Windsor Ontario News / Comment

Tories' secrecy damaging reputations

The fact the RCMP has cleared former cabinet minister and Tory MP Helena Guergis raises a question of how the Harper government handles firings and its lack of disclosure to the individuals involved and to the public at large over such dismissals. Allegations against Guergis and her husband former Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer – also cleared – created a firestorm this spring with suggestions of her using her office for influence peddling for Jaffer’s private business interests. Prime Minister Stephen Harper quickly turfed Guergis from cabinet and the party caucus. The PM turned over the allegations – which have never been disclosed – to the RCMP. After the RCMP dropped the case Harper refused to reinstate Guergis. The parliamentary ethics commissioner is still investigating. Guergis is demanding a meeting with Harper to find out exactly what the allegations were. The Guergis case, while high profile, brings to mind another case in which a couple of senior civil servants were also dismissed by the government - again, without explanation, resulting in their reputations being damaged. One of them, Doug Tipple, this month received the highest damage award ever made by the federal labour relations board - $1.35 million for wrongful dismissal. The other, David Rotor, is expected to receive a similar decision. Ironically the two, recruited from the private sector, were carrying out functions supposedly dear to the government’s heart – finding ways to streamline bureaucratic efficiency and cut waste. The two in fact had received glowing reports from their immediate supervisor and were on the way to saving $3.25 billion over five years. Then they were let go after newspaper reports, which turned out to be false, said they had used a business trip to London as a personal vacation junket. Board adjudicator Dan Quigley called Tipple’s dismissal a “sham” and accused the government of obstruction when Tipple was trying to clear his name. In the civil servants’ case, and now Guergis, we see a government, already extremely secretive as a matter of course, letting that locked-down mentality prevent them from having the decency to even apologize when they’re in the wrong. Harper at one time promised open government. He has long since forgotten his words.

Eddie declares: ball in opposition's court

Most Windsorites are likely breathing a collective sigh of relief after Mayor Eddie Francis’s decision to run for a third term. Sure, the mayor promised he wouldn’t run a third time. And it’s a mark against him that he broke that promise. But, as he astutely said, he’s prepared for the criticism and ultimately the electorate has the say as to whether he did the right thing. But it’s almost breathtaking to think that Francis came that close to not running. Imagine the scenario if he hadn’t. There would have been an immediate void in the city’s leadership. No high profile and credible candidates have announced they are running for mayor. Instead there are five absolute nobodies. It’s to shutter to think that only those people would have been available for the city’s top job. Perhaps someone with higher profile would have emerged. Perhaps, for example, a candidate backed by the labour movement, would have declared in a bid to right (so to speak) the tilt city council has taken against its public sector union through privatization and controlling future wage and benefit costs. Or perhaps a draft of councillor Bill Marra, who has run for mayor in the past and still hasn’t filed papers to run for council in this Fall’s election, would have taken place. That still may occur. In fact Francis’s announcement may spur the “Anybody But Eddie” minority to finally put their candidate forward. Whether or not that happens it’s good to see Francis seeking another term. Under Francis’s leadership, fiscal spending has been reigned-in and inventive ways to spend (and save) money such as pay-as-you-go budgeting for capital projects like the WFCU Centre and bus terminal, have been implemented. This has saved tens of millions in interest payments, freeing up cash for more general infrastructure improvements. Also, property taxes have been flatlined the last two years. How many other municipalities have done that? The city’s debt reduction strategy remains on target. In 2002 the city’s debt was $230 million. It was $182 million at the end of 2009 and is projected to be less than $100 million by 2017. Major projects (the arena, significant compromises on the DRIC highway to create a more environmental and people-friendly road) have been completed or agreed upon. Finally, as an individual, Francis is a 24-hour tireless mayor who actually conducts himself as if he has the best interests of average taxpayers at heart, not special interests. That's a true rarity in a politician - at any level. The mayor has – finally – put his candidacy forward. For those who want to challenge him the ball is now squarely in their court.

