VANDALISM AND VIOLENCE IN CITY FACILITIES, Policy This is the Long & draft version Short version main page The first Vandalism and Violence in Mississauga's City Facilities, Policy - This is the newer version. Alarm - Our Democratic, human rights and freedoms, ending in our life time. By Donald Barber. The biggest issue in the Mississauga 2000 election is a new "policy" that sets up a new legal system in the City with a set of laws designed to be abused. They turn our parks into concentration camps. A new City of Mississauga policy "Vandalism and Violence (V&V), in City Facilities" shows City of Mississauga politicians have turned away from the path of democracy, human rights and freedoms and has put us on notice: Don't disagree with the City. The country I was proud of, is disappearing one law at a time. The V&V policy has set a new and dangerous standard of government control over people's lives and control by fear in the community. It has created a City-run legal system, with new laws, and turned City staff into a police force, with unprecedented authority over us. We are told that V&V was created to deal with sports violence but it goes far beyond the sports field and fair play. In fact, this policy is so extreme it can be called fascist and an act of violence against the community. It can be shown City staff and their decision are controlled by their political masters (such as signing false affidavits and generally saying whatever gets the job done), so this new legal system would be under political control, in fact it is a political weapon. Who is enforcing it, is more important then what the laws are. The City of Mississauga and Hazel McCallion, our Mayor, appears to be alone in leading this anti-democratic charge, I see no reference to other cities undertaking this third world method but you can bet if the City of Mississauga gets away with it, they will follow. V&V covers all City facilities (including non-sports buildings like City Hall), all City property (like parks). V&V defines acts of violence as "but is not limited to ", "loud verbal assaults;", "attempts to intimidate;" and "attempts to goad", to name a few. According to staff (I have consulted with them), a threatening tone can be considered a violent act as well. As it imposes harsh penalties for even attempts to intimidate it means Canadians must become meek and submissive toward City politicians and staff. The legal standard is so low that if your children claimed these things were happening, you would tell them to grow up and in the courts they would laugh you out. It is highly questionable that V & V conforms to our Provincial and Federal laws, such as the charter of rights. It appears V&V is in contravention of the criminal code and does not properly conform to existing law. If so they don't respect the law and City is as dangerous as the criminals, they claim to be saving us from. One of the first things the Nazis's did when taking power, was to make it illegal to disagree with the government, by changing the laws and legal system. This policy imposes "ZERO TOLERANCE" (ZT), or an extreme political solution on us. ZT, caters to the right wing holier then thou extremists, who are blood thirsty for human sacrifices (of other people), on the alter of law and order. Remember how ZT was used in the 1930's, what the effects were and the cost to defeat it? Those errors are being repeated. Democracy is about erring on the side of caution. Phoney public input. The City has misled taxpayers about the nature of its actions. This policy is not about extreme sport violence, that is the smoke screen for a political power grab and they are trying to hide it from taxpayers. A personal request from myself, in City Council, for the City to post notice of this policy in the newspaper, so Mississaugans would be aware of it and I was refused. The City wants us to blindly trust them and that they will be just. Apart from the fact there is an abundance of examples to should City Hall has a passing acquaintance with the law, let us not forget, the role of the public is to demand nothing less then the highest level of justice for all, not political promises. A couple of thoughts - You can't let other people lose their human rights and expect to have yours. You can't live in a country with the laws of a dictatorship and expect to have human rights and freedom or a democracy. Who does this new legal system really target? Procedures and costs to implement this policy. This legal process with have some kind of review committee, I asked how it will work and staff didn't know but will include a police officer. Others on this committee are sport league representatives, principals and City staff. They say it will be composed of persons appropriate to review the matter but how a sport league or principals are going to handle a political/ratepayer matter is beyond me. The committee will look over staff reports and could pass on its recommendation on to a City Commissioner for a decision. If this committee feels the matter is clear cut enough the accused will not even be asked to make a submission in their own defence! An appeal will cost $250 just to file! Not only is this system cost prohibitive but there a serious questions about the so-called justice it will dish out. * If a community activist is bared from City Hall and that person needs the * The City doesn't feel inclined to submit the reports that staff writes about * The City accuses you and is the judge, how fair is that? * To what degree do you have to prove your innocence, in this new legal system? * What will protect the rights of the accused? * Likely you will