"We have to send a message to the public" Crown Attorney.
(You may need to click twice or if you wish Go Directly to the clip on Google Video)
This- is Mississauga.
For the First Part of this Blog (yesterday's HYPOCRISY DEMOCRACY), please click here.
[Today's (May 29, 2007) entry begins]
Well, the trial's over save for the verdict. Judge J. Keany said he needed time to ponder and reflect --so 75 year old Antonio Batista won't know his fate until July 27, 2007.
The Crown wants Mr. Batista "Guilty on both counts" --for uttering a death threat and also for what would naturally follow, intimidation.
Defense lawyer, Clayton Ruby's arguments went like this:
The fact that we were all there in Room 105, "betrays the impropriety of this charge reaching this stage." and then he added that the most "troubling part" of the Crown's closing arguments was:
"Please convict this man. We have to send a message to the public."
"We have to send a message to the public." Crown Attorney.
Ah. But what message?
"We have to send a message to the public." Crown Attorney.
If only people could videotape court proceedings!
"We have to send a message to the public." Crown Attorney.
Or at the very least, just be allowed audiotape.
"We have to send a message to the public." Crown Attorney.
"We have to send a message it's not ok to do that. You can't cross that line." Crown Attorney.
"We have to send a message to the public." Crown Attorney.
I, for one, Get the Message.
Do you think the Crown Attorney's message would include that while employees of The Corporation of the City of Mississauga have an elaborate Complaints Process, Mediation, Conflict Resolution --including Human Resources personnel available for Staff to address their issues and concerns...
....there is no formal complaints process for Mississauga citizens if they have a city-related problem or concern. None. A citizen complaints process simply does not exist at The Corporation of the City of Mississauga. I know because I asked.
and here was the City of Mississauga's response:
Look at the date. July 28, 2006. You know. 2006? --when 75 year old Portuguese immigrant, Mr. Antonio Batista (with only three years of schooling from age 7 to 10) was trying to make his voice heard, by writing letters and making phone calls to Pat Saito and then when he didn't hear back from her, wrote Hazel McCallion and when he didn't hear from her....
Imagine the hours upon frustrating Hours-of-Nothing he spent. All served cold on a "Best City in Canada" Platter.
"We have to send a message to the public." Crown Attorney.
The public should also be aware that only last week 680 News reported that The Corporation of the City of Mississauga passed a new "Respectful Workplace Policy". Sounds like a Moving Forward kind of forward, doesn't it?
Who can argue with 680 News reporting that this new policy addresses Bullying/Harrassment and includes "all the City's full and part-time 5,500 employees plus its politicians".
Sounds great, no?
What City Manager, Janice Baker fails to mention in the 680 News interview is that this "Respectful Workplace Policy" includes citizens. If The City decides that a citizen has pressed an issue too hard, they can cite him with "harrassment" and then he would be subject to "the appropriate action". Good thing, right? Makes sense, right?
"We have to send a message to the public." Crown Attorney.
Here's my quickie-message because otherwise, you won't get this info.
The Corporation of the City of Mississauga has numerous policies in place to guarantee its employees all manner of protections, mediation procedures and resources to address their conflicts and concerns. Those Protections are extensive and employees have the full might of the City's Legal Department to defend them as well.
Yet "The Best City in Canada" has absolutely no complaints process in place for its citizens. Their idea of a complaints process is "I/we'll refer it to Staff"....
I'll toss up this question.
Do Mississaugans really want to leave the definition of what constitutes "harrassment" or "crossing the line" up to the discretion of an organization that frequently refers to itself, "The Best City in Canada" and yet has no complaints process or apparent interest in the rights of its citizens to fairness?
Let's leave the third-last word to Mr. Antonio Batista, charged by his former Councillor, Pat Saito with uttering a death threat and intimidation via poetry.
"We should be treated well by these people and we are not." Antonio Batista
Antonio Batista listening to proceedings May 29, 2007.
Second-last word:
"We have to send a message to the public." Crown Attorney.
Last word.
More of the "message to the public" to come.