Future job ideas for city garbage collectors

Now that City Council has made the decision to nix public sector collection of trash and recyclables might WindsorOntarioNews.com suggest positions into which the 21 garbage and 14 recycling staff be placed as they are transferred elsewhere in the city hall bureaucracy? One great area to put them in is tree-trimming. A news report this week that limbs of trees on Windsor’s leafy streets are falling and damaging vehicles – and the anecdotal and expert reports that the city has not been taking care of its foliage – suggest a need for city hall to beef-up this service. Putting the former garbage collectors to work checking city-owned trees and doing the necessary trimming or outright cutting-down – would be an excellent place to put them. The second area in which they could be transferred is in enforcing the city’s noise bylaw. We’ve heard complaints from neighbours around a student house near the University of Windsor about ongoing noisy parties. The neighbours couldn’t for the life of them get anyone at city hall to enforce the noise bylaw because bylaw officers don’t work at night when the parties take place. Another type of noise complaint has to do with the obnoxious sound of some motorcycles. The city says it can’t crack down on these bikers because the bikers are in motion. Yet technology exists, and is now being used by the City of Edmonton, to detect sound from moving vehicles like bikes. Both these areas of employment – tree inspection and noise bylaw enforcement - should strongly be considered as future jobs for those who will soon be losing their garbage collection duties.

About time for motorcycle noise crackdown

No doubt for years people have quietly gone about their business resigned to one of the most obnoxious noises on the roads and in the neighbourhoods – motorcycles that emit loud tailpipe sounds. People probably thought, “Well, that’s the way it’s always been so I can’t do anything about it.” No more - at least in Edmonton and possibly soon in Windsor. Windsor is studying the Alberta city’s new bylaw, where bikers will face a $250 fine if their motorcycles emit sound above a certain decibel level. Special devices have been developed to measure this. Those in the motorcycling community have long defended the loud noises – nothing quite compares with this kind of extreme sound on an ongoing if intermittent basis – using a variety of excuses: mainly that it keeps drivers safe by letting motorists around them know they’re there. But this flies in the face of the fact that not all types of motorcycles are noisy and even the noisy ones are not necessarily built that way. In fact those that create the most noise are ones where drivers have modified the vehicles in the aftermarket. The American Motorcycle Association has discouraged such tinkering out of respect for the general public. Edmonton isn’t alone in its bylaw. Countries in Europe have long had lower thresholds for motorcycle noise. And in New York City offenders can be cited if their bike's noise is audible beyond 200 ft. Motorcyclists have gotten away with this carefree self-indulgent behaviour for years. Hopefully a crackdown is in the offing. Meanwhile, with the recent publicity over noise, hopefully motorcyclists themselves will be embarrassed to adjust their pipes down. That would restore public goodwill in an otherwise fine motoring activity.

Tecumseh forces the transit issue

Oh yes, Tecumseh’s “bus to nowhere” was a ridiculous small town transit service that simply circled around the town but didn’t deliver passengers to big city Windsor next door. Just what was this Windsor suburban community – long a thorn in the side of the city on a variety of issues form transit to the border highway to a new arena – trying to prove with its putt-putt little bus? But, when Tecumseh first proposed the service last fall it was always the intention to run the route as close to Windsor as possible. Mayor Gary McNamara also said the bus line would be a “precursor” to see what happens with regional transit talks, which had been taking place in conjunction with a national transit consultant. He said there’s “certainly an opportunity to fold that service into whatever service the county will eventually come up with.” That regional study finally came down in April and proposed a network of routes connecting larger county municipalities and Windsor as a first step to a full-fledged Windsor-Essex transit system. But as McNamara said this week, he hasn’t heard much about transit since that time. How true. In fact, when it comes to transit in Essex County, generally speaking, the silence is about as deafening as the roar of an accelerating bus. Tecumseh obviously wasn’t concerned about what Transit Windsor, City of Windsor officials, or media types - the last who found much amusement in the town’s one vehicle transit system (another bus is on order!) – had to say. But by applying successfully to the Ontario Highway Transportation Board to run buses to Windsor’s Tecumseh Mall – and in fact connecting to the Transit Windsor system – not only is Tecumseh taking the first step to provide some sort of regional transit, it is making a mockery of the city and other towns who have long talked about a county-wide system but have long done little to make it a reality. Let’s hear it for Tecumseh’s little bus service that could.

