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16  Hamilton Ontario City Issues / General City issues / Where are we going...? on: January 15, 2008, 12:38:26 pm
Where are we going...?  Angry

When we seriously take a look at all the major projects that Hamilton has promenaded in the last decade;
Red Hill project, Lister Block, HECFI, Airport Project, City Hall building, is that they have created more
Descent and negative perception of this City. Repeatedly demonstrating this city's inability to negotiate firm
Costs for such projects. Moreover it fails to consider all the environment impacts, including limiting cost
Overruns. These two issues have left the tax payer holding the bag for millions of dollars beyond said project
Costs.

Over the last week I had the opportunity to carouse with some community leaders at large. Their impression
Of Hamilton's City hall, a joke, a comedy of errors. Someone suggested that it would be a great model for
The Canadian air farce in particular when the last stage setting, "The building of Hamilton's City Hall"
Now consider Major spending premised on growth projections to spend $1.6 billion ..though such spending is
Planned to take place over the next decade, but over half is scheduled for the next two years – $191 million in
2008, and $657 million in 2009. If one considers the history of financial accountability the final expenditure by
The end of the decade will be more in line with $2.3 billion. Such calculations are based on the fact that the world
Is changing, prices of raw materials will more than triple that of today's prices. The expected growth rate will never
Sustain expectations. But most importantly is the failure of this city to consider how the world conditions will impact,
In particular transportation, business sustainability in the area, including the general cost of living, basic shelter,
Hydro, heat, and food...these costs could easily triple. The fundamental facts begs the question, Where are the
Jobs sustainability? How many more tax dollars can you squeeze?  Huh

Some have said, Hamilton's failure has always been trying to be something it's not, rather the focusing on it's own
Uniqueness.

Comments welcome!

ham_editor@yahoo.ca



17  Hamilton Ontario City Issues / General City issues / Permits no longer required on: October 15, 2007, 12:23:46 pm
"Peace and Coveyduck said, the city does not allow construction without a building permit......The owners of one of the 12 houses are now suing the city for $500,000, claiming the city's negligence with respect to permits and inspections contributed to the condition of their new home."
http://www.thespec.com/article/183065
Peak oil report delayed for fourth time, The report was ordered by councilors in April 2006, The report from staff was originally due in June 2006, but was delayed a full year to June of this year. On that date it was pushed off to October 15. Now the committee meeting shows another delay – with a new promise of delivery on November 5.
CATCH News – October 14, 2007
With Fifty million less to spend...The budget squeeze imposed by rising debt levels is postponing road reconstruction and other projects.CATCH News – September 12, 2007.
http://www.hamiltoncatch.org/index.php

The list of incompetence goes on and on or perhaps it's just a new reality embedded in  "The more serious issue is carrying out timely inspections by qualified inspectors
as work on a building progresses" Wherein this city building permits are no longer required or only by some. This logic would imply that on any property, anyone could build without a permit provided building standards were met, as a result, according to the City that I could begin to build any building as long as said building codes were met. There being any other conclusion this would place this city in a liability case for discrimination and prejudice.
http://www.thespec.com/article/197942

Is it any wonder this City has fifty million less to spend. When one adds the above to the many other ineffective managements of the day... A month ago a new yellow line was painted down the center of the 2nd Concession in West Flambourgh with a week the city crews began paving. That is not to say this road was not in need, but the
waste of material and time to paint the center line only to have to do it all over again once repairs were completed.

The more things change the more they remain the same...
great management and leadership....

What Vision!

Comments welcome!

ham_editor@yahoo.ca






18  Hamilton Ontario City Issues / General City issues / The future of Hamilton? on: October 06, 2007, 09:47:26 am
The spectators pole
Friday, October, 5, 2007

Do you feel optimistic about the future of Hamilton?

Optimism about the future requires a vision, one that compels anticipation of a forward motion. A sense of direction
That stimulates pride and self-confidence for the future, one that gives hope to the 20% of those living in poverty and
instills a future in the other 10% that are marginalized.

Leadership and jobs are the catalysts, the keys to such a reality and both of these ingredients seem to be absent.
Eisenberger's proposal to turn the down town into a "giant bowling alley." exasperates a epidemic of narrow insight that
Reigns within this City, like children who have not developed beyond themselves and out of boredom find a chalk and
Entertain themselves by marking the pavement to play hopscotch. When the day has ended this cities cries for food and
Shelter, jobs for sustenance, where the row houses are filled while other surrounding sites prosper and Hamilton remains
The bedroom to poverty and fallen debris.

But now we have a new city hall while the streets are in decay as children  Sing, "Here we go round the mulberry bush."
Perhaps we should erect a locked steel gate at the entranced to the city, with a sign the reads, "Les Misérables"


Comments welcome!

ham_editor@yahoo.ca


19  Hamilton Ontario City Issues / Urban and Rural issues / Subsidize Hamilton Farmers? on: September 28, 2007, 11:13:50 am
Subsidize Hamilton Farmers?
The spectators pole
Friday, September 28, 2007

Should the city continue to subsidize Hamilton Farmer’s
Market parking at the York Boulevard parkade, so
drivers can park the first hour free?

