John Stewart's BLOG
&
comments;

Opening comments:  More at the end.

Some very good comments here.

Council Conflict - my short version of events just in Council chambers.

The Mississauga Muse makes some astute observations about how often Public Question Period was being used and by whom.

Oh, the vagaries of the procedural bylaw.

Lost in the mists of irrelevance 99 per cent of the time, the procedural bylaw is the bible for the conduct of meetings for public bodies.  It sets out rules and regulations and is almost always a revelation when read.  It's kind of like your insurance policy: you only refer to it when something untoward has happened.

Yesterday the procedural bylaw reared its ugly head in council chambers at City Hall.

The result could be the end of a fine tradition that citizens have enjoyed for almost three decades.

Former Mayor Ron Searle introduced the concept of a public question period on the regular City council agenda shortly after being elected mayor in 1976.

"I just felt the general public had a right to be heard, even if they weren't aware of what was on the agenda," Searle recalled this morning.  "The problem, of course, is that you get a lot of activists who want to talk."

Ah, there's the rub.

For years Mayor Hazel McCallion has bragged, and justifiably so, about how Mississauga politicians are the only ones in the GTA who give citizens true access to their elected representatives, allowing anyone to get up to speak during the midst of the meeting on any subject.

Searle and McCallion, a lot of staff and a few reporters can recite the opening mantra from memory.  It goes like this: "Is there anyone else who wishes to address council on any other matter.  If so, would they please come forward?"

That's not a question we're going to have the privilege of hearing at council anymore.

In a decision yesterday, local politicians effectively scrapped public question period.  It seems someone consulted the procedural bylaw and -- egads --- the questions are supposed to be about something that's on the agenda.

The temptation is to say that councillors can see that silly season has started with the run-up to the Nov. 13 election, and they don't want to provide a convenient stage for all the people lining up at the podium to try to replace them.

I don't believe this is a case of political paranoia, however.  It's more of a case of Don Barber Fatigue Syndrome.

Barber is the Lakeview resident who sees McCallion as the evil manipulator of the Mississauga world.  He sees her hand in everything that is wrong with the City and its practices.  His heart may be in the right place, but his rhetoric is way, way over the top.  Witness his tasteless "gift" to the mayor of a bottle of her favourite sherry recently in an attempt to discredit her.

If McCallion were a litigious person, Barber would spend a lot of time in court defending himself.

One can sympathize with council's concern about Barber and his ilk, but our politicians have thrown out the baby with the bathwater.

So what if you've been breaking your procedural bylaw for years?  Does anyone ever enforce the rules that limit how long, and how often councillors can speak?  Does the mayor know that she's actually supposed to step aside and give the gavel to someone else when she wants to debate an issue?

McCallion doesn't chair meetings, she compels them along the lines of her own thinking and nobody ever bats an eyelash (Stop me if I sound like Don Barber.)

No matter how it evolved, public question period isn't just a convenience for politicians to allow, or disallow, at the whim of an interpretation of an obscure bylaw.  It's a right that Mississauga citizens have come to rely upon, and it's an important symbol, as the mayor herself has stressed many times, of how open and accessible local government is.

Unwittingly, City councillors may have handed their challengers a rallying call for this fall's campaign: Bring Back Public Question Period.

COMMENTS;
 

[ Rude noises from the beer & popcorn crowd. ] Also, perhaps ruling out the public question period is not in everyone's best interests. I love this blog.

Posted by: Anonymous. | June 17, 2006 at 07:49 PM

Council Conflict

On June 7/06, a surprising and defining political event took place in City Council Chambers that is now a watershed in Mississauga's history. Roy Willis and myself, Donald Barber, had come prepared to exercise our Democratic rights and address City Council by way of a special Democratic tradition started by Mayor Ron Searle (77 to 78) - Pubic Question Period. However, our Councillors changed the rules without notice or debate but had not changed the wording on the Agendas - does this spell entrapment?

