Opening comments:
Items in [ ] were not in the letter but are added now as links to supported web or Internet post material.
This letter was responded to and the Ombudsman's Dec. 9, 2008, letter to me, was presented to the Mayor during the Dec. 10, 2008, City of Mississauga Council meeting, in hopes of Council reconsidering passing their incomplete first time ever Public Complaints Procedure - they did not. Why would it be incomplete? City staff - lawyers - wrongly informed Council the Ombudsman can't be involved in municipal complaints as he is Provincial. This letter proves what I have been saying all along, he can if invited by the City, but that would mean Hazel and her political agenda would not be in control of peoples complaints. So let evil be done - as it always been done but now there is a process for it!
The Threatening Threat Assessment
of
Donald Barber
Community leader & Educator.
Office of the Ombudsman of Ontario
ATTN: André Marin, Ontario - Ombudsman.
483 Bay Street, 10th Floor, Bell Trinity Square, South Tower.
Toronto, Ont. M5G 2C9
Copies of this request are being sent to the following elected officials in the hope they will also write a letter supporting this request to the Ombudsman. PLEASE NOTE - the City is set to approve a deeply flawed public complaints policy at its next Council meeting - Dec. 10 - this is an urgent request. If you wish to address this but need more time, you could ask the City of Mississauga to put off the item in question for a few weeks.
Hon Dalton McGuinty, MPP (Ottawa South) - Premier - Leader, Liberal Party of Ontario Party
Rm 281, Main Legislative Building, Queen's Park, Toronto ON M7A 1A4
Robert W. Runciman, MPP (Leeds--Grenville) - Leader, Official Opposition Party - Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
Rm 436, Main Legislative Building, Queen's Park, Toronto ON M7A 1A8
Howard Hampton, MPP (Kenora--Rainy River) - Leader, Recognized Party - Leader, New Democratic Party of Ontario
Rm 114, Main Legislative Building, Queen's Park, Toronto ON M7A 1A5
RE: Request for a letter of clarification to be sent to the City of Mississauga - for the good and protection of Mississauga
taxpayers / community members.
Dear André Marin,: Dec. 4, 2008
A simple request for a letter, sent to the City of Mississauga asking the City, to ask the Ombudsman, under what terms the Ombudsman could conduct a special investigation regarding the growing number of very serious complaints directed toward the City of Mississauga that has resulted in hundreds of bans security guards, people being criminally charged - jailed and unjust limits being placed on taxpayers Democratic Rights. The Ombudsman of Ontario may not currently have the authority to deal with complaints involving those at the municipal level of government BUT there is no law to say the Ombudsman could not if asked to by a municipality. This line of logic has been presented to Office of the Ombudsman of Ontario and the response has been along the lines of - a municipality could ask for a special investigation, there is theoretically no reason why the Ombudsman, the province and the city couldn't try to work out some sort of special agreement. That it could be conducted on a cost-recovery basis. It does need to be noted the Ombudsman already has the power to investigate municipalities regarding closed Council meetings, for free, so this request is not without precedence.
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A special request to the Dalton McGuinty, MPP, Premier and the other MPPs - please authorize this special case, at low or no cost to see how it works having a complaints process for municipalities under the control of the Ombudsman. There should be consideration given to review of expanding the Ombudsman’s mandate to include certain kinds of municipal complaints where the public must see a truly impartial judge free of political influence or control. This can be a classic test case where it should be tried to see the results.
Please consider this first and foremost - a health Democracy must have a effective complaints process that is honest, fair, has a truly impartial, independent judges, free of political influence or control AND which can be seen as such by reasonable persons, in order to hold government accountable, in order to ensure professional & respectful service, in other words the good government taxpayers are promised. A number of complaints were filed earlier this year regarding the false charges made against me by City security guards and other related items. They were incomplete as the City of Mississauga did not have a complaints process in place to deal with them. The City then stated it would take about $50,000 to handle the complaints, which many see as outrageous. Instead of creating one policy to deal with public complaints, there are at least two. When ever taxpayers see government creating layers of bureaucracy, costs too high to be use by most ($250 to appeal a ban), being judged by staff with working relationships with those doing the bans, they see the traditional recipe for cover-up and unaccountable government workers. We all know people will sink to the lowest level when the bar of conduct is set too low. The poor, youth and newcomers will - are suffering the most.