Amherstburg's missing 'Niagara' ingredient

We welcome the official opening of Amherstburg’a eleven kilometre walking trail. The trail, which basically makes a perimeter around the historic community, was just one part of a massive upgrading of Amherstburg’s infrastructure, thanks to federal stimulus money (and the biggest grant to any small town in Canada). Besides the widened sidewalks the historic centre of the town saw thousands of new trees, shrubs and flowers planted, reconstructed streets, and historic-style lamp posts, heritage street identification, and beautiful north and south landscaped town entranceways. The streetscaping goes a long way to converting Amherstburg into the kind of Niagara-on-the-Lake environment many people have long dreamed about. But there still might be a missing ingredient. What does Niagara-on-the Lake have that Amherstburg lacks? A show piece and ongoing event - it’s called the Shaw Festival. Tourists from south western Ontario and the north eastern U.S. visit the festival by the tens of thousands spring, summer and fall, creating a steady stream of visitors and providing a ready market for the town’s gift shops, boutiques, pubs and upscale eateries. Amherstburg may have an historic fort and beautiful waterfront and now heritage-themed streets. But will this be enough to draw tourists? Perhaps what the Burg needs is a signature event. What about a summer-long performing arts centre that could showcase a variety of talent, from theatre to pop, most nights of the week and certainly weekends? There is no shortage of local theatre, and musical talent, who could perform. Higher profile regional and national acts could also be booked. Look at the turnout for opening night national acts at the town’s wine festival. The event could be started in a big tent (as Stratford was) and then an open air amphitheatre that could be enclosed for year-round use. Up to now all of Amherstburg’s improvements, nice as they are, have been passive. And up to now they haven’t done the trick in pulling in large numbers of visitors. An active attraction might be just the clincher to bring in thousands and generate the kind of spin off economy of upscale shops and restaurants that Niagara-on-the-Lake has but the Burg lacks.

Hands off Nipissing University students!

That was quite a display – or should that be tantrum? – Ontario teachers put up last week over the granting of an honourary degree to former Ontario Premier Mike Harris at North Bay’s Nipissing University. The teachers were enraged the university, which has a very reputable teachers college (Harris graduated from its forerunner) with campuses in the North and in Brantford, should grant a degree to Harris, who grew up in North Bay and was also a former elementary teacher. If you remember, Ontario teachers went on a massive two-week illegal strike in the 1990s over the right-wing Harris Government’s Bill 160 education reforms. That bill among other things eliminated the OAC year of high school, reduced school boards’ powers, and introduced province-wide testing. Earlier this year the teachers’ federation sent a letter of protest to Nipissing University, saying they found it “incongruous” how Nipissing, which trains future teachers, could confer a degree on someone “who decimated the funding of K-12 and post-secondary education” and “closed schools and libraries.” Fair enough. But it’s what came next that was disgusting. Sam Hammond, president of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, one of four OTF affiliates, said , "The OTF executive could, as an option, inform Nipissing that we are going to recommend to our members that they not take teachers for practicum placement from Nipissing University." Really? So that’s the kind of below-the-belt tactics a teachers union is now prepared to show. That’s right - take it out on the students, who had nothing to do with the Harris Government and nothing to do with conferring this degree. In a word that's bullying. Such talk is astonishing for a group that speaks in high tones about preventing bullying in the school yard and is otherwise supposed to set an example for young people. But with these words the OTF has shown just the level to which it can stoop. Let’s hope any attempts to limit Nipissing student placements are met with quick and firm resolve, with such action exposed and perpetrators strongly dealt with.