The reality is, whether this is truly a farmers market or has it become a resellers market. Perhaps the tradition of this
market fails to meet the need for which it was intended. One of the major considerations that needs to be addressed is
whether this market serves the agriculture community or has it simply become an extension of a common flee market that
focus on the selling of produce. If the latter is more inline with the facts perhaps the city need to reexamine it's feasibility.
Perhaps reflecting on other farmers markets is other areas such as the Kitchener's farmers market. That is it's location,
accessibility to "farmers". The real issue here is not whether parking should be subsidized but whether this market truly
serves to draw local farmers and their produce to this City?

On the grand scheme of the sale of agriculture products over the past decades many farmers in the area have opened up
their own individual markets and or outlets. This should signify to this City that the present Farmers Market is either not
accessible or fails to meet the needs of local farmers by enlarge.

Therefore the question with regards to whether parking should be subsidized is a mute one. Taking everything into consideration
one needs to examine whether the Hamilton farmers market is truly a farmers market or just another grocery store? As a result
subsidizes for parking for such are contradictory with the present perception that they are encouraging or are towards the promotion
of local agriculture products. When in fact such subsidizes are supporting vendors and not the local farmers...

Consequently, such subsidizes are unfair to other grocery outlets within the city and do little in the overall promotion of  local
agriculture product.


What do you think..?
Comments appreciated

ham_editor@yahoo.ca



20  Provincial and Federal issues that effect Hamilton / Canadian Social / Political Issues / Few Solutions to Caledonia on: September 16, 2007, 11:20:21 am
Mohawk chief offers prayers...
http://thespec.metrolandwest.com/article/249099
Provincial Party leaders offer
http://thespec.metrolandwest.com/article/249094
Sept, 15, 2007

Few Solutions to Caledonia


Only ideologies and posturing in the abstract continue to be flaunted as resolutions to a two hundred year
Unresolved conflict. Where the rule of law is painted in shades of gray, where violence and personal property
And the lives of the people in Caledonia have become pawns of rhetoric. What is clear is that no other protest
Would be allowed to escalated to this point.
How far are we away from another, Oct. 13, 1963 when "Pierre Trudeau took to the radio airwaves himself to
Try to reassure jittery Canadians....the tone of the October Crisis changed when the Chenier cell of the FLQ
Announced to a radio station that Pierre Laporte had been murdered for the cause of Quebec independence.
The communique directed reporters to the airport at St.-Hubert, Quebec, where the body of Laporte was found
Stuffed in the trunk of Paul Rose's Chevrolet. He had been strangled."
http://www.crimelibrary.com/terrorists_spies/terrorists/flq/6.html

The flip side is the tragedy erupted with Dudley George at Ipperwash in 1995 where impatience begot transcended
Logic. Both the Tory and Hamption were critical of the McCuinty Liberals in the handling of the land claims dispute,
Suggesting a lack of leader ship, while McGuinty focused the blame on the federal Government. Now, with the
Escalation of Sam Gualtieri suffering serious facial injuries and possible brain injuries when he was assaulted with clubs
Inside his house demonstrates just how far out of control the situation has become.

Where do social liberties end and the rights of a society begin...or do we wait for some tragic outcome before the
Lines of democracy and the rule of law are adhered too? Has our political legal system be come so tarnishes with
Electoral whitewash that it's prepared to violate the rule of law. It's time to set a line of expectations before this
Escalates into a further blood bath. On the other hand it an election year....lets uses this dilemma as a political
Football game, in order to gain some brownie points at the expense of the innocent.

What do you think...?

Send Comments to:
ham_editor@yahoo.ca



21  Hamilton Ontario City Issues / General City issues / Hamilton's fifty Million short on: September 12, 2007, 06:48:27 pm
Fifty Million shortfall

Re-CATCH News – September 12, 2007


Caused by "heavy spending in previous years" The Red Hill project that was to immobilize industrial growth that was supposed
to justify this expenditure, including the millions in overrun costs. Waste management, the wasted distribution of the green containers
to thousands of homes that should have been encouraged to compost, including the distribution of such to farming communities.
These are only a couple of disasters that epitomizes the direction of this City.   Additionally one has to economically examine the cost
of returning to two way traffic in the downtown area, when in fact has added little to nothing and if anything has only created more
frustration. In addition the billions spent on the airport project without insuring a meaningful time line for financial return. Including
the thousands of dollars spent on outside sourcing on ideologies and projects that have never see the light of day, like Oil peak,
and others...A 50 million dollar oversight from previous year suggest that this city's erosion continues in the same direction that
it has for the past decades.  The more things change the more they remain the same...it truly speaks loudly of the increase of
councilors  wages and the comments of our new mayor promise, who stated that this city would be run in a business manner.
Considering this short fall this council and mayor should take a leave of absence without pay, until that can come up with a strategy
that will recover such funds, without raising taxes. Any business that operated in such a fashion would fall into receivership until a
court is satisfied there is a reasonable restructuring plan... One that is satisfactory to the majority of the share holders or find some
new investors.