A short summary regarding who I am, what I have done for the community and why City of Mississauga politicians want me gone any way it can;
Worked long and hard as a Democratic activist, to provide the facts that the public needed to be fully informed, so they can be meaningful involved in government decision making, mainly regarding environmental concerns. This has meant living in poverty to do so and makes me an easy target for wrongful government and legal actions. Organized and voted in at one of the many public meetings, I have held to lead the Friends of the Cawthra Bush, to stop both the City's logging and tree farming of this remarkable forest and all other City land in Mississauga - which we were successful at.
Further more, lead the very successful effort to raise the environmental significance of the Cawthra Bush, from just a large stand of trees in a city, to being recognized by the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), as a Provincially Significant Wetlands Complex. The Cawthra Bush is also an Old-Growth ecosystem in the City. It is a swamp forest with Vernal pools & Fairy Shrimp and Chimney building Crayfish. I have discovered other rare and threatened species in the Cawthra Bush, such as the Jefferson Salamanders classified as THREATENED by the Federal government. Have discovered or documented other amphibian and reptilian species. Have also, been involved in other animal issues, such as helping to rescue Canada geese and stop the City’s plans to kill off masses of them and feeding them to native Indians. Have received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Canadian Wildlife Service. Given many presentations and been a quest lecturer at local schools as well as setting up the Cawthra Bush information display at public events.
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There was even a rare important discovery made during school field trip. In the past few years have raised hundreds of Monarch butterflies.
In the Toronto Zoo’s newsletter - the Amphibian Voice, featured an article called "Discovery at the Cawthra Bush" a two page centre spread complete with 5 pictures. My findings and photographs have helped advanced scientific understanding of the living arrangements of Jefferson Salamanders, which was presented in a Toronto study by Natalie Helferty who is trying to save the Oak Ridges Moraine. Received a letter from James P. Bogart, a university of Guelph professor noting I had found a way to raise Jefferson Salamanders better then he has. These successes were the result of working far harder than City staff.
Ran 4 times for Mayor of Mississauga, coming in third - second - third - second , to help the voters understand what the real issues were in their City. Ran in 2003 for the Green Party Provincially. Set-up two web-sites set up and run them to the best of my ability, informing the public about local environmental issues - Cawthra-Bush.org and about political events - the-democratic-reporter.com., as well as writing the Political History of Mississauga.
Reasons why this case requires a special investigation by a truly impartial investigator;
a). I am not the only person making complaints, Ursula who does the MISSISSAUGA WATCH web-site and Mississauga Muse
BLOG has gone on the record with her intent to do so. In her case as well as mine, they are fully supported by documents, video
tapes, etc. Likely more people would come forward if they could see there would be a fair complaints process.
b). It is common place in cases where the same people have been in power for decades, to begin to abuse government powers as if
they were their own powers, taking for granted their position of authority as being unchallengeable and feel little for those who
come between them and their political goals. Especially if they keep getting away with wrong doing with little to no consequences
- it only gets worse.
c). In Mississauga there has been unusually high numbers of bans being handed out by City security - 815 in 2006.
d). The Mayor - Hazel McCallion - has in the past been found guilty of Conflict of Interest "she breached the Act in all four of the 4
- ways in which the Act could be breached." She then hide her name as the owner of the very same property that was the reason
for her being found guilty of Conflict of Interest, on official documents submitted for creating a subdivision. That has been called
an unlawful subdivision application by a sitting politician. The subdivision application is then approved, a sitting Mayor as a
developer in her own City? Her name later is found as President of 675352 Ontario Limited, which buys the land from the
McCallion’s before it is sold to Tradmor, a company with a couple of non-Canadians (Paris, France) Directors listed.