Street protests we would really like to see

Last week’s protest in downtown Windsor against Israel’s raid on a pro-Palestinian flotilla was typical of the kind of street protests seen in our fair city. In other words you can often expect protest rallies against some combination of a) Israel b) the United States or c) Canada’s role in Afghanistan, and typically organized by the Windsor Peace Coalition and/or members of the Middle Eastern community. The other kind of protests and rallies the City of Roses sees from time to time are those organized by the area’s labour movement. These rallies surround issues like individual strikes or wider concerns such as government cutbacks. Are there other types of protests that ever take place? Hard to think of any though there was the recent march against animal cruelty. Here are some suggestions for marches that would likely catch on with many residents on issues people really care about. How about a protest against the almost universally-hated Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) taking effect three weeks from now? How about rallies when local municipalities raise property taxes or don’t cut taxes? How about protests against the poor infrastructure that plagues Windsor and county municipalities? There are crumbling roads, lack of sidewalks, lack of bike lanes, and a dearth of pedestrian and health-friendly walkways and trails. How about protests against the insane motorists who terrorize our streets? How about protests against light court sentences and prison terms for people convicted of disgusting crimes? How about rallies to show solidarity with convenience store owners who regularly have their businesses broken into? You see, our protest culture really is only about small single issues organized by narrow interest groups with predictable turnouts. But on issues that really matter to people there is no protest culture to engage their opposition. As a result the powers that be – mainly governments – can largely get away with doing to us what they want.

Just who is the party of big business?

Sometimes the stereotypes don’t make sense. In the case of the fight in Michigan as to whether a P3 (Public-Private Partnership) should be approved to build a new international crossing between Detroit and Windsor, this is more than obvious. On the one side we have a group of Republican state senators, the majority of whom supposedly are dead set against okaying a P3 for the bridge project. Many instead support a plan by Ambassador Bridge owner Manuel “Manny” (as he prefers to be called, not “Matty”)to build a new span with his own money, leaving taxpayers off the hook in case the P3 for the public (DRIC) bridge falls through. Now, haven’t we heard from time immemorial that the Republicans are the party of Big Business, and that the Democrats stand up for the little guy? Yet in the DRIC controversy it’s almost completely the opposite. Sure the Republicans are supporting the billionaire Maroun who besides owing the Ambassador Bridge owns huge trucking firm Central Transport as well as large – even vast - real estate interests. He also just happens to live in Grosse Pointe Shores, one of the most elite addresses in the nation. But look at the companies and big business interests lining up behind the Democrats, who support DRIC. These include Chrysler, Ford, BASF, Conway, Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association, Canadian Industrial Transportation Association, Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association, Associated General Contractors of Michigan, Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, Detroit Regional Chamber, Ontario Chamber of Commerce, American Council of Engineering Companies of Michigan, and the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters. The list goes on. So the Republicans have the backing of one fat cat businessman and the Democrats have the backing of legions of fat cats and rich and powerful business groups. The response to this might be to say that Maroun has the Republicans in his back pocket through campaign contributions, though he has contributed to the Democratic Party as well. You could probably make the same argument for the Democrats. Or perhaps the Republicans’ anti-DRIC stand might not have much to do with whoever is backing them. It might, just might, have something to do with protecting taxpayers’ interests in a state ravaged by the decline in the auto industry and the ongoing Recession.

Open doors to hypocritical MPs' expenses

We saw Canadians - surprisingly since the country is normally so docile about political events in Ottawa - generate some anger about Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s proroguing of Parliament earlier this year, despite the fact proroguing (suspension) is rather common and has been done by all governments – Conservative and Liberal. Fair enough. Now it would be nice to see the same kind of agitation over the current disgrace on Parliament Hill involving our esteemed MPs. This is the refusal of Parliament’s Board of Internal Economy to allow Auditor General Sheila Fraser to probe how our 308 MPs (each paid a basic $157,731 salary) manage their office expenses. The board argues the request goes beyond the AG’s mandate, which is to examine government departments and Crown corporations but not the legislative branch. They also say they have been subject to outside audits and that they post office expenses online. If they’re so open then why refuse this audit, especially when parliamentarians so often get on their high horses about demanding “transparency” among others whether government departments or corporations in the private sector. An audit would probe just how money is spent and likely improve efficiencies. But it could uncover other things, and that’s what MPs seem worried about. (A 1991 audit of MPs and senators found nepotism in hiring in senators’ offices along with free air flights for family members). There has even been suggestion the AG could find evidence of sexual harassment lawsuits! Taxpayers spend $500 million annually to keep Parliament running. It’s enough they have to pay through the nose for this over-compensated elite, who obviously believe they are far removed from the public in their cozy Parliament Hill confines and can do as they please. It’s time the public rose up and demanded an end to this secrecy.

