Reviewing the Federal Ballot

The arrival of last week’s Federal Budget might well have been a starter’s pistol. With a couple of hours, it seemed to be common knowledge that a spring election would be taking place this May, as all opposition parties said that it is their intent to vote against what is a rather benign document because it doesn’t meet their specified standards. Anyway, the local ballot has been rather complete for some time, but a new face joined the race just in time for the post-budget foofaraw. Let’s review.

Liberals – Frank Valeriote

Winning by a 1,788 vote nose in 2008, Valeriote runs as the incumbent, but that may not be as secure a position as advertised. Not only is Guelph the only Liberal red riding surrounded by a sea of Tory blue, but the Globe and Mail has targeted Guelph as one of three riding to watch swing in the next election. Still, Valeriote has proven himself an active and engaged Member of Parliament, despite the fact that he’s an opposition MP. For a full list of Valeriote’s duties, I refer you to Valeriote’s website, but before that he was highly active in several Guelph non-profits and was a respected Guelph-based attorney. No matter the odds, Valeriote is a formidable opponent.

Conservatives – Marty Burke

Speaking of formidable opponents, Marty Burke looks really good on paper as the Conservative candidate to beat the Liberal hold on the Royal City. Burke flew for the Air Force where he was a dedicated and decorated officer for 23 years. After he retired form the military in 2000, Burke started working as a pilot of Air Canada, while he and his family settled in Guelph, where Burke got involved in politics serving on the federal Conservative and provincial Progressive-Conservative Board of Directors. He also goes to services at the Church of Our Lady, and his website says he’s a Scout Master to boot. So what’s wrong with this picture? Other recent Conservative candidates have looked just well on paper too, including two respected business men, and a popular city councillor.

New Democrats – Bobbie Stewart

Last time out, the NDP went with celebrity and put forth well known author and University professor Tom King, and the result was a fourth place finish with 16.5 per cent of the vote. This time out, the NDP are going with someone with the credentials and the experience in their party’s key constituency: social justice. Stewart has a Masters of Social Work degree and does clinical social work and coordinates the care for children from newborn to age 21 who are in foster care. She’s been involved with Family & Children’s Services for over 20 years and has participated on the Board for the Guelph Youth Singers and has volunteered for Onward Willow, the Cancer Society, and the YM-YWCA. And to sweeten the deal, according to her bio on the NDP Guelph website, she met her husband in Union Station while on her way home from the NDP Convention in Quebec in September 2006. On the downside though, she currently lives in Cambridge, and I think we all know how sensitive Guelphites are about making sure that people sleep where they eat, as it were.

Green Party – John Lawson

Originally, City Councillor Bob Bell was supposed to go to bat for the Green Party, but being a shot caller around the horseshoe, I guess, was just too much fun to let go. (Actually, to be fair, Bell runs his own business making Wike Bicycle Trailers and spring is his busiest time.) As of last week, the new Green Party candidate for Guelph is John Lawson, Pastor of Dublin Street United Church. Looking at his resume on the Guelph Greens website, Lawson’s experience includes working as an underground miner and studying at both the London School of Economics and Princeton. In Guelph, he’s fought poverty and Wal-Mart, while bring the word of God to local pubs by organizing religious discussions there.

The appearance of more “third party” candidates is a certainty, considering that there were a total of 10 candidates that ran in Guelph in the last election. If the writ is dropped, expect representatives from the Marijuana Party, the Communist Party, the Marxist-Leninist Party, the Libertarian Party, the Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party, and one unaffiliated candidate.

So are you in the mood for a spring election? Too bad, it seems to a forgone conclusion whether you like it or not.

The Last News of the Year (Probably)

So in a couple of days it’s Christmas, and then a week after that it’s New Year’s. It the time of the season for retrospection and consideration, and with few exceptions it’s also a slow news period. So before we bid adieu to 2010 (next week’s column), let’s look at some lingering news items from 2010.

Frank Valeriote Will Slap a Minister

Local Member of Parliament Frank Valeriote wants answers now, or he wants them eventually in the case of the government’s discontinuing of funding for the faith-based NGO KAIROS Canada. Along with his colleague John McKay (MP for Scarborough-Guildwood) last week on the Hill, Valeriote tried to get International Co-operation Minister Bev Oda to explain why she denied KAIROS Canada $7 million in funding.

“KAIROS is an organization of the highest repute and does remarkable work on behalf of Canada for the world’s poor,” said McKay during last Monday’s Question Period. “The facts show that the Minister was not being honest when asked why KAIROS was cut. To make matters worse, church leaders have asked the Prime Minister for a meeting to get an explanation and as yet have received no response. The Minister and the Prime Minister have some serious explaining to do.”

“Without warning, its funding was mysteriously cut and the explanation given as to why was clearly not the truth,” added Valeriote. “This incident raises the issue of whether Canadians can trust this government to tell them the truth. If they are willing to mislead the House on this issue, what else are they not being honest about?”

So who are these fascists that no longer deserve the funding from our government? Well, KAIROS is made up of about a dozen member churches across Canada and have partners in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East to promote issues of Ecological Justice, Economic Justice, Energy and Extraction, Human Rights, Just and Sustainable Livelihoods, and Indigenous Peoples. A four-year grant of $7 million was requested by KAIROS, and apparently endorsed by the president and vice president of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), but somewhere between them and the Minister Oda, it was decided that the proposal didn’t meet CIDA standards. Or government standards. Or government priorities. One of the three.