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e). "There is a coup going on, there is no question about it, Mr. Barber is a member of it and I hope no member of Council are
involved." So spoken by the then 82 year old Hazel McCallion, right in City Council while it was being broadcasted. Most people
would say that sounds paranoid. Staff could think she was pointing me out as person threatening to her and to be removed. You
can see this video clip on my YouTube site - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_J2R4ie5Zw
f). In 2004, developer A. Mantella & Sons Ltd., sues Mississauga, dealership, realty corporation for $20 million in damages saying
McCallion was enlisted by Dixie Ford to use "using her power and influence" to induce Ontario Realty not to sell a parcel land up
for sale, that it was renting at an unusually low price. Also stated in the suite - “did use her public authority and influence to
induce ORC not to deal with the Plaintiff in accordance with the Invitation to Tender” - “an unfair and unlawful interference with
Mantella's valid business expectancy”. They don’t call her “Hurricane Hazel” for nothing, the above are just a few examples of
how, in the words of others who really know her - "She thrives on confrontation", "intellectually dishonest" and has "a voracious
capacity for revenge."
g). When local residents tried to form a Ratepayers group to deal with Cawthra Bush issues, the Cawthra Ratepayers & Residences
Association (CRRA), City staff refused our application saying we could disagree with the City plans. It was lead by me.
h). In 2006 when running against the Mayor, City By-Law inspector served us with a Notice of Contravention claims our back-yard
was messy, everyone who saw it didn’t think so and the City said it was not a political act but on the very day of the vote that
served us again!
i). As the City of Mississauga would not deal with our community groups directly, the Freedom Of Information Act (FOI) was used
to become informed as to the facts. First the Mayor promised we would not get the records, in an election year no less (1994) -
"we will not be providing you with the information, that you are requesting.", from a recording of the meeting. Then City
staff wrongfully shut down FOI access. Later the Mayor denies it "And I have never given direction to the Freedom of
Information Clerk, Clerk to do anything. Never! And will never. And it is not my place to do it. And I want to make it clear" After
complaints to the Information and Privacy Commission (IPC) got access was restored. Her staff kept this promise over the years
to shut off the FOI access.
j). INVESTIGATION REPORT I94-045M by the IPC - “The Municipality's disclosure of the complainant's personal information
was not in compliance with section 32 of the Act.” This was in regards to the City shutting down FOI access to its records and
the Mayor against all the rules had a meeting to tell me off for trying to get City records, in front of staff.
INVESTIGATION REPORT I95-091M by the IPC - “Since the Mayor did not need the records at issue for the performance of
her duties, the City did not comply with section 3(2) of Ontario Regulation 823.”
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This was in regards to same meeting but this time the complaint was aginst the Mayor and I won as it involved a judge not in some
way under the Mayor’s control and supports the call for the Ombudsman.
k). City staff then set out to keep the Mayors promise by having me declared a frivolous & vexatious FOI requester in order to stop
my FOI requests, which they did in time but before that I made every effort to find the cheapest and most effective way to access
City records. The method found was to use the City’s own computer data base to find and access files. To stop this the City FOI
Coordinator knowingly made false statements (lied), to the IPC or the Ontario government about these file system to
make it appear the City could not use their file management system to find its own files without the greatest of efforts with
statements like this - “Further, during mediation and at the request of this office, the City produced (from the raw data) a
document which lists all the files contained within the ARIS {Active Records Index System - [PROOF of ARIS]} index file
number EC. 12. This document also contains a numeric location code as to the location (department) of the actual paper file.”,
"The City indicates that it has spent approximately 3 hours producing this one page", “The document prepared by the City for
this appeal deals with the ARIS index for EC. 12 and is one page with 24 entries. The entries contain coded information which
identifies file storage information.” A person would have to be very stupid to believe that claim and clearly the City of
Mississauga’s staff are willing to lie right to the Ontario government to do Hazel McCallion’s biding. Rather then explain it in
computer terms, a legal review was done by The Canadian Environmental Law Association - “ We submit that this claim,
on the part of the City, lacks credibility.” Again another good reason for an impartial judge, like the Ombudsman. I later found
evidence that the records I need were both created in seconds by staff everyday and printed out ever 4 months and sitting on their
desks in binders.