Mayoral race unworthy of Windsor's stature

What is it about the Windsor municipal scene? Other cities have genuine races for mayor. But Windsor has long been plagued by having limited credible candidates – often coming down to the incumbent himself. For two decades, with really one exception – city councillors Eddie Francis and Bill Marra in 2003 - there have been no real races for the city’s top job. Yet Windsor is not a city of little substance. It has had a population of more than 200,000 - the 16th largest metropolitan area in Canada bigger than Saskatoon, Regina, Sherbrooke and St. John’s. It has been a major manufacturing, transportation and trade centre, and it sits strategically across from one of the largest cities in the United States. Over the years there have been some candidates with a degree of credibility who have challenged for the mayoralty. Physician David Wonham in 2006, activist Joe Kroll against former Mayor Mike Hurst in 2000, and Mike Hurst against magazine publisher Jerry Woloschuk in 1991. But even these candidates had little or no political experience and won support based on their professional or name recognition. This year’s election is shaping up similarly. So far there are four people declared for the mayor’ position, all of them unknowns or lacking in dynamism. Adding to the concern is that this year’s election could be pivotal, particularly if incumbent Francis decides not to run. (He said when first elected he would serve only two terms.) The speculation is that any credible candidates are waiting in the wings for Francis to announce his intention. But why? Why hasn’t a strong candidate put her or his name forward? What could they be afraid of? Are they so sure Francis will win re-election that there’s no point in even challenging? At least we could have an alternative platform that would provide another vision for the city. And if Francis decides to run does that mean no one will come forward, basically allowing the incumbent a free walk to the mayor’s chair? There must be several people who could offer their candidacies - from labour, business, academics, or community organizations. Not least of them are members of city council. But it’s like all are timid mice, fearful of sticking their necks out. That lack of political interest and courage is unworthy, indeed unhealthy, for a city of Windsor’s stature.

Downtown theatre problems are just so typically Windsor

It is amazing how things in Windsor have a way of getting gummed up. Windsor has two perfectly good downtown theatres: the Chrysler Theatre and the Capitol Theatre. In the mid-1990s the city renovated the historic Capitol. We thought we finally had a classic venue worthy of a variety of arts productions. Until, that is, the theatre fell into bankruptcy in 2007, partly crippling operations. Now we find that theatre groups complain the Capitol’s backstage is not large enough to hold certain productions. Meanwhile the Chrysler has also become hamstrung. Three high profile arts groups including the Windsor Symphony reportedly have had problems booking performances during April and in the first half of December, periods when arts groups put on end-of-season (spring) or Christmas productions. The reason? St. Clair College took over the former Cleary Centre, which houses the Chrysler, for educational purposes and needs it for student productions. The symphony has also cited problems about the increasing rent and what it considers a dysfunctional box office because of the college’s inexperience running an arts centre. St. Clair was invited to take over the Cleary in part to help revitalize the downtown by bringing students into the city core. Meanwhile the symphony has long wanted to move out of the Chrysler and set up shop in the former downtown armouries, which it says has better acoustics. It commissioned a needs study and wants to renovate the building, which could cost $28 million. Canada’s “Snowbird” Anne Murray once said the Chrysler had some of the best acoustics she had experienced. So we have a problem that shouldn’t exist. We have two relatively decent theatres in a depressed downtown and city. Yet we can’t keep them open or program them competently. And we want a third. It’s all so typically Windsor.