Regardless, other aid groups across Canada are joining the two Liberal MPs in questioning how and why CIDA approves and disapproves of funding applications. Meanwhile, Oda says that she doesn’t know how or why the funding wasn’t approved when it came out of committee, even though her signature is on the document. What’s the old Bronson saying, “This ain’t over.”

New Officer to Liaise with Film

The Guelph Mercury reported last weekend that after an internal competition, someone has been selected to serve in the Film Liaison position vacated by Jennifer Peleschak earlier this fall. Christine Chapman will now fill the slot as the person at City Hall who will direct all matters pertaining to film and film shoots in the Royal City. For a while there, those of us in the local filmmaking community had some concern that the City was going to leave the position vacant. Of course, Film Liaison Officer wasn't Peleschak's official position in City Hall, it was something she took up when the City started getting inquiries about shooting films, TV projects and commercials in Guelph. Jen was uniquely qualified for the post because she genuinely loves film and was supportive of all productions, from big international projects like Blindness to local indies like Mind's Eye. So I happily welcome new Film Liaison Officer Ms. Chapman and say that as a filmmaker in Guelph, I look forward to working with her.

Are Taxes High or Aren’t They…?

A report in the National Post last week lit up the blogosphere like the Yule log on Christmas morning TV when it said that Guelph pays the third highest property taxes in Ontario behind Ottawa and Toronto. But not so fast, some are saying, are these numbers the real numbers? City reps point to a BMA Management Consulting in 2008 that says when compared to similar municipalities our size, Guelph has the lowest taxes in Ontario. As well, there could be an oversight in the report covered by the Post as some of the municipalities are two-tier payers, meaning they not only pay property taxes to the town they live in, but to the county as well; Guelph has a single-tier system. Either way, this is fuel for the fire as city council gets ready for budget deliberations next month.

Wait, Don’t We Have Three Levels of Government…?

Why yes. Yes we do. Whatever the reason – mostly municipal election related – we’ve neglected coverage of our provincial and federal representatives these last few months. So with all things municipal chilled out until the new council sits for the first time on December 6th, let’s check in with our local MPP and MP and see what they’ve been up to.
 

Sandals Like a Pro

Guelph Member of Provincial Parliament Liz Sandals has been keeping her usual low profile, quietly doing the work of your average, everyday MPP. In fact, Sandals career as MPP is so chill that it’s always surprising when she makes the news for something that has nothing to do with a policy, funding announcement, or other act in accordance with her responsibilities as an elected official.

But back on August 20th, Sandals made the news in an unexpected way. She was name-checked by Progressive Conservative MPP Peter Shurman from Thornhill as a member of Premier Dalton McGuinty’s caucus who was more deserving of cabinet position in the last reshuffling of the portfolios than some of the less experienced MPPs who were elevated to the head of a ministry. “Liz Sandals has been toiling away ... for a very long time,” Shurman said in an interview with the Mercury. “She can take the compliment. Maybe she would have been a better choice.” Of course of the two people who were given cabinet seats, Sherman said that the represented “an additional opportunity to tax and spend."

Aside from that one, odd piece of news, it’s been business as usual for Sandals. In October, she delivered $650,000 from the province for local literacy programs at Action Read and Conestoga College. The money is part of Ontario’s $122.9 million investment in the Literacy and Basic Skills Program. On that same day, Sandals also handed a cheque for $100,000 to the Guelph Wellington Women in Crisis Centre. The money will go to help repair a leaky roof at their 38 Elizabeth St facility. All in a day’s work it seems for Sandals.
 

Frank Valeriote in “The Road Warrior”

Meanwhile, things are much more interesting on Valeriote’s side of the street, not to mention dangerous. Family members of Guelph Member of Parliament Frank Valeriote, along with other members of the community, were victims of vandalism. Occurring overnight in the waning days of October, at least nine cases were reported to police of cars having their break lines cut, tires slashed, or having the letter ‘L’ spray painted somewhere on the property, sometimes all three. The incidents mirror similar vandalism committed recently in Toronto and again in Guelph earlier this year.

The question on everybody’s mind though was whether the slicing and dicing was politically motivated. Valeriote’s nephew was one of the affected, however the Guelph MP was not. “I don’t believe it is a personal statement,” Valeriote said last week. “I believe it is a statement against authority.” Guelph Beat Readers will also remember incidents of graffiti and vandalism directed against Valeriote near the conclusion of Guelph’s aborted Federal by-election in 2008. The incident was precipitated by the wide-spread destruction of election signs, until one Saturday when the homes of people who had Liberal lawn signs where vandalized with slogans like “Vote Liberal C-68 slime” spray-painted on houses and the break lines of cars were cut.

In more positive news though, Valeriote is moving forward with his community outreach endeavours, not the least of which was bring his boss, Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School for an open mic Q&A session. As well, he held an open forum to respond to constituents’ concerns this past Tuesday as well as pledging his support to the “Movember” campaign to raise awareness about prostate cancer. “I’m proud to be part of the Movember team helping to support those suffering from prostate cancer and to raise money to advance research and education towards its eradication” Valeriote said in a press release. “4,400 men die from prostate cancer annually, and with the incidence of prostate cancer rising as a result of our aging population, a cure must be found.”