Where does it end...on the backs of the poor?


What do you think...?

Send Comments to:

ham_editor@yahoo.ca
22  Provincial and Federal issues that effect Hamilton / Canadian Social / Political Issues / Peak oil conflict... on: August 03, 2007, 01:30:53 pm
Peak oil conflict...

http://www.hamiltoncatch.org/archives/articles/art_0611/art_061108peakoil.htm
http://www.hamiltoncatch.org/view_article.php?id=143

The trap...federal governments fat cow...the largest financial tax bite. Billions of dollars flow daily into the
the feds trough, creating one of the largest conflict of interest in our society. A critical dilemma to ween it's
self from such resources even though it's a detriment to long range sustainability to our society as a whole.
The feds are not interested in serious alternatives as they pay lip service to alternatives like supporting
high speed electric trains. To take this a step further in now shares this billion dollar tax grab with the
provincial  and local municipalities imbedding further dependency.

The facts are the city of Hamilton is entrenched in this conflict, on one hand the city required such funding
on the other it creates a political nightmare to advocate any other form of energy usage. The may have an
effect on the total amount of oil consumed, thus decreeing to overall total of funds received based on the 5%
margin allotted by the feds. The same analogy could be made with yesterdays "tobacco"  tax,  20 years
ago the federal government knew of the risks of such but the almighty tax returns were to tempting.
Consequently resulting in the continued support of the tobacco industry, until the death rates and liability
suits over the industry ultimately demanded action.

It should be noted that the feds have always conceded the the oil industry required funds for exploration
of further finds. Perhaps it's time to provide the tax breaks for Oil giants and for them to invest some of
their billions into alternative energy. At the present time the primary focus on energy is directed towards
the consumer higher prices and more taxes, while said industries and governments are pocketing billions.

On one hand governments flaunt that we should conserve, on the other hand they offer little as an alternative
with the exception of buying new efficient auto, dryers, refrigerators, and light bulbs....collecting more tax
dollars....like a shell game the government controls the the pea...always shifting to the responsibility on the
tax payer. How do they do that? Because we play the game and buy into this rhetoric. When in fact our
responsibility it to hold our governments responsible, to act in our best interests and not to satisfy their
political agendas when it does not meet with our best interests...Canadians eh....

What do you think...?


Send Comments to:

ham_editor@yahoo.ca
23  Provincial and Federal issues that effect Hamilton / Canadian Social / Political Issues / Re: Children's Aids out of Control on: June 14, 2007, 02:24:21 pm
Hello everyone.
 
This time I am hoping that we can get in on the comments. The last time the Goble cut off the comment page before we could get anything in. If this happens send your comments to the editor please.
 
This woman who isn't a doctor has now given out her opinion on drugging children but it is just an opinion.
 
The CAS (Children's Aid Society) as well as all foster care agencies across Canada, do use drugs to control children who have been removed from their family homes. Not every child is on drugs as that would be a blanket statement, but even to suggest that drugs and children aren't always a bad mix is something that we can not accept. And a very high percentage of foster kids are put on psychotropic drugs.
 
The "mental health" of children has become a big button for more money. Children who are taken from homes may have been abused, or the social worker thought they were, but whatever, it would be very traumatic to a child. Understanding and care is the first order; not drugs and a quick diagnosis. Children are too often diagnosed ADHD and bingo- out comes a drug for that, then the side effects of that drug start to show and bingo- another drug for that side effect and on and on. Often the child is only "acting out" because he or she was removed from their home and they miss their family.
 
You will see "comments" below the story. I ask that you write your comments, as you will see many have suggested vitamins, minerals, counselling, etc. We need to tell people that children have the right to alternatives to drugs and that these children need competent medical (not psychiatric) help, and above all, they need to be in a safe and loving environment.  Drugs and quick diagnosing are not the answer.
 
We must fight to protect innocent children.
 
Please write your comments and let me know if they were posted.

The Globe and Mail...
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070609.wdrugs09/CommentStory/National/home/#comments

Thank you for your help. We can make a difference, but we need your help to do that.
 
Hilary Hurry

What do you think...?

Send Comments to:

ham_editor@yahoo.ca
24  Provincial and Federal issues that effect Hamilton / Canadian Social / Political Issues / Children's Aids out of Control on: June 11, 2007, 01:07:44 pm
Nearly half of children in Crown care are medicated

Agencies out of control, paramount abusive power without accountability. Icons that
contribute and exasperate the poor in the name of "in the best interest of the children"
like the sacred cow of idolatry. Defiling the minds and souls of the very young flooding
the future generation of  streets kids, a medical nightmare.
Frothing at the mouth whaling on the knees protesting any form of public review to their
practices, protected in political vales these agencies believe the are unaccountable to anyone
though they