None-the-less, lost the Appeal as the IPC has no real power to force the City to do anything and easier to get rid of me then deal
with fact they were lied to by Hurricane Hazel’s staff. Effectively getting legalized censorship from the IPC.
l). The City FOI Coordinator, J. LeFeuvre goes on to signs a false oath that all comments in regards to Official Plan Amendment No.
11 were being forwarded to the Region of Peel for their review and approval (all but mine that is). I am not the only person to say
she signs false affidavits, Mark Feyz using FOI requests to corner City staff informs me that she would say all records were found,
then more would be and so on, during FOI Appeals process in which an oath is sign when making submissions by the City.
m). Later she and the City Clerk would threatened to sue me regarding my call they not handle the City’s election for what they had
done in the past. I raised the issue of conflict of interest with the IPC during an Appeal as she was handling the FOI request at the
time. The City lawyer who took over handling the Inquiry says it was just an effort to get me to withdraw my comments - I did
not and there was no legal action.
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n). In 1996, D. M. a City Barrister and Solicitor, begins legal harassment. He claims a letter I wrote contents "libellous comments"
statements and wants them to be withdrawn or there could be legal action. This lawyer refuses to note what comments he is
referring to, so I have to go to City Council to explain how their lawyer is trying to sucker punch me. The City Council then
directs him to (act responsibility), come clean with his accusations. When he does respond, he discredits himself by withdrawing
his original claim and the comment he does interpret to be at issue, is so far out of context it reminds me of how kidnappers take a
perfectly legal newspaper and cut it up to serve a criminal purpose. He was told to jump in the lake and there was no legal action.
o). The Green Party has tried to aid the community's effort at saving Cawthra Bush, one of the few remaining environmental and
Provincially significant forest/wetlands and the last place in Mississauga where the Jefferson Salamander lives, from development,
but their FOI request was also denied by using allegations of guilt by association with me. To deny a political party is an affront to
the very principles of Democracy itself, a Democracy that thousands of Canadians have given their lives to create and protect but
all in a days work for Hazel’s crew. Scientific facts are removed from the decision making process, signalling the return to the
bad-old-days, when self serving political fabrications were all the public was allowed to know. Environmental and Democratic
Rights issues/concerns are suffering the most!
p). In Feb. of 2006, Antonio Batista, a 73 year old man, was arrested regarding a poem he wrote in his broken English to express
his annoyance at Councillors Pat Satio’s comments about pot-holes being useful, like speed-bumps as they slow traffic down. Mr.
Batista grew up in a dictatorship where humorous jokes and songs were all people dared use to ridicule their rulers. Like myself
he has done community work, income tax for the elderly and he did what a Mississauga Councillor would find most threatening -
he helped taxpayers get money back from the very people who supply the bulk of money for Councillor’s re-elections -
Developers. Having dared to take on politicians best friends and made them do the job Pat Satio would not. So, it is
understandable she would take any chance she could to make him an example of what happens to those who challenged her
authority regarding how the money flows from developers, to her or the community. One of his poems was found on the side of a
mailbox and presented to her. She would know all she had to do was say that she felt threatened to get him arrested then he and
his family would suffer, physically, mentally and mostly finically. It would all look like the work of others. An overzealous Peel
police force serving and protecting politicians interests. His trial in Peel was lost, naturally - his Appeal in Toronto was a grand
victory for Justice & Democracy.