Death, Taxes and Temple

Farwell Bev

The City of Guelph lost a passionate and intrepid voice in local politics last week when Bev Izzillo-Ustation passed away after a lengthy fight against cancer at the age of 74. Before five gos at the Mayor’s chair and twice running for city council, Izzillo-Ustation as an advocate for the group Persons United for Self Help (PUSH), an organization that focused on taking down barriers and meeting the needs of those with visual and hidden disabilities. She pressed for accessibility in all areas of public space and was instrumental in improving access by pressing for curb cuts, automatic doors and ramps. To many Politicos though, Izzillo-Ustation was most known for her fiery, grassroots campaigning. She was usually the candidate for open and honest government and in what would be her last election, up against incumbents Kate Quarrie and Karen Farbridge, she enthusiastically declared that “It’s my turn now.” Bev Izzillo-Ustation is survived by four grandchildren, three step-grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. As expressions of sympathy, donations to Marianne's Place and/or the Salvation Army would be appreciated.

Temple debate packs house

It was standing room only in the council chamber gallery last Monday as an update on the proposal for a Sikh temple to be built in the south end came back to city council. Mayor Karen Farbridge laid down the law up front that there would no tolerance for racially-charged language or outbursts from the floor. Over a dozen delegations got up to speak during the evening, many in support of the Sikhs and their efforts to get out of the old beer store on Stevenson, but there were several people speaking on behalf of the Westminster Woods neighbourhood and were opposed to the move. A few others said that they were open to the temple’s construction with concessions, and as the meeting ended there were words of support from other members of Guelph’s faith-based community. To get the full scoop, head over to Guelph Politico at http://www.guelphpolitico.blogspot.com

NDP enters the race

Although election talk has been on the QT lately, the local NDP has officially acclaimed a nominee to lead them to a possible Guelph victory in the next federal election. Last Thursday, at the CAW Hall on Silvercreek, Guelph NDP members voted for Bobbi Stewart to run as their nominee. Stewart brings with her a wealth of experience as a social worker, especially in 20 years of work for Family & Children’s Services of Guelph & Wellington County.

In a media statement, Stewart says that if elected she will continue to fight for the party’s core beliefs including medicare, labour and social justice. “We are the Party most in-tuned to the needs of average Canadians and we have bright, passionate leaders,” she said. “I agreed to seek this nomination because of my strong belief in our Party and to stand up against Harper’s arrogance, black and white thinking and the erosion of our democracy. I will also speak out against the Liberal corporate agenda as their approach will never solve our economic crisis,” she added.

Valeriote offers tax help

Need tax help? Well our local MP Frank Valeriote is happy to oblige with a series of free Tax Preparation Clinics host by the Community Volunteer Tax Program, in cooperation with the Canada Revenue Agency. The Holy Rosary Parish will host Drop-in sessions on March, 20, 23 and April 6. Another tax Drop-in clinic will take place at the Italian Canadian Club on March 16, while a session at Onward Willow – Better Beginnings will be taking appointments for its April 14 clinic. Recent immigrants to Canada, meanwhile, will be able to take part in special sessions at Immigrant Services – Guelph Wellington on March 12, 19, 23 and April 9 and 16. For more information you can contact Valeriote’s constituency office at (519) 837-8276 or valerf1@parl.gc.ca.

Temple Debate, Farbridge 3-Peat & Valeriote's Guests

Temple debate gets more heated

Even before the city council planning meeting this past Monday, the heat was already turned up on the proposed construction of a Sikh temple in the southend of the city. The proposal to develop a four acre site along Claire Rd between Victoria Rd and Tolton Dr has been highly controversial with neighbourhood residents due to potential increases in noise and traffic to the area, as well as the temple’s planned size and height. Initial community feedback at a meeting in December highlighted these concerns especially, but in that time a new element has emerged in the debate: The Race Card.

A website called Stop The Temple went online last month as a way for people against the construction of a Sikh temple to organize. However, if you go the site (found at http://stop-the-temple.info/) and register, it’s not just the power of community organizing you’ll be struck by. Charges of racism and, indeed, hate crimes have been levied against some of the people posting on Stop The Temple. Here’s a sample:

“So any middle eastern minority wants something, they’d better get it! If we oppose we are all racist, and discriminating! God forbid we offend these people. Last I checked, they are suicide bombers, child molesters, they kill their kids because they go out after dark, rapists, Con artists, Scammers. Sorry no offence I don’t want to take the risk of hundreds more moving to this community, and opening hundreds of corner stores, pizza pizza's and subways. Enough is enough. You have Brampton. Move there, stay there, and leave our city alone.”

And then there’s the next comment entitled “Next a mosque”

“First it’s a Sikh Temple. Next it will be a Mosque. Both are violent cults and next it will be a memorial to martyrs aka terrorists. We must stop this eastern influence.”

In 1964, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart tried to explain the definition of "hardcore" pornography and obscenity. I think his words, in relation to the two quotes above, should be considered in our discussion today about what racism is: "I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced . . . [b]ut I know it when I see it…"

Head over to Guelph Politico at guelphpolitico.blogspot.com for an update on the debate.

