.