Offer doesn't address Mich stumbling block

The Canadian government’s $550 million offer to the State of Michigan to cover the economically-depressed state’s share of the DRIC project is curious. Also interesting is that a breathless Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm announced the offer from Transport Minister John Baird at a high-profile state Transportation Committee hearing discussing a proposed P3 or public-private partnership to pay for the DRIC bridge among other projects. Michigan state representative Paul Opsommer says Granholm’s announcement was “clouding” what in fact was the issue before the committee – not necessarily whether DRIC should be built but whether the state should participate in P3 projects at all. Baird’s offer is certainly generous. And it would go a long way to help Michigan pay for DRIC. But the issue that has been preventing the state’s agreement to support the new international crossing has been the issue of creating a P3 to pay for the bridge. And Baird’s offer has nothing to do with that. It would only pay for DRIC costs on the U.S side of the border such as land acquisiton. As another state representative and transportation committee member Tom Pearce said, “That $550 million doesn’t even do a cable on the bridge.” The P3 bill did end up passing the transportation committee Thursday. But it still has to go to the Michigan Senate, where Republican senators, who have a majority, could block the legislation because they say a P3 is too risky with insufficient oversight and the fear taxpayers could be left holding the bag if a private investor defaults. So the $550 million could be all for nought. Or it could provide just enough of a nudge to get reluctant senators to agree. Stay tuned.

Educators: no compassion for public welfare

For people who probably talk a good game about public compassion it’s interesting how lacking in that very same virtue they themselves are. Over the past week there have been a couple of examples of educators, who are public sector employees, balking at any notion of sacrifice for the public good. Last week Education Minister Leona Dombrowsky, in Windsor, made a plea to principals and vice principals to accept a proposed two-year salary freeze to help the province cope with its massive deficit. The government has proposed a freeze for some 350,000 non-bargaining public sector employees. The proposal was received coldly by the principals’ group. One delegate said it could even mean that after the end of two years teachers – who wouldn’t be covered by the freeze - might make a higher salary than vice principals. Meanwhile at the University of Windsor faculty are adamantly opposed to any similar move. The faculty is a bargaining group so wouldn’t be affected directly by the freeze. But the province has asked university administrators to seek a similar concession in future bargaining. No way, faculty association president Brian Brown said. Interestingly, the very same day saw the university hiking tuitions a minimum four per cent for undergraduates and eight per cent for professional study programs. The students, who already amass tens of thousands of dollars in debt loads, will have to shell out even more in a seemingly endless cycle of fee hikes. On the other hand university professors continue on their merry way, collecting fatter salaries at the public’s expense. Educators - both at the general and post-secondary levels – talk in grand tones about caring for the less fortunate and extolling the “commonweal” or general welfare. But when it comes to their own self-sacrifice in a province wracked by layoffs and unemployment these well paid individuals can’t see past their own wallets.

DRIC rally 1: is support really that tenuous?

It is interesting that a “pep rally” had to be held in Detroit yesterday to rally Michigan legislators to pass funding for the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) project. Is the new border crossing that much in peril? Could it – possibly – be true what some of the naysayers have been saying all along, that DRIC might never get built (though an approach road in Windsor daycare workers being let go as the city closes out its child care program. And presumably more jobs will be contracted out when, or if, the city privatizes parking enforcement and garbage services. But that hardly sounds like student job placements or co-op jobs. For its part city administration has insisted the placements have no bearing on CUPE jobs. It’s hard to see how they would. Student placements usually shadow full-time employees; they don’t replace them. And federal money pays for up to half the costs of some of these positions. The union, bitter about losing the daycare fight and girding for upcoming battles over the parking enforcement and refuse collection contracts, seems to be in no mood to cooperate with the city, and incidentally innocent third parties like students. Without giving more of an explanation – and how could there be one – CUPE’s stance seems churlish if not in fact childish. CUPE currently has a billboard campaign on city streets, part of its “Keep Windsor Public” initiative which portrays CUPE as a civic or community-minded union. Ironically Jean Fox’s comments over student placements are anything but.

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DRIC RALLY 2: MATTY HAS A POINT Despite all the arguments for a DRIC bridge – and there are many: redundancy in case of terror attack or other emergency, getting truck traffic out of Windsor neighbourhoods, more streamlined movement of commerce between Canada and the U.S. through better infrastructure and connecting points – please grant Detroit Intl. Bridge Co. (owner of the Ambassador Bridge) .....Click to read more

CLINIC SHOULD HAVE SEEN OPPOSITION COMING- WindsorOntarioNews.com April 8 2010...The opening of a methadone clinic on Lincoln Rd. was a disaster waiting to happen, and everyone associated with the clinic should have seen it coming. No one disputes the clinic is providing a valuable service. But these kind of clinics – or other controversial rehab facilities such as halfway houses – are often targets of controversy, rightly or wrongly, by ....Click to read more

6 WHIRL "WIND" MEETINGS IN ONE DAY - PHEW!. The Liovas Group’s whirlwind series of meetings March 27th to consult with the public on its proposal for a 1400 megawatt offshore wind turbine project (715 turbines clustered in 13 areas offshore in Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair)amounted to farce. It shouldn’t be surprising why. The company, run by the well known Leamington construction family, set out to offer a .....Click to read more

VIA STATION: THE RAILROAD ENDS AT LONDON: In one sense it was nice to hear a high-ranking official, in this case Via Rail president Marc Laliberte, say the time for more studies is over and let’s build. In another sense it begs the question: why has Via neglected Windsor for so long? Laliberte announced the rail passenger company will build a $6.3 million station to replace decades-old Walkerville station. But ......Click to read more

$25 MIL 'SEVERANCE' INSULT TO TAXPAYERS:It’s just the kind of news item that enrages the public. And added to a general loathing that is awaiting the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST), which takes effect July 1, it just puts the icing on this cake of outrage. That’s the revelation that our provincial government will be giving as many as 1,250 revenue department employees as much as $45,000 in severance when they .....Click to read more

FOR WINDSOR-ESSEX, MASS TRANSIT JOB SECTOR BEING IGNOREDThere has been lots of talk, and some action, on bringing green energy jobs to Windsor and Essex County. Such jobs would take advantage of the skills that exist among people in the traditional vehicle manufacturing sector, many of whom are on layoff or working in an industry with somewhat of an uncertain future. Regional political and business leaders, as part of the .....Click to read more

MUNICIPAL DEMOCRACY, AMERICAN-STYLE: Many Canadians think we have better government than people in the U.S. That’s a matter of opinion. Do we have more democracy? That’s highly doubtful. When Canadians think of American elections we think of the laborious time-consuming ballots where voters cast their votes for everyone from the president to the proverbial dog catcher. Americans vote on all manner of public .....Click to read more

WORRIED ABOUT BULLYING? TRY WINDSOR JAIL: The Ontario government has declared the third week of November “anti-bullying week.” This of course refers to school bullying. It’s in addition to a safe schools law which took effect this month and requires teachers to report bullying. With politicians being so concerned about school bullying it makes you wonder if they can cast their eyes anywhere else. Case in .....Click to read more

HURST EMERGING AS COUNTY STATESMAN?:.....Amherstburg Mayor Wayne Hurst is starting to emerge as something of a statesman in Essex County. The county’s long-running feuds with the City of Windsor are legion – over everything from garbage fees to tourism, transit to economic development. But on a couple of occasions lately Hurst has been the only county representative who has actually tried to be conciliatory and not ..Click to read more

COMPLAINTS ABOUT RISING COSTS? HERE'S SOMETHING TO GENUINELY CHEER ABOUT: We know people like to bellyache. Not to mention having issues to constantly obsess over. The 22 per cent increase in Windsor water rates is only the latest issue bedevilling the mindset of a good portion of the citizenry. And of course there is the perennial issue of gasoline prices at the pump. If prices jump overnight by five or ten cents, watch out! Indignant motorists ....Click to read more

UNION'S CONFLICT ALLEGATION FALLS FLAT: Hmm, conflict of interest charges against a city staffer? In this case charges that a senior administrator somehow favoured closing city-run daycares because she has a sister-in-law employed in the non-municipal daycare system, which stands to benefit? Interesting. The staffer co-wrote a report to city council recommending the daycare closures because of their vast ..... Click to read more

DAYCARE FALLOUT: BILL MARRA, ESSEX COUNTY: A couple of matters stand out in the wake of Windsor city council’s decision this week to axe regional daycares, for which it has responsibility. One is Ward 4 Councillor Bill Marra’s decision to opt out of Monday’s debate because of a conflict of interest. His reason seemed flimsy: because, as head of a social service agency, he has had a hand in funding seasonal daycare..... Click to read more

DAYCARE DECISION: A VICTORY FOR TAXPAYERS: Windsor City Council made the right decision Monday in deciding to close the city’s nine municipal daycare centres (including two county satellites). But to listen to much of the debate one would think the enormously-expensive daycares serve as some sort of lynchpin to Windsor's social fabric. But as a report from the city's social services department made clear, only a very small..... Click to read more

U OF W: STUDENTS TAKEN ADVANTAG OF AGAIN: Students at the University of Windsor have another thing to be riled-up about. The university just eliminated 400 of their parking spaces on a very convenient lot south of Wyandotte Street. The reason, of course, is to make way for the university’s cutting-edge engineering school, a welcome development for the U and the region as a whole. But students no..... Click to read more

DESPERATE MOVES BY AMBASSADOR BRIDGE? Things seem to be getting desperate for the Ambassador Bridge company. First comes word that the bridge has filed a request for a judicial review of the Detroit River International Crossing's (DRIC) recently-completed environmental assessment. The Sierra Club of Canada has filed a separate request, arguing DRIC could have a severe impact on the naturally-sensitive.. ...Click to read more

PARLIAMENTARY SUSPENSION: Stephen Harper’s decision to prorogue Parliament for a month-and-a-half immediately confirms the image of Harper as a control freak who runs a one-man government. Not that Harper is stupid. Far from it. As one pundit noted Harper knows when to take “calculated risks.” But does he? The first impression is that Harper is taking the electorate for fools, knowing the vast ..... Click to read more

MEDIA WRONGLY OBSESS ABOUT AFGHAN DEATHS: Sad and tragic as it is whenever Canadian troops die in Afghanistan there is something more than disconcerting in the way the Canadian media covers their deaths. Voluminous ink and airtime is given to the story. Last week’s deaths of four soldiers, along with a journalist, were a case in point. It was .....Click to read more

TERROR: BLAMING THE PASSENGERS AGAIN: Once again airline passengers are being victimized by airline and government security authorities after the foiled attempt of Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to blow up a Northwest flight on its approach to Detroit Christmas Day. It happened after 9/11. It happened after shoe bomber Richard Reid. And it appears to be happening again, as airlines and security agencies blame.....Click to read more

MUNICIPALITIES INCREASINGLY JUICY LAWSUIT TARGETS: In our litigious society people sue and sue. But there may be certain targets easier to sue than others. One is municipal.....Click to read more

WINDSOR BORDER'S MAJOR ROLE IN GUN SMUGGLING: As much as we love Windsor and Essex County one of the realities we live with is our border location. This is usually a great.....click to read more

DOUBLE-STANDARD FOR POLICE-AMBULANCE SUPPORT? : The vast majority of Windsor residents – meaning 99.99 per cent - probably had no idea that Windsor police provide support .....Click to read more

DALTON'S HST HEADACHE NOT SO BAD: Up to now Ontario’s Liberals have sailed fairly smoothly through their first two terms. Yet the waters are getting choppier...... Click to read more

CUPE AND THE LIMITS OF POWER: For CUPE the chickens are finally coming home to roost. First it was the City of Windsor’s decision to investigate the..... Click to read more

TIME NOW TO MOVE ON CANAL: The problem with Windsor is that it doesn’t dream big. A decades-long inferiority complex embedded deep in the collective psyche..... Click to read more