not be allowed to face your accuser, so much easily to make * What will the rules of evidence be? * Will the City create a manual for the accused to guide them through the * Will the City act responsibility and make public past decisions (without * It sounds like a trial in secret will be held, the accused not even allowed to * From the sounds of it, the accused is not likely to get full disclosure of the * As City staff are in the City's pay and control, would they not have a basis * There appears to be no way to make or subpoena people to appear and * In a politically controlled kangaroo court, the slanderous outcome may not Comments about the judge and the review committee. * Why does the City really want to set up its own court system and laws? * Why should we believe City staff are better cops or judges then those in * How to challenge or remove persons on the committee not appropriate for * If the City is not going to require special training for judges and members of Punishments and vandalism. The City say this policy and laws are not a legal system but its outcomes will be posted with the police for enforcement, that sounds like a legal system to me and so do fines, sent to collection agencies if you don't pay. Bullies and abuses. Not only is the legal standard for an offence ridiculously low, that can be easily interpreted to cover just about anything people do as human beings. It can also be the foundation for even more law and order without justice. We have just lost our freedom to act like human beings, to even get upset! Throughout history dictators had delivered law and order but no justice. This policy is a frivolous & vexatious law, that can easily be laid on anyone, after all what physical evidence would exist from "attempts to intimidate;"? It is a well known fact that giving people the power to cause harm to other people by making accusations will result in many just lying to do so. To empower bullies so that they can simply call others, a witch, a jew, a communist, a criminal, on welfare or whatever group is being cleansed, is the greatest mistake history has to show us and we are repeating it. The question of how easy will it be for bullies to damage City property and blame others and/or make false accusations of violence toward other members of the public should be a very serious concern for the City. Why is it not? * What happens if the effort by the bully to goal is successful and victim Can the public fight back, against City staff? What does this policy really do to our communities? The City claims to be creating a safe environment on its property, but in fact it is doing the opposite. Bullies (liars), will love this. They are not controlled by more laws; in fact it only gives them more power, the law is their weapon and words the ammunition. People on City property will end up being ordered around by those who are willing to bully and lie. How can parents feel safe sending their kids to a City park knowing a loud voice is an act of violence and their children can be convicted by the City of "throwing of articles in a deliberate or aggressive manner"? That your children can be victims of a few bullies who gang up on your child, lie about who caused an act of vandalism. Then you are forced to pay for an act of vandalism they didn't not commit. And that your children can be falsely accused by bullies who working toward the banning of your children from City parks. How can you enjoy Mississauga's parks knowing throwing a football or Frisbee is now a violent act. This policy is unenforceable in a fair and reasonable fashion. This policy has been imposed on us just before an election and we have not had time to feel its effects or even know about it, smart on the City's part, yes? Does it improve sports? What is its effect on sports? What is strange, is the sports groups are going along with rules that would require they own game rules to be changed to use City Facilities and why has the City stepped into take over what should be a sports league problem. Maybe a deal has been worked out in a back room, to explain their going along with this power grab. But isn't odd that months after the events claimed to be the reason for this policy, the Mayor who is know for being a physical if not violent, rock'em, sock'em, hockey player, suddenly directs City staff to create a policy that makes hurt feelings an act of violence, don't you think? How could a true Canadian do this to hockey? By the way the City is planning to bring forward its Master plan for the Cawthra Bush (my main involvement with the City), to the public in a few months. Guess Hazel and the Ward 1 Councillor are thinking it would be nice if they could remove me from the picture. Human life and hockey are very much the same, there is some contact, feelings get hurt and it gets rough but that is what makes it great. Have you ever heard of a coach stoping the game and complaining to the referee that a player had just been intimidated by the other team. That a players feelings have been hurt and that is a violent act and the offending player should thrown off the property? How would you regard that coach? Most would call the coach a cry baby, comment that the coach should act like an mature adult and lose all respect for the coach. But when the City does it, some how it is a great idea. Lets not forget how these rules can used by one team to try and eliminate the other teams star players! These rules are so bad they try to denature human beings and turn us into petty political creatures. The V&V policy creates a double standards and allows City staff to refuse service to the public. As this