There are no upcoming events right now.
Why not post one?
Recent Articles
- Justice for Indigenous Peoples is Long Overdueby Ryan McGreal, published June 30, 2021 in Commentary
(0 comments)
- Third-Party Election Advertising Ban About Silencing Workersby Chantal Mancini, published June 29, 2021 in Politics
(0 comments)
- Did Doug Ford Test the 'Great Barrington Declaration' on Ontarians?by Ryan McGreal, published June 29, 2021 in Special Report: COVID-19
(1 comment)
- An Update on Raise the Hammerby Ryan McGreal, published June 28, 2021 in Site Notes
(0 comments)
- Nestlé Selling North American Water Bottling to an Private Equity Firmby Doreen Nicoll, published February 23, 2021 in Healing Gaia
(0 comments)
- Jolley Old Sam Lawrenceby Sean Burak, published February 19, 2021 in Special Report: Cycling
(0 comments)
- Right-Wing Extremism is a Driving Force in Modern Conservatismby Ryan McGreal, published February 18, 2021 in Special Report: Extremism
(0 comments)
- Municipalities Need to Unite against Ford's Firehose of Land Use Changesby Michelle Silverton, published February 16, 2021 in Special Report
(0 comments)
- Challenging Doug Ford's Pandemic Narrativeby Ryan McGreal, published January 25, 2021 in Special Report: COVID-19
(1 comment)
- The Year 2020 Has Been a Wakeup Callby Michael Nabert, published December 31, 2020 in Special Report: COVID-19
(0 comments)
- The COVID-19 Marshmallow Experimentby Ryan McGreal, published December 22, 2020 in Special Report: COVID-19
(0 comments)
- All I Want for Christmas, 2020by Kevin Somers, published December 21, 2020 in Entertainment and Sports
(1 comment)
- Hamilton Shelters Remarkably COVID-19 Free Thanks to Innovative Testing Programby Jason Allen, published December 21, 2020 in Special Report: COVID-19
(0 comments)
- Province Rams Through Glass Factory in Stratfordby Doreen Nicoll, published December 21, 2020 in Healing Gaia
(0 comments)
- We Can Prevent Traffic Deaths if We Make Safety a Real Priorityby Ryan McGreal, published December 08, 2020 in Special Report: Walkable Streets
(5 comments)
- These Aren't 'Accidents', These Are Resultsby Tom Flood, published December 04, 2020 in Special Report: Walkable Streets
(1 comment)
- Conservation Conundrumby Paul Weinberg, published December 04, 2020 in Special Report
(0 comments)
- Defund Police Protest Threatens Fragile Ruling Classby Cameron Kroetsch, published December 03, 2020 in Special Report: Anti-Racism
(2 comments)
- Measuring the Potential of Biogas to Reduce GHG Emissionsby John Loukidelis and Thomas Cassidy, published November 23, 2020 in Special Report: Climate Change
(0 comments)
- Ontario Squanders Early Pandemic Sacrificeby Ryan McGreal, published November 18, 2020 in Special Report: COVID-19
(0 comments)
Article Archives
Blog Archives
Site Tools
Feeds
By Missy2013 (registered) - website | Posted February 29, 2016 at 10:53:26
In my dealings with an adjacent City Corporation over the past few years I have discovered a similar pattern of 'engagement' & 'consultation' with the public that is really nothing more then fluffy 'window dressing'.
High profile P.R. consultants are hired, (usually by the 'stack-holder' developers who have the contracts long secured with City), to give the illusion that the public has been 'informed' and 'allowed' to participate. It is a total farce. It means nothing and amounts to nothing.
The monies involved, the tax potential, and the binding Contractual legalese are already IN PLACE long before citizens are ever 'invited' or informed. In sum, it's only about ONE Corporation talking to ANOTHER Corporation - with 'public engagement' used as 'window dressing' when citizens become more aware of obvious humanitarian or environmental 'problems' with the evolving 'deal' ...
There is little that is genuinely 'engaging' about these 'consultation' processes. And there is little that individual citizens can really do to effect change or alter 'the course' once these 'deals' are in place.
Yes, periodically citizens do band together, creating their own co-op business entities, hiring lawyers to take either the developers or City, or both, to court. But these procedures are very lengthy and very expensive propositions, (that can just as easily involve Provincial meddling or 'intervention' if City and/or the Developers aren't getting what they want...)
Ironically, it is too often taxpayers monies that supply City Legal with the flown-in BIG GUN 'experts' they need to counter LITTLE GUN 'local' citizen arguments and concerns. I have seen this happen more then once.
At the end of the day, it's ALL about the MONEY. First and foremost. In other words: How much short-term revenue can be generated for City coffers by this 'deal'? That's the bottom-line reality, and, that isn't going to change anytime soon.
As long as Corporations, (profit or non-profit), enjoy greater Rights, Privileges and the Power of the Law on THEIR side in this country, citizens, (together or alone), will always come second. That's just the way it is.
... big sharks, little fish ...
Permalink | Context