In the words of Appeal lawyer, Clayton Ruby, he notes it is unusual for the outcome of an Appeal to be an acquittal and "its not
often that the Court of Appeal has to remind the Attorney General of the importance in a free society of the ability to
criticize local officials, but they did, I hope he leans his lesson." He goes on to note its "very unusual" as a "unreasonable Verdict
is hard to obtain and they {the Appeal Judges} substituted an acquittal and that is the end of it.
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What they are saying is we are not going to allow you to put this man through it again." In other words the decision made in a Peel
Court was totally unreasonable and disregarded the highest laws of the land, the Charter, Common Law, our Democracy
traditions, to try and effectively rewrite our laws in the Courts by the Crown & police, not by elected officials.
The reasonable person test was often noted in this case, “An ordinary reasonable person considering an alleged threat objectively
would be one informed of all the circumstances relevant to his or her determination.”, which is also saying that Councillors Pat
Satio and those who supported this politicians were unreasonable. It shows how dangerous it is in Peel to be judged by the local
and bias authorities.
One of the main issues noted in the Appeal judgement was things were not taken in their proper “context”, between the different
parties, where the poem was posted and Freedom of Expression - Freedom of Expression can also mean the right to complain
effectively to impartial judges or Ombudsman. It is also common place for City staff and politicians to be overly selective in how
they respond to taxpayers complaints and/or comments. To quote R. v. Batista, [2008] ONCA 804, COURT OF APPEAL FOR
ONTARIO by Justices Sharpe, Lang and Epstein JJ.A.;
“[37] The Crown concedes that the right to freedom of expression is a fundamental value in a free and democratic society. That
right, discussion of which long pre-dates s.2(b), is of particular importance in the political context where freedom of expression,
even offensive expression, functions to ensure open debate and equal participation in the political process: see R. v. Sharpe, [2001]
1 S.C.R. 45, at para. 21. In R. v. Keegstra, [1990] 3 S.C.R. 697, at p. 727, Dickson C.J., writing for the majority, referenced the
certain “convictions fuelling the freedom of expression”, including, at p. 728, the conviction that “participation in social and
political decision-making is to be fostered and encouraged”. At pp. 763-64, the court explained:
The connection between freedom of expression and the
political process is perhaps the linchpin of the s. 2(b)
guarantee, and the nature of this connection is largely derived
from the Canadian commitment to democracy. Freedom of
expression is a crucial aspect of the democratic commitment,
not merely because it permits the best policies to be chosen
from among a wide array of proffered options, but
additionally because it helps to ensure that participation in the
political process is open to all persons. Such open
participation must involve to a substantial degree the notion
that all persons are equally deserving of respect and dignity.
The state therefore cannot act to hinder or condemn a political
view without to some extent harming the openness of
Canadian democracy and its associated tenet of equality for all.
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These concepts are central to the tenets of a democracy.” [The full Appeal judgment in pdf form.]
q). City staff again show a great willingness to make false statements to harm me in the service of their political masters. This is very
similar to what happened to Peter Kormos, MPP for Welland. Apr. 26, 2006, during a City Council meeting, at the end of
Public Question Period, a time where the public can address items not on the agenda, I present to the Mayor a belated Birthday
present a bottle of Bristol Cream Sherry, in the morning. In the evening Hazel McCallion had her much publicised car crash, that
I covered in great detail, finding where it actually happened. June 7, 2006, I again got up during a City Council meeting, during
Public Question Period to address Council to present a brief on a planning matter. At which time I was informed the rules had
been changed regarding Public Question Period, the Mayor stated it had to be regarding an item on the agenda now. When she
was not fumbling over her story that they had not changed the rules, she was laughing how Council had been doing things wrong
for 30 years. There was no public notice of this change of heart, given the way it was done and by who, many are of the opinion
I was set-up.