policy is imposed on taxpayers by City staff/politicians and they are except from its rules, the door is open to great abuse and bullying. The City Manager has confirmed our worse fears, that City staff need only say they felt a little intimidated to refuse severing the taxpayers in a professional fashion. How easy it is for City staff to say they didn't like the person attitude, especially if they know that person is one politicians have centred out for abuse. Under these rules City staff can intimidate and goad members of the public till they get upset, then staff can say they didn't like the tone of voice they were getting, refuse to deal with them and file a report as a part of the process of denying that person access to City property and services. Also what could be intimidating to City staff? A person who asks an intelligent question, that staff don't want to answer. A person who knows the process and wants a service they should receive. Next time you try and deal with City staff take some knee pads as if you try and get up off your knees you could be in big trouble! Staff no longer work for us and if we try to question them we are at risk of committing a violent act. Mississaugans need to know their place now and who severs who. This policy gives staff the power to be confrontational with the public, knowing all they need do is to say a few magic words and the taxpayer is the violent criminal. Yes the door is open to entrapment. City staff and politicians know human nature, the more you frustrate a person the more they act frustrated, raising of voice, harsher words etc., then accusing the person of a violent act for acting human. Using human nature as a weapon against people in a predator fashion. I have call Mississauga politicians predators for some time, now there is no doubt. Allowing staff the power to act in such an unprofessional fashion also opens door to criminal actions on their part. The clock is being turned back to the fascism of the 1930's, a time Hazel grew up in and familiar with. Politicians live in a culture of lies and deceit, they have now expanded it to be the modus operandi for all City staff and on all City property. Your tax dollars at work, serving politicians interests. An example of how City of Mississauga staff go after community leaders who don't serve City politicians. For years I have been a victim of abuse by City staff, that the Mayor, Hazel McCallion, directed staff to do. It has taken many forms, with holding service, signing false affidavits to deny me my right to service, wrongly interpreting words, policies etc., to deny service and filing false reports. But the most dangerous and life threatening has come lately with this new policy. I have lived the past 6 years in poverty to try and empower Mississaugans to be able, to make fully informed decisions (using City records) and to vote on an issue. Something Hazel says not on your life to. Hazel warned me that I should fad away but I would not abandon the community that asked me help save the Cawthra Bush. For years the City did all it could to portray me in a very negative light in order to justify both the local Councillor and Hazel refusing service. However this framing of Mr. Barber falls apart when it is discovered they also refused to deal with the other persons in our group, they just didn't was to deal with the issue or represent taxpayers. The Mississauga News (often called the Missing News), prefers to build up Hazel's government and tear down those who question it or seek justice from it. As I was not being the person they were spending so much time and taxpayers dollars portraying me as and I was not breaking the law enough to take legal action on (the Councillor for Ward 1, Carmen Corbasson, did send the police to my door as she didn't like my attitude), they had to change the law. So our Mayor directs staff to create a new policy that could be used against any one who dared to stand up for the rights of Canadian to be meaningfully involved in her government. Hazel McCallion is willing to tear down the very pillars of our society to persecute those who challenge her. Her hope was that I would not know about this new policy, so it would not be an election issue and to trap me with it. She was not so lucky. However, I still lack the money to buy justice in Canada so it is only a matter of time before the new policy turn into a licence to kill for City staff and I will be under the gun by Peel police, Hazel's most willing partners in this anti-democratic crime. It started to get really hot Sept. 6/2000, a group of us were at the Cawthra Bush to do an interview with Bob Hunter of City TV as the Cawthra Bush had just been declared a Provincially Significant Wetlands Complex. While we waited, a stranger in a car started to act in an intimidating and very suspicious fashion. He got out of his car and members of our group asked who he was and if he worked for the City, as he had one of their tee shirts on. He refused to give his name or say if he was on duty. I later asked the Mayor in Council and she agrees City staff are to identify themselves when asked by the public, to do so. He made a effort to try and provoke me into a confrontation by calling out a slanderous remark at me. Sept. 13 - the same day that "Vandalism and Violence (V&V), in City Facilities" policy is passed I drive into the Cawthra Community Centre, parked well behind the car he used a few days before. As I go into the Centre he goes out to his car and rips off his tail pipe! I go out to find out what is going on as he has in the past made it clear he has ill intentions toward me, as do many City