Farbridge set to run for third term

Mayor Karen Farbridge announced to a small group of supporters and the media last Wednesday that she was indeed embarking on a bid to win the City’s top job for a third term. “I am excited at the opportunity to serve my community as mayor,” said Farbridge in a City press release. “Our city requires experienced leadership to meet the challenges that are ahead of us, build on successes, and continue the good work we have begun.” Farbridge was first elected as mayor in 2000, but lost to Kate Quarrie in her 2003 re-election bid by 4,000 votes. She then defeated Quarrie by over 5,000 votes in the 2006 election. The Municipal Election will take place on Monday October 25, 2010. To hear Farbridge’s announcement speech head over to Politico.

More Special Guests Courtesy of Valeriote

Our local MP Frank Valeriote has been going out of his way in the bringing of special guest to town in the last couple of weeks. First there was Liberal leader Michael “Iggy” Ignatieff and the week after that it was Justin “You Know My Name” Trudeau. Coming up on Saturday, Guelph will welcome MP for York West Judy Sgro for a townhall on seniors and veterans issues at the Evergreen Seniors Centre. Sgro is the former Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and the current Liberal critic for Seniors and Pensions. She’ll be taking audience questions and discussing your concerns starting at 10 am. For more information, get in touch with Valeriote’s constituency office at 519-837-8276 or valerf1@parl.gc.ca

Negotiations and Special Guests

Union to City: No dice.

The city’s unionized workers have said forget-about-it to taking five unpaid days off in 2010 and instead temporary lay-offs may be implemented in order to save $1.2 million from this year’s budget. Both the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1189 and the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 241, which represent the city’s transit and outsider workers respectively, voted against the budget proposal by a “very clear majority,” according to CUPE 241 President Brad Kelloway. The result, according to director of human resources Mark Amorosi, is that some city services could be outright closed for five days, and that might include Guelph Transit. Exact details weren’t given, but chances are good that the disruption to city services isn’t going to be nearly as invisible to citizens as city hall had hoped. CUPE Local 973, which represents the city’s inside workers, have yet to vote on the proposal. For updates, see my blog at http://guelphpolitico.blogspot.com

Cool Deal for Family Thrift Store

Milan Lesic is undoubtedly a happy man. The businessman landed a cool $1.25 million in selling the Wyndham Street storefront that he owns that was most recently the home of Ray Mitchell’s Family Thrift Store. The final figure Lesic’s receiving for the sale was revealed last week after the deal to buy the property was officially closed. Next items up for bids are the buildings on either side of the old Family Thrift Store including the former Wyndham Arts location, which has a closure date set a few months hence. But if you were ever a patron of the Family Thrift Store and that amount seems exorbitant to you, Mitchell himself agrees. “It's funny, because the standard formula to estimate the value of a building is to multiply by ten the yearly gross rent,” said Mitchell in an online post. “In this case, the three businesses fully rented paid about $85,000 a year, so we should have paid at most less than a million. And, in this case, since two of the three stores had no working furnaces and therefore no tenants the amount should have been even less.”

City Wants you to name stuff

For your information, today’s the last day for you to be able to submit your suggestions to name new city properties. As part of a new Commemorative Naming Policy, the city wants your suggestions for what the name of six new city assets should be. These sites include the Northern Heights, Morningcrest, Conservation Estates and Westminster Woods subdivisions; a park on the former Eastview Landfill site; and the Civic Square in front of City Hall and the new Provincial Offences Court.

“Names will be reviewed by the City’s naming committee,” said a City of Guelph press release. “First consideration will be given to those names that have geographic, civic or historic significance of the neighbourhood where the asset is located. Second consideration will be given to names of individuals who have achieved at least one of the following: excellence, courage or exceptional service to the citizens of Guelph, Ontario or Canada; worked to foster equality and reduce discrimination; or risked or given his or her life to save or protect others.”

For more information, visit the city’s website at guelph.ca/parks.

Valeriote bring in Trudeau

With Parliament prorogued and nowhere to go it seems, our local MP Frank Valeriote is welcoming Member of Parliament for Papineau, PQ (and son of a former Prime Minister that needs no introduction) Justin Trudeau to the Royal City. Trudeau’s coming into town Friday to be part of Our Lady of Lourdes high school’s annual Flag Day festivities where the school will give the Liberal MP their National Leadership Award. The award’s ceremony will take place in the morning, and will be followed by an open house at the Italian Canadian Club where members of the public can meet and greet with Valeriote and Trudeau from 1:30 to 3 pm.  For more information contact Valeriote’s office at 519-837-8276 or valerf1@parl.gc.ca

Another Torch Arrest and Prorogue Complaints

Second Arrest in Torch Flap

It seems the conspiracy went deeper than we knew. Last week, a second person was arrested in relation to the Olympic torch tripping incident on December 28th in downtown Guelph. Kelly Pflug-Back, a 20-year-old Guelph resident, was charged with assault by Guelph Police and will appear in court on February 8th along with the previously charged 19-year-old Kitchener protestor who was arrested on the scene at the torch relay. This new arrest was made as part of an ongoing investigation into the incident where a clash between protestors and torch security resulted in 28-year-old Milton resident Courtney Hansen being tripped and falling while carrying the torch.