Mr. Willis is a well-known fixture of Mississauga/Milton politics and a community supporter for decades. He has run in most elections, an acquaintance of political players at all levels of Canadian government and played a key role in bring Councillor Cliff Gyles to justice. Donald Barber on the other hand was a working man who before 1994 was not involved in politics. When the City stated its plans to log and tree farm Mississauga's public lands. So I set out to provide taxpayers and residents with the facts so they could meaningfully participate in government decision making. Created the Friends of the Cawthra Bush that stopped City plans. Over the years my list of accomplishments and contributions to the community speak for themselves, a short list includes, teaching classes at most of the local schools, discovering the true environmental significance of the Cawthra Bush and its threatened species. My observations have also been noted in a science study. Over the years I have earned the respect and thanks of the community as well as their financial support but also the loathing of City politicians as I beat them at their own game. I have ran for the Office of Mayor three times to oppose the Mayor who in an effort to keep Mississaugans in the dark, shut down Freedom of Information requests, a key element in our Democracy. For years I have made many huge sacrifices, been savagely bullied and lived in poverty in order to service the Mississauga community.

Over $100 to prepare briefs regarding a development that is proposing housing significantly close to the end of an Airport runway and apparently contrary to Federal and Provincial policy & guidelines - "will not be permitted". The planning process requires public involvement to work and we were there to ensure that City hall was well aware of the facts, that good planning was done, to perform the job of the opposition and that important questions were asked/answered, but this was not to be - they saw us coming and circled the wagons. When I show up in a suite and tie, it means I will be formally addressing Council.

The Agenda item - Public Question Period - was not even called out by the Mayor. She does ask for questions regarding anything that is ON the Agenda, so on a point of order I addressed Council. At which point the Mayor informs me that Public Question Period has been "eliminated" then corrects herself saying that for the last 30 years they have not been following the correct procedure at Council meetings and should not have been asking if anyone has questions that are NOT ON the Agenda. Think about it, if it is on the Agenda, than why not wait for it to come up on the Agenda? It is ineffective to have an Agenda that bounces back and fore between items. She says procedures have changed, then right away they have not, very confusing double think. The Mayor is claiming that staff is telling her what to do (how odd) and that she does not have the authority to allow persons to address Council, it requires a motion before Council. In John Stewart's BLOG, it is noted that the Mayor is not one to follow the rules if they get in her feisty way - "McCallion doesn't chair meetings, she compels them along the lines of her own thinking and nobody ever bats an eyelash". Now suddenly Council is throwing the book at us - why? I think they know we caught them on this issue and also they saw a way to end the involvement of those who knew how to take them to task on issues, in this election year. Either way the Mayor is getting the worst possible guidance.

I note that if it has been the standard procedure for the last 30 years, than that is the correct procedure. Many will know it as common practices, convention or a Grandfather clause and actually would require a Council vote to change. When asked, the Mayor could not recall that it was Mayor Searle who began the Public Question Period that she has so often bragged about as proof we did not live in a dictatorship like the Soviet Union. The rules are read but nothing specifically defines Public Question Period. The Mayor required a motion to be presented, so I presented one, in keeping with their rules. However, no Councillors would second it, not Eve Adams the Councillor where this matter is taking place or the Ward 1 Councillor (ex-secretary for the City who would not even consider moving into Ward 1 unless she was elected there), Carmen Corbasson. To be respectful of taxpayers, Council should have said this is the last time, go ahead. Councillor Nando Iannicca interjected some odd comments.

By this time Mr. Willis has arrived at the speakers podium "bearing peace". Mr. Willis is a man of his word, he had promised to come forward if Councillors went on the attack and he did. He notes we waited patiently for three hours to address Council. That if there is to be no more Public Question Periods, it should be removed from the Council Agenda. The Mayor had called Mr. Willis forward to address Council, after which City security demanded he leave Council Chambers, for no apparent reason - what was the City's Agenda that day?

For the record Mr. Willis and I rarely address City Council meetings and many times are in support of some item or just making an announcement.

A Mississauga political power play, cerca the 1930's, the evil deed is done and I have been banned from City hall for years. As Council has noted that this is an election year in our recent visits to Council, clearly this is about political damage control and job security on their part. Due to the write up in the Mississauga News, my bank manager will not allow me to open a business account. The added bonus for Mississauga politicians is to seriously hamper my efforts to write the political history of Mississauga, which was announced to them, ends my Democratic rights to attend any public meetings or represent the community and otherwise report news on my web-site, The-Democratic-Reporter.com. Will City Council restore Public Question Period? Now that I am banned for years from City hall - a good chance - because in Canada, politicians want taxpayers to have Democratic rights they can't use.