staff. Understand it would be considered by City staff as a career move up to accuse me and best of all lay a charge. He refuse to answer my questions as to what he was doing. Having good reason to believe he was going to accuse me of damaging his car, I had a look at his name badge so I could at least know who he was. The next thing I know he is calling the police on me. Well, five cops show up, complete with a shot gun because this guy says I made him felt intimidated. He then goes on to say there is a City memo stating staff are not to talk to me, in effect he is blaming his actions on City directions. Oct. 25 - For the past three years I have gone over to the City staff's haunting of the Cawthra Estate house as apart of a United Way fund raising event, to get petitions signed to help save the Cawthra Bush. Last year the City staff got nasty and called the police making very slanderous claims against me. They only took my name. This year two Peel police officers told me to leave, public property, that members of the public were invited to (and were very supportive of the goal to save the Cawthra Bush from the City), stating they didn't have to give a reason why I had to leave and that it was their decision, not the City's. How about that, no legal reason. I feel that I was not arrested out right as two other people were there with me, that the police appeared not to notice at the start. It is interesting that they approached me and called me by name but took no interest in the other persons collecting signatures. Clearly I was the target. The officers refused to involve any member of City staff that were on site in this matter even after being repeatedly being asked to do so. The City is the land owner and the police felt no need to talk to City staff on site, running the event? What kind of law enforcement is this? The real goal of the City is to arrest me for whatever (I am sure her good friends in the Peel police will help her out), it doesn't matter how small the matter is. Then have their equally good friends in the Mississauga News cover its pages with all kinds of slanderous accusations to drive away any one who has supported me in the past. With no money of my own and no support from the community, Hazel can look forward to having her way with my life and make me an example to others. Finally; In the evolution of a country there always comes a time when there is a genuine risk that extreme politicians or those who practice dictatorial or fascist politics will come into power. That it is up to everyone to stop them before they change the laws so much that it is illegal to protest them. By that time they will have found a way to control the election process so you can't vote them out. Politicians can be even more dangerous to a countries survival then the so-called criminal they claim to be protecting us from. In fact more countries had been destroyed by politicians then a high crime rate. The first group that fascist politicians will reach out to for support is the police and their guns. In Toronto the politicians are rightfully offended by the police effort to become a part of the political system. In Mississauga the deal has are ready been struck and the police are doing the dirty tricks for politicians. So it is not crime that is out of hand, it is the politicians. Idea - all persons who are applying to be candidates in election should pass a psychological exams so we know it is safe to let them be a law maker. And what kind of person they really are. Canada is not exempt from the human reality. What goes around comes around, it will happen to us at some time and it appears to be now for Mississaugans! The V&V policy claims to create a better world where people will not be allowed to do anything that could even sightly offend another. The political promises of more pie in the sky paradise where you can live free of the fear of crime. You need only live in fear of being accused of a violent crime. Maybe of braking wind in some ones direction. Is this too high a cost for what Mississauga politicians offer (keeping taxes down)? Is this the world the men and women who fought for our democratic rights and human freedom, died for? We should honour them and vote out all of Hazel's team, it is the principal that is at stake, after all they have shown their true colors. Democracy is a contact sport and some people will get upset, that should not be a crime. Then there is the dehumanizing side to this. Being told we are not to allowed to express anger or other human emotions, it is unhealthy. We are human beings for God sake, stop trying to improve us like are some kind of machine or technology that can be just changed by up grading or reprogramming, to be new and improved. To whatever the standard of the hour is. Are we not sick of politicians and their committees trying to see how many hoops they make us jump through? They feel so justified in trying to change our behaviour to suite them and what makes life easier for them, as they claim to be experts and we are not. I say if they are so bloody smart why can't they learn to communicate with us, on our terms? Why is it we have to learn to speak their language? Why is it they can't tell the truth and that is accepted as normal but if we should be a little off in the facts it is a big crime? The late Pierre Elliott Trudeau said "Canada is not immoral", yes, it can be destroyed by politicians. Last word; Most of all don't believe them if they say or suggest Council will review this policy after the election and vote for them any ways. They are just fooling you! |
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