In an interesting twist, Pflug-Back says that she was a victim, telling the Guelph Mercury that she was punched in the face by an RCMP officer and treated later that day at Guelph General Hospital. “It was pretty much the only violence that I saw perpetrated in the incident,” she said, adding that in her opinion, the incident was completely unprovoked, and that she filed her own complaint with Guelph Police Service. Additionally, Pflug-Back doesn’t know whom she’s allegedly assaulted. “All it says is that I have been charged with assault,” she said. “I wasn’t given a name as to whom I have been charged with assaulting.” Guelph Police Chief Rob Davis said that names are only given when staying away from the victim is a condition of release. “They’ll find out (the alleged victim) through the court process,” Davis said. “It has to go before the court and it has to be sworn to.” To be continued…

Decisions Soon in Two OMB Cases

The Ontario Municipal Board should be releasing their decision regarding two controversial Guelph cases sometime later this month according to an article in the Mercury. One case involves the disputed gravel pit off Downey Street in the south end of the city, a contentious battle that’s been raging between area residents and Capital Paving Inc for nearly four years. “The board said it would endeavour to have (a decision) out as soon as possible in the new year, so it should be fairly soon,” said Peter Pickfield, lawyer for Capital. The other case is the development of the Lafarge lands in the west end. Armel, the last opponent standing against developing the land under an arbitrated plan, took the matter to the OMB last August in a hearing that wrapped by October. Steven Zakem, lawyer for Armel noted that the OMB normally tries to issue decisions within 60 days. Pickfield, who represented the city in this case, agrees saying, “I think we should have a decision any time now.”

Valeriote calls proroguing a “coward” move

Seemingly echoing the sentiments of much of the country, Guelph MP Frank Valeriote said that Prime Minister Stephen Harper showed cowardice by calling up Governor-General Michaëlle Jean and asking for a surprise suspension of parliament until after the conclusion of the Olympic Games in Vancouver. “Frankly he’s showing himself to be a coward running from accountability,” Valeriote said to the Mercury. “He’s decided he does not want to be accountable to the people. […] There is absolutely no sense in what he’s done.” There are many that agree, including the nearly 100,000 strong (at press time) Facebook group “Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament.” The reasons for this prorogue stem from the banal (letting the country enjoy the Olympics without Parliamentary pissing contests) to the sinister (scuttling the inquiry into the treatment of Afghan detainees). Valeriote meanwhile laments all the lost work coming from this move. “That’s a whole year’s work down the drain that we will never get back,” Valeriote said. “Millions and millions of dollars gone forever, and that’s only the agriculture committee. I really hope at some point the people of Canada come to understand the depth of his disregard… and his desire to put himself above everyone else. ”

Piss and Approval

Taking the piss(oirs) out in downtown

This week you may have noticed something new and different downtown, especially if you were caught with the sudden desire “to go.” Yes indeed, the highly controversial open air urinals, or pissoirs, are being installed this week, two of them anyway. The pissoirs will be set up at the Macdonell Street municipal parking lot (behind the ticket booth), just west of Wyndham, and at the northwest corner of Carden and Wyndham and will remain their for an eight week trial period as the Downtown Night Life Task Force assess their success in cutting down on public urination. The pissoirs are part of a three-part program with that goal in mind, the other two parts involve a public education campaign and stepped-up enforcement of the anti-fouling bylaw, which allows for a $240 fine for public urination. In July, Guelph City Council approved the $8,400 pilot project, which will cover the rental and maintenance cost of the two pissoirs for eight weeks. An additional $4,200 from downtown stakeholders will be spent on a public education campaign that includes posters for downtown establishments and signs for the pissoirs.

Valeriote: Show us the cash for clunkers, or don’t

Last week in the U.S., the government’s highly popular “cash for clunkers” program ended after running out of funds, but could something similar be enacted here in Canada to help our auto industry? Our local MP and Chair of the Liberal Auto Caucus, Frank Valeriote’s not sure, but he’d like to see the government make a decision either way. “Instead of stimulating car sales, one way or the other, people are now holding onto their vehicles on the chance this government may be offering a significant incentive at some point in the future,” said Valeriote in a press release. The release went on to say that although the U.S. program saw sales go up to 750,000, it’s difficult to know if people were acting out of need or out of the bargains offered. Also, international trade law prohibits establishing a proviso that says a program can only apply to domestic automakers, so there’s no guarantee that money will go to the companies that need it. Either way though, Valeriote wants the Conservatives to quit stalling. “While the merit of a scrappage program, and the model used is ultimately relevant, at this point this government’s ongoing speculation must stop. Either provide a substantial program or stop chatting about it—it’s a simple as that.”

MNR says HCBP is AOK

Well, it took the Ministry of Natural Resources about half a month to come back to the City and say, all’s cool on the Hanlon Creek Business Park front. Donna Cansfield, Ontario’s Minister of Natural Resources, last Thursday that Drexler Construction, the company contracted by the city of Guelph to do the work, can finish a culvert and water main already started on the site’s east side, according to the Guelph Mercury. There are restrictions however. This is the only work that can be done on the site, no work is to be done at night, and further testing in the area for the Jefferson Salamander must be done next Spring before any more construction on the site can move forward. “We’re pleased on two fronts,” said Mayor Karen Farbridge. “We’re happy with the time it took to come to a decision; well within the 30 days. And we’re happy with the content of the decision.” But what of the protesters that occupied the HCBP site for three weeks, what’s their reaction? “If this development continues, it will be a loss for everyone… The minister’s decision does not legitimize the destruction this development will cause,” Shabina Lafleur-Gangji wrote in an email to the Mercury. Construction is expected to move forward immediately, with the deadline of September 15^th for the completion of this phase expected to be extended.