Regardless, the Mayor engaged me in conversation, a motion was asked for to address Council according to the rules - Council
rules were respected. While I and the Roy Willis, the man who had asked me to address Council for him (I would never have even
been there but for him), were before Council, the Mayor never asked us to leave. However, a female City security guard,
Sheri-Lynn Ruffo, was acting in a very hostile fashion towards me, not Roy. It needs to be noted I have seen others carry on
before Council in far worse fashion then we and they were not ordered out. Ms. Ruffo can been clearly be seen on the video
posted on my YouTube site, showing the security video, approaching me in a threatening fashion without instruction from the
Chair of the meeting but backing off when Roy speaks and he carries on far more than I.
After addressing Council this guard orders us to leave Council chambers, again she focuses her attention on me not Roy. There
appeared to be a script being followed that was written around getting me up-set and Hazel McCallion to act like the empower
woman standing up to an angry man, spiting out the rules but I didn’t play that part. Still the City security guard acted like there
was some kind of crisis as we were peaceful leaving the Council Chambers, as we have many times in the past, not requiring a
security escort crowding us. This same security guard stepped up the pressure to try and get a fight going by ordering us from the
building once outside of Council Chambers. Keen on finding out what the rules really were, I went to peacefully to Clerks office
first with her following. Not going to be disrespected she called the Peel police and later she made a point of twice suddenly
putting her self into my path, so to claim I assaulted her. She also got a charge of Cause Disturbance for what I did in Council and
was banned from City hall & contacting City politicians - mission accomplished!
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The case against me slowly fell apart. As a poor person up against Peel’s bias Courts it was hard. Had to fire my legal aid
lawyers as he refused to get the City security video but I demanded it and as soon as I got it the charge of Cause Disturbance was
dropped, no doubt because the video show the falsehood of the claim. Found another lawyer and the charges of assault were then
dropped, no doubt to spare the Crown the embarrassment of trying to defend the remaining claims given the circumstances. The
ban on me was dropped as soon as I asked for it. BUT WAIT THERE IS MORE! Sheri-Lynn Ruffo didn’t like the fact I posted
details about what she had done to me or her picture on the Internet, so she tried to get a peace bond against me, she again failed.
The terms of mean spirited and vindictive jump to mind. It is also illustrates what I have seen as the existing City culture, go after
people, any way you can by making any claim you can to get the legal power to harm them or get rid of them - morels or ethics
are not an issue. The Hazel method - doesn’t matter how you win, just win! Try to serve the community that has voted you in to
defend the Cawthra Bush and taxpayers right to be informed and City ties you and public defames you with false criminal charges.
Yes this is happening in Canada, Ontario, try to play by the rules, they change them without notice to entrap you and it is getting
worse.
r). Then there is the conduct of a City Solicitor, Mary Ellan Bench in the above and other matters. I have both written to the City
and responded to by her and written directly to her. She is also the subject of my complaints for very serious reasons, especially
because she is a lawyer and must serve the law even before her client, the City of Mississauga. As a self represented person I
wrote to the City asking for evidence they had under their control, to defend against the criminal charges the City inflected on me
and was reused. This City Solicitor stated I was trying to get around an FOI Order, how is that for an out of context interpretation
of a reasonable request? This I say is prejudice against the poor, the self represented and defeats the very idea of justice. One of
the reasons I have seen for cases like this is to lay false charges, is to force people to pay thousands of dollars an hour for lawyers
rather than on community causes that bother politicians.
I brought to this Solicitor attention the fact that City security had edited their security video of June 7th, destroyed what they did
not think would be useful in a criminal case that rested entirely on the false claims of one of their own officers. That when the
Peel police asked for all the video of me that day, it was gone. I specifically asked that she inform City security to in future not
to edit and destroy video - evidence - in criminal cases and I have not received a letter stating such unlawful procedures have
been halted. So I must assume this lawyer, a member of the Upper Canada Law Society, is still willing to turning a blind eye to the
unlawful editing and destroying of evidence, in criminal cases, that can be seen as aiding in the wrongful persecution of innocence
persons try to serve their community and/or, exercising their Democratic Rights to “freedom of expression” ... “ participation in
the political process ”, by City staff, by City politicians and/or for their benefit, because she will not write me saying she has at
least warned City security as to the unlawfulness of editing - destroying of evidence, useful to the Defense, like what was done in
my case.
