NewsNow’s own Mike Williscraft talks to Ron Schroder and Ruxandra Bucataru of SaveMainStreet to get their take on Main Street East development, the upcoming LPAT/OLT hearing and other issues in Town. Well worth a watch or listen!
Category: Other News (Page 3 of 8)
On the long “Weekend Edition” on NewsTalk 610 CKTB, Ward 2 Councillor Lianne Vardy spoke with Matt Holmes about development pressures and realities in Grimsby, especially along the Main Street East Corridor.
You can listen to the 10 minute-ish segment by clicking the following link:
https://www.iheartradio.ca/610cktb/audio/liane-vardy-grimsby-coucillor-1.15763872
While many have raised questions both publicly and on social media about the actions of the Town’s CAO, an online media outlet in Brampton today posted an in-depth article that captures Mr. Schlange’s movements and hiring practices.
From his early days at Fort Erie to his current tenure in Grimsby, the article takes a long and factual look at where the CAO has been and who he brought along for the ride.
You can read the full post at the Bramptonist by clicking this link here.
It came as a surprise to many on Council in February when the 2021 budget was presented and the 2020 revenue for “Freedom of Information” fees was revealed. The Town had estimated it would take in $50 in these fee revenues for 2020… but they actually took in $3,989. That’s almost an 8,000% (yes, eight-thousand percent) increase compared to estimated revenue.
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Welland’s new Integrity Commissioner, Deborah Anschell of ADR Chambers told Council there that blocking constituents on social media might contravene the city’s Code of Conduct. The Integrity Commissioner cited a recent case in York, where a complaint was filed by a constituent who had been blocked by a member of Council simply because the resident was critical.
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As mentioned in our previous post, a petition requesting the Province look into recent actions of Grimsby CAO Mr. Harry Schlange, is now gaining steam in the media. Local talk-radio station CKTB had an interview this morning with Grimsby resident Mark Kossek, who started the petition which has garnered nearly 1,000 signatures to date.
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What happens when you step away from the computer for a day? When it comes to issues at the Town… a whole lot apparently! This day has been a media (and social media) smörgåsbord with the CAO, Harry Schlange and the Councillors who rally behind him… as the main course.
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A late addition to tonight’s Committee of the Whole agenda is interesting correspondence from the Town’s legal firm, Aird & Berlis. In the letter, John Mascarin provides legal clarification on a recent motion ordering the Mayor to pay $1,302.62 due to a breach of the Code of Conduct that was deemed by the IC as being “trivial and without consequence”.
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Queen’s Park has published it’s annual Public Sector Salary Disclosure, better known as “The Sunshine List” for 2020. Last year saw 19 Town of Grimsby employees making over $100,000, up from 13 employees in 2019.
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According to an article in the latest NewsNow, one resident was threatened with charges under the Elections Act for displaying a sign that was classified as an “election sign”.
The sign in question says “Who Speaks For The People of Ward 3?”
The Town’s “Sign By-law” 97-45 (link here) is the current in-force By-law regarding signs and it defines an election sign as follows:
There certainly is no municipal, regional, provincial or federal election underway nor does the sign appear to support a candidate or political party. What the sign appears to support is the exercise of Section 2(b) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms or simply “freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression”.
It is not an absolute right, as Section 1 of the Charter can curtail rights with “such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society” on the freedom of expression. For instance, the pre-COVID adage of “you can’t yell fire in a crowded theatre” serves as an example.
In this case however, should the resident decide to pursue a Charter case, Town administration and their legal team would be hard-pressed to prove that the sign By-law can revoke that enshrined right. Section 1 of the Charter sets a very high bar.
Interestingly enough, one of the Town’s legal team, Mr. John Mascarin, co-penned a legal brief in 2002 entitled “Is The Writing On The Wall For Sign By-Laws In Canada?”. In that paper, the authors reviewed a then-recent Supreme Court of Canada decision on signs and how Charter rights and municipal sign By-laws interact.
“Given that the sole purpose of municipal regulation is to place limits on the means of expression, applicants have had little difficulty meeting their onus of showing that there has been a prima facie infringement of their rights.
…
The difficulty from a municipal lawyer’s perspective is that, once the
onus has transferred, justifying limitations in a sign by-law is extremely difficult under the rigorous s. 1 test.”
You can read the entire paper at this link here.
The current sign By-law dates back to 1997 and since that time there have been significant decisions that affect the enforceability and application of this type of By-law. Perhaps it is time for Council to look into this specific matter and bring this document into conformity with legal practice and judicial standards.
You can read the full NewsNow article at the following link:
https://www.wn3.ca/2021/02/03/resident-threatened-with-charge-under-elections-act-for-sign/