Posted by: Don Barber | June 16, 2006 at 09:04 PM

Bring back Question period at City Hall. Have many many fond memories of how citizens could address Council ..direct access. more so than any other level of government. This grassroots level is most vital and important. No campaigning shoudl be allowed. Roy Willis should be tired already he has run for every office since time imaginable and Don Barber should get a job cleaning up the old Lakeview "plant" maybe he will find something there that will lead to yet another cause... but stay out of City Hall guys... your activities of recent dates show very strongly YOU JUST DON'T BELONG THERE.

Posted by: Irene Gabon | June 13, 2006 at 10:33 AM

Good morning, John,

Congrats to you and the editor of the Mississauga News for taking a powerful stand on the removal of Public Question Period from Mississauga City Council meetings.

I figured that the least I could do was do a bit of investigating on my own. Here goes.

Council Minutes - February 15 2006 (ZIP --no mention of Public Question Period)

Council Minutes - March 8 2006 (ZIP --no mention of Public Question Period)

Council Minutes - April 5 2006 (ZIP --no mention of Public Question Period)

Ah HAH!

Council Minutes - April 12 2006 PUBLIC QUESTION PERIOD

6. PUBLIC QUESTIONS PERIOD

(a) Environment Committee

Donald Barber, President of Friends of the Cawthra Bush and Greater Mississauga Area and Chair of the Cawthra Ratepayers' and Residents' Association, appeared before Council, and expressed concern that the City of Mississauga has lacked an Environmental Committee and suggested that Mississauga deserves such a Committee so that all can enjoy the health benefits of one.

(b) Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)

Donald Barber, a Mississauga resident, appeared before Council, regarding his perception that the City of Mississauga does not support the efforts of MADD since new releases for the past few years makes no mention of this organization. Mr. Barber further suggested that Members of Council need to set a better example when it comes to drinking and driving.

(c) Sheard Property -- 7211 and 7233 Airport Road

Roy Willis, a Mississauga resident, appeared before Council with respect to the application for a draft plan of subdivision for eight detached dwelling lots on Airport Road.

Council Minutes - April 26 2006 (ZIP no mention of PUBLIC QUESTION PERIOD)

I wanted to go further --my goal was to to determine how often citizens address council during Public Question Period over the course of one year. Surprised to see no Council Minutes provided for the month of January.

So I did a search for:

"Council Minutes - January" --NO RESULTS FOUND

"Council Minutes - December" --NO RESULTS FOUND

"Council Minutes - November" --NO RESULTS FOUND

Looks like mississauga.ca only posts three months' worth of council minutes.

From The News editorial:

"And, if it was meant to single out and silence just Donald Barber and Roy Willis, it makes the matter even worse."

Yep. Even with the little evidence that I was able to dig up here, it would appear to be so. Looks to me like they shut down Public Question Period to target and silence just Barber and Willis.

I have to say I'm concerned about "Mr. Barber further suggested that Members of Council need to set a better example when it comes to drinking and driving." As in, Really Concerned.

I suspect, John, that the above drinking reference in the minutes relates to you writing:

"Witness his tasteless "gift" to the mayor of a bottle of her favourite sherry recently in an attempt to discredit her."

You know, John? --a good thing McCallion's in her 80's because back in her hockey prime, she'd have taken that sherry bottle and -- Mr. Barber'd be walking funny.

Still. You don't mete out a class detention because of a couple of unruly kids. Not only does that send the wrong message, it also potentially alienates most of the other kids. Worst of all, --and bet your boots this happens-- class detention ignites the spark of resentment in the "couple kids" that Teacher HAD on his side.

Now Teacher has FOUR kids flinging paper clips.

Ah well...

Lesson I learned from that awful-AWFUL "Titanic" movie? "Titanic" was a Mega-Blockbuster because --Everyone loves a good shipwreck.

ALL HAIL THE H.M.S. MISSISSAUGA!

Posted by: The Mississauga Muse | June 12, 2006 at 04:24 AM

It was kind of neat that they had a public question period for all to come forth and speak.
I agree on the way the meetings are run, there so informal i couldn't help thinking that they could hold them in a Tim Horton's.
I don't think it will be an issue in the election campaign as extremely few people know the opportunity exists much less take advantage of it.

Posted by: OJ | June 09, 2006 at 10:35 PM

Hence forth we had equal opportunities through Ron Lenyks 20 Questions to put to council but the glass had always come back half empty and was short lived. The questions are easy, it's the answers that are difficult.

Posted by: PPAG | June 09, 2006 at 11:44 AM