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This same City Solicitor tried to pawn herself off to me as some kind of appropriate judge when I first filed my complaints with
the City. When we all know as a lawyer, she would be bias in favour of the City and a in Conflict of Interest. Took the matter to
Council to over rule her. Again a pattern by City staff to deal inappropriately with the complaints of taxpayers, so bad government
can continue.
s). Another example can be noted of how false claims can be used to remove those the City does not want to deal with. In response
to job place harassment City workers tried to form a union, through the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace
Workers - IAMAW, District Lodge No. 78. There were three key organizers and suddenly a female cleaner was making claims of
one of them verbally threatening her. The Peel police were called, no charges were laid but this event was used as the basis for
his suspension and dismissal.
t). I had been banned from City property twice before June 7th for doing good deeds for the community by the City. The first time
was in regard to the City sending workers into the Cawthra Bush to knock down part of a rare historical building, an English style
walled garden and to remove a very limited number of its bricks. Because it had been noted as habitat for the Jefferson
salamander the Ministry of Natural Resource (MNR), was involved to ensure work didn’t harm the salamanders home in the fallen
bricks. When I visited the site it was observed a worker was far beyond what was the agreed to limit of work, she was interviewed
and pictures were taken. Naturally the Peel police were called and City security banned me from the forest. A number of quick
calls to the MNR and the Credit valley Conservation and the destruction of valuable Jefferson habitat was stopped. No good deed
in Mississauga goes unpunished.
The second time was when I was addressing members of the City’s environmental committee, which was created to deal with
issues raised by the Cawthra Bush logging and the fact the City had no environmental committee in 1994. As quorum would not
be reached I spoke freely to them about the need to help the Green Party get the records it needed to help the Cawthra Bush and
other environmental concerns in Mississauga. Sudden two female City security guard came in, claim I had been order to leave,
when I had not been and start to force me from the room/building along with the lady, a senior citizen, who was accompanying
me. These women made a point of grabbing me repeatedly for no reason and provoking a physical conflict at every chance. They
even push me from behind into the elevator on to the poor old lady I was with, who cried out in shock from their attack. These
guards then claimed I was try to assault them with my butt, of all things.
u). There is also evidence of cover-up by the City when it comes to accurtly recording/reporting the true number of complaints made
to the City of Mississauga, espically regarding City security. Ursula or MISSISSAUGA WATCH has for last two years studied
Mississauga Corporate Security and has made very detailed notes, including video tapes about how her concerns are handled or
addressed by Corporate Security staff. Below is an edited E-mail she has sent to City staff detailing just some of her concerns and
observations about how the City does its business on Mississaugans.
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“Ms. Brenda Breault, Commissioner of Corporate Services and Treasurer, states - "Through you, Madame Mayor, with regard
to Corporate Security. While it's true that we don't have a record in Corporate Security of Complaints, we certainly log
every complaint we have received. Anything that comes directly into Security does get logged."
This is absolutely false. I can't stress this enough. Corporate Security DOES NOT log in every complaint they have received.
It logs in ZERO. There is NO complaint ever logged in by Mississauga Corporate Security.
I have a massive email trail going back to 2005 complaining directly to a CorpSec Security Area Manager (SAM) and later the
Head of Corporate Security.
In addition, my husband also lodged at least one complaint directly to a Corporate Security SAM.
"we certainly log every complaint we have received." is outrageous. Why would you ever say that? On what did you base that
proclamation? Mr. Hillis said that? Or Mr. Owen?
Freedom of Information confirms that there is not a SINGLE record of a complaint ever logged by Mississauga Corporate
Security. And I'd be more than happy to make every single email between me and Mississauga Corporate Security available to
you.
Ms. Breault, you continue: "Now, the problem--err, the issue is that many of the complaints come across --that people
access either directly the councillors or the mayor or other staff when they want to lodge complaints and that's where in
fact they do get logged."