Trees Saved, Critical Valeriote, and Washrooms Closed

A lot of time, effort and energy over the last month have been absorbed in that little snafu on the south end involving the Hanlon Creek Business Park, but that doesn’t mean time stopped through the rest of the Guelph Beat. Here’s what’s been going down in other areas of interest.

Trees Saved (without protest)

Paradoxically, as the City was fighting to mow down some trees in the Hanlon Creek Business Park site, it was fighting to keep them up in the area around Goldie Mill. Last week, the City announced that a revised plan for the parking lot at the Guelph Youth Music Centre and the Goldie Mill Park will allow for the majority of the mature trees to remain. Moreover, the changes came in consultation with area citizens through comments and input at a meeting on August 5th. The City will implement measures to minimize construction impacts on the trees adjacent to the parking lot, said a City of Guelph press release. The City is also committed to replacing any transplanted trees that do not survive, and planting new trees adjacent to the parking lot.

Valeriote Gets Critical

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff announced last week that our local MP Frank Valeriote had accepted the role of Liberal Critic for the Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. The agency, which will be based in Kitchener, had been announced in January’s Federal budget and will spend $1 billion over five years to promote new jobs and economic growth in Ontario. It was only on August 13th that Prime Minister Stephen Harper officially launched the agency along with Minister for Science and Technology, and Cambridge MP, Gary Goodyear. Valeriote’s first act as the new critic was to criticize what he called the government’s “inaction plan at work,” saying, “Southern Ontario has been waiting six long months since it was first announced in the budget to get this agency underway – the government has wasted precious time determining a site for it while thousands more jobs have been lost.”

Valeriote also talked about the sale of Nortel’s assets to Swedish film Ericsson, saying that if Goodyear and Harper really wanted to the Canadian economy a solid, they’d try and make sure those assets stayed in Canadian hands. “If Minister Goodyear is serious about Southern Ontario, he should turn his attention immediately to assisting Minister Clement with a review of the sale of Nortel’s wireless assets,” said Valeriote in a press release. “This review should exhaust all efforts to find a made-in-Canada solution involving one of Southern Ontario’s success stories, Kitchener-Waterloo’s Research-in-Motion.”

City Updates on Public Washroom Repairs

In the ongoing appraisal of public washroom facilities on city land following the death of a teenage girl earlier this summer, the City has released an update for the community. Based on the recommendations from the structural reports from Gamsby and Mannerow Engineers, the City of Guelph has contracted Action Construction Company of Kitchener for the demolition and rebuilding of the partition walls of the public change/washrooms at Guelph Lake Sports Field, Hanlon Creek Park, and St. George’s Park. The repairs began this week at Guelph Lake Sports Field and will be followed by repairs to Hanlon Creek Park and St. George’s Park with all repairs scheduled to be completed by the end of September. The City is also requesting a quote from Action for repairs to the public change/washrooms at the Norm Jary Splash Pad, and another company Group Eight Engineering Limited is performing the structural investigation work at the Larry Pearson Baseball Complex washroom facilities.

Washington Bound, Commuters Bronzed, and City Hall Party

Mr. Valeriote Goes to Washington

If you’re anything like me then you were sitting around last week wondering just where the heck our Member of Parliament had gotten away to. The answer was Washington D.C., of course. Valeriote was in the US capital with colleagues on the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food to participate in meetings on issues facing the agriculture industry on both sides of the border. He and the other members of the committee met with a number of Congressional leaders including Collin Peterson, Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.

“It is basically a fact-finding mission to review the United States’ new Country of Origin Labelling regulations which require the segregation of Canadian and American livestock and meat,” said Valeriote in a press release.

The crux is that American processors are passing the cost of separating Canadian and American hogs and cattle on to Canadian farmers. The press release cited that Canadian farm families are disappearing at the rate of approximately 3,600 per year and that such additional costs, no matter how small could hasten that rate combined with already high production costs and low prices. “Clearly, such protectionist efforts hamper Canada-U.S. trade relations in the agriculture industry,” said Valeriote.

Among Valeriote’s stops were the National Meat Association, the American Meat Institute, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Food Marketing Institute. The Guelph MP added that he was keeping in mind what he considered the three “S”s of agriculture and agri-food, Sovereignty, Safety and Security. He also said that he wants to help ensure the viability of agriculture, not just in and around Guelph, but throughout Canada.

“President Barack Obama’s successful visit to Ottawa demonstrates the importance of in-person meetings,” said Valeriote. “They help to create the foundations for a successful working relationship vital to tackling the biggest challenges facing our two countries and the world. “They also underscore a key theme to Mr. Obama's presidency – multilateralism – working together.”

Guelph gets bronze in commuter challenge

In Guelph, 230 participants used carpools, transit, bicycles or their own two feet to travel during Environment Week May 31 to June 6 and compared to other communities of the same size, the city took third place in the National Commuter Challenge. Commuter Challenge participants in Guelph travelled more than 20,000 kilometres using more sustainable transportation methods, and prevented 3,391 kilograms of carbon emissions by choosing not to drive to work that week. Employers that saved the biggest included Compusense Inc. with 186 kg of carbon emissions spared, Neil Consumer Healthcare with 1,045 kg and the City of Guelph with 547 kg of carbon spared from the air.

Party Hard at City Hall

This Saturday marks the official grand opening of the New City Hall at 1 Carden Street. The celebration will include local artists, performers and community groups and everybody coming out will be able to take a tour of the building, enjoy a barbecue lunch and listen to some great music featuring Funky Mamas, the Suzuki String School, the Royal City Ambassadors and The Over Tones. Activities will include Paint the blue boards in front of old City Hall; sidewalk chalk drawing on Carden and a Guelph Photography Guild exhibition called "What makes Guelph, Guelph." For more information log on to http://guelph.ca/grandopening

Water, Water (Issues) Everywhere

The persistent issues surrounding our local water resources was one of the topics at a day long roundtable last Tuesday hosted by Guelph Member of Parliament Frank Valeriote. Valeriote’s special guest was Liberal Water Critic Francis Scarpaleggia, and together they gathered over a dozen community members from city employees to University of Guelph Profs to conservationists and activists. Valeriote began by saying that the issue needed to be discussed because, as in the ancient past, we may be looking at “wars over wells.”

“If we continue to take this (water resources) for granted – quality as well as quantity – it’ll be coming much sooner than we think,” he said.

Much of the early discussion focused on the issue of water as a human right. Last year the United Nations Human Rights Council removed references to access to water as a human right after countries like Canada refused to support the measure. The stand of the Harper government was that support of the human right to water would open the door to bulk exportation of our water resources. Maude Barlow, chair of the Council of Canadians, continues to criticize the Conservatives for this stand and believes, along with others, that part of the reason for it is so that the door to commoditization of water in this country could be kept open.

A reasonable suspicion, but as brought up at the meeting, Barlow and others have been doing research into whether or not the recognition of water as a human right would be in exchange for being relieved of sovereignty over our own water supplies. According to several legal opinions, what deeming water a human right would mean is that every country would be responsible for making sure that their citizens have access to safe and reliable drinking water.

"Unsafe water and sanitation are the source of 85 per cent of all disease and one in every six people on Earth has no access to clean drinking water," said Barlow in a statement on the Council of Canadians website last month. "A UN covenant on the right to water would serve as a common, coherent body of rules for all nations, rich and poor, and clarify that it is the responsibility of the state to provide sufficient, safe, accessible and affordable water to all of its citizens."

Scarpaleggia, the MP for Lac-Saint-Louis, PQ, was first elected to Parliament in 2004. He started the party’s National Water Caucus in 2005 and has chaired the committee ever since. Scarpaleggia says that the Opposition Liberals have taken a leading role in advocating for the protection of Canada’s water resources. “I’m not an activist, I’m a politician,” he explained. “I’m an activist within my party in trying to get them to pay attention to the issue, and they’ve responded well. […] I’d like to see the issue become a priority.”

Scarpaleggia added that despite the government’s point blank refusal to support human rights recognition on water, they’ve done so without studying the issue. Meanwhile, his special Liberal caucus met with Barlow just weeks ago in order to explore the issue further. “My job as a policy maker is to make sure some due diligence in done before we respond,” he said, adding that the Harper government, as of yet, have not done the due diligence, and are unqualified to respond either way.

See Guelph Buildings

“Guelph’s New City Hall is likely to be one of the most popular buildings during this year’s Doors Open Guelph event,” according to a City of Guelph press release. This Saturday, the city will open the doors to a number of buildings of historical value in the Guelph Arts Council’s annual Doors Open Guelph event. On this year’s tour, along with the new City Hall, is the former Guelph Correctional Center, the Boathouse Café, Hastings House, St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church and the Guelph Little Theatre. For more information, and a complete list of sites, go to the GAC’s website at http://guelpharts.ca/doorsopenguelph/section.php?sid=766

Lafarge, Valeriote and Heritage

Lafarge deal good, but not for all

A deal reached between the City, the Howitt Park Neighbourhood Residents' Association (HPNRA) and Silvercreek Developments was formally approved by council last Monday allowing development at the Lafarge site to proceed, and shorten the hearing process at the Ontario Municipal Board. Only Armel Corp, the fourth party involved in the mediation process, has refused to endorse the deal, which was reached after nearly half-a-year of negotiating. Mayor Karen Farbridge was pleased, saying that this will save taxpayers money at the OMB. “At the very least we’ll be able to reduce the length of the hearing, which will reduce the cost of the hearing to taxpayers,” Farbridge said Monday.

The key components of the deal include: A main street area for restaurants and other services along Silvercreek Parkway between Paisley and Wellington streets; a business park, residential community and park on the east side of Silvercreek Parkway; and retail/commercial uses on the west side of Silvercreek on lands bounded by the Hanlon Expressway. Farbridge said that she was grateful that an agreement could be reached given the fact that this brownfield is a “difficult site for development.” She added, “I think we’re really impressed with how hard everybody worked on it, and there was a lot of give on all sides,” she said. She also commended representatives of the Howitt Park Residents’ Association, whose members voted 61 to three in favour of the deal at the end of January, according to HPNRA president Ron Foley.

Valeriote to represent farmers and foodies

Our local MP, Frank Valeriote, has been appointed to the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food in the House of Commons. This Committee focuses on bills, expenditures and activities of the organizations that are part of the Agriculture and Agri-Food portfolio, including issues such as farm income, food safety, pesticides and the wheat board, says a Valeriote office press release. The position’s a natural fit for Valeriote who advocated heavily during the campaign in favour of expanding the opportunities in investment of the Agriculture sector and how it relates to creating a greener economy. “It’s an exciting opportunity for me to focus on Canada’s agriculture industry and our nation’s food supply,” said Valeriote. “There’s no doubt that Canada’s farming industry is facing enormous challenges but is also presented with an exciting range of opportunity with constantly evolving advances and innovation in technology.”

City Hall on Doors Open tour

If you’ve been sitting around, waiting with bated breath to see the inside of the new City Administration Building (AKA: City Hall), fear not because you’ll get your chance on Saturday April 25. The building was announced last week as one of the stops on the eighth annual Doors Open Guelph Tour sponsored the Guelph Arts Council, Heritage Guelph and the city’s tourism office. This will be the first time that the new City Hall will be open to the public before its official grand opening which will hopefully be held in May once the exterior portion is complete. Currently, the interior is expected to be done in March for staff move-ins at the end of the month. The Doors Open event is considered a celebration of the city’s architectural heritage and was started in 2002 as part of Guelph’s 175 anniversary.

More Heritage to celebrate

Stone Road Mall is ready to welcome the pillars of local heritage with its annual Heritage Day celebrations. The main corridor of the mall will contain displays from such groups as Guelph Historical Society, Wellington County Historical Society, Heritage Guelph, Heritage Guelph/Eramosa, Architectural Conservancy – Guelph and Wellington, Guelph Public Library, Hammond Museum of Radio, Guelph Historical Railway Association, Locomotive 6167 Restoration Committee, Guelph Arts Council, Norfolk Street United Church Archives, St. George’s Church Archives, Wellington County Museum and Archives, and Guelph Museums. This year’s celebration is called Spotlight on Heritage, and the exhibits, which are all organized by Guelph Museums, will be on display from 9:30 am to 5 pm. And just so you know, about 30 years before it became known as “Family Day,” the third Tuesday of February was known in Canada as Heritage Day.

Valeriote Brings Kennedy to Guelph to Get Ideas

With a little under a week to the redux of the O.K. Coral-like showdown on Parliament Hill, this time over the full budget, Liberal Industry critic Gerard Kennedy kicked off a multi-city, fact-finding tour in Guelph. During a full day of activities, Kennedy heard from local industry leaders and social service groups as to how the global recession is affecting the Royal City and how the Federal government can help ease the pain in the wallet. With our local MP Frank Valeriote as his guide, Kennedy got the rather bleak news from a group of people that should know how healthy our local economy really is.

Members of the local media were invited to join the Dynamic Duo on a couple of their appointments. First was a tour of the production floor of Guelph Tool’s Lewis Rd. plant. And incidentally, if you want to literally feel the hurt on by the auto sector, visit a parts plant first thing in the morning and marvel at how half the lights in the place are switched off and how only one out of the eight available machines is working. In Canada, our manufacturing sector is 70 per cent dependent on the auto sector, and that includes both cars and car parts.

As for the numbers, this plant we were walking through is only at a quarter of its capacity. At its peak, Guelph Tool ran 120 people out of this factory. They cranked out various products made with the metal press like some 25 million head rest frames a year. Throughout the day, anywhere from 15 to 20 trucks carried those parts, and others like them, to production lines across Ontario and into Michigan. Guelph Tool President Rob Ireland says that the Lewis Rd. plant is operating with a crew of 30 workers, cranking out fewer orders out of a single metal press crunching away on the factory floor.

After walking the factory floor, Kennedy and Valeriote sat down with Ireland to strategize; how could the government help the ailing manufacturing sector? Ireland suggested that loosening delays at the border would help a great deal, as would investments in education and retraining, and just generally getting assistance to make them more competitive in the new economy. Of course, the funding for these types of initiatives would be accompanied by some kind of budget deficit, which Kennedy accepts. He added though that any “bailout” should be subject to public scrutiny. “I think that what we need in this country is to see that the conditions are made public,” he said. "We want the same jobs in Canada, we want to make sure that the government takes the right action, but it’s got to be connected directly to how people are impacted, especially in communities like Guelph.”

He want to say that the Canadian government is going to have to look after its own, regardless of the directions the new US administration intends on heading in. “The American Congress will not look after our interests,” said Kennedy both at Guelph Tool and later to a group gathered at the Guelph-Wellington Business Enterprise Centre. “So we’re putting the pressure out there now because we’d love to see that stuff tabled. We’d like to see an objective, independent analysis to see that the taxpayers are protected and that we’re getting a good outcome as well in terms of the jobs in this country. So far, the government’s refused to release that information to the independent budget officer in Parliament.”

At the GWBEC, Kennedy and Valeriote met with numerous community groups and labour advocates that offered their perspective on how the recession is affecting the people they represent. Without getting too deep into the statistics let’s just say that the picture isn’t so rosy; poverty rates are going up, social services are being tapped beyond limit, and any ideas put forth to get people working again require an influx of capital. Kennedy said that a lot of what was being discussed at the table was on the mind of opposition parties as they discussed coalition last fall, but prudently, they were waiting until January 27^th to see what they’re going to be working with.

For more information on this story, or to get updates and commentaries on current events and Guelph politics, visit the newly, reconstituted Guelph Politico at http://guelphpolitico.blogspot.com/