That is also false. In addition to complaining directly to Corporate Security, I also complained about Corporate Security to
Councillor Carlson and eventually to all of you. When I FOI'd whether you people had kept my emails as a record, you didn't
either! So you people don't record complaints either.
Which brings me to Councillor Saito's comments when I complained about a lack of complaints system regarding Mississauga
Corporate Security back in Mon, 23 Jul 2007. I had begged for the Audit Committee (some committee, any committee) to look
into the practices and abuses of Mississauga Corporate Security.
I also find it interesting that you mentioned, "many of the complaints" Am I to infer that you personally receive "many"?
Ms. Breault you continue: "People are free to lodge complaints against any employee across The Corporation to anybody they
so choose within The Corporation and they DO get followed up on and action is taken."
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re: and they DO get followed up on." My Freedom of Information results suggest otherwise.
However. You've given me an idea for another series of requests. Thank you.
...
It's a long time ago now, when I emailed the clerk's office and wrote: "Is there such a thing as the Citizen Complaints Review
Procedure? That is, a formal process whereby a citizen (non-employee) can formally have access to a complaints review
procedure?
If such an "animal" exists, I'd appreciate receiving that too as a pdf file."
Here's the response. "Sorry, no such animal exits [sic]"
Even your employees state there's no public complaints procedure.
...
Mr. Hillis {Manager, Security and Operations}, gave me a cease-and-desist order back in November 2006. Complain directly to
Mississauga Corporate Security? Whatever for? I know what happens. I eventually turned all additional complaints to Madam
Mayor and Councillors.
In my December 3, 3007 email to Madam Mayor and Councillors, I requested that Peel Regional Police be called in to investigate
the practices and abuses of Mississauga Corporate Security including Lost and Found. Mississauga Corporate Security is a
ROGUE force without any accountability mechanisms in place.
It's something people should be ashamed of. Ashamed.
I don't agree with everything Mr. Barber says. But I do agree with his mention of fear. I am AFRAID of Mississauga Corporate
Security. I know how they operate --the abuses of authority. I don't even feel safe though I'm wired before I even enter the
underground parking. And I don't turn my recorder off until I'm back on the road.
I can't ever go back to [******] because I know how staff lie . I wouldn't dream of stepping on any Corporate Property without
my personal audio device. And I wish I had personal video to protect me from false accusations.
That's MY MISSISSAUGA. And it's MY FUTURE MISSISSAUGA.”
v). During the 2006 election Crystal Greer, City Clerk and Pina Mancuso, Elections Officer, contacted the Peel police in an effort to
get me arrested for trumped up reasons. Police documents note they were called to investigate claims of threats made by me
against the Mayor. All were unfounded but as these City staffers were charged with the duty of managing an election in a
Democracy. Their conduct, regarding how fairly & unbiased they treat election candidates is a major issue - one they fail greatly
at.
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There are tons of supporting documents and evidence to all items noted but too much to included with this request. When it is posted on Internet links will be made or they can be requested. Besides too big a document is all most a guarantee it will not be read, especially in the time frame noted. I often sent letters using different letterheads as I wear many hats, Friends of the Cawthra Bush & Greater Mississauga Area (FCB), Cawthra Ratepayers & Residences Association (CRRA) and The Democratic Reporter but as this request come from all groups and there is no letterhead with all on it, there is no letterhead to this letter.
I hope for a timely response.
Please find enclosed;
1). 1 letter and 2 e-mails about serious issue of City security editing and destroying video evidence. NOTE - my original request was
in just over a month of the event but the City refused to appropriately respond to it.
I am willing to discuss my letter with you and there is an answering machine you can leave a detailed private message on. My phone number is (905) ***-**** & E-mail donbar@eol.ca.
Sincerely yours;
_______________________________
Donald Barber - President, FCB & Chair, CRRA.
- Editor, The Democratic Reporter
CC. Media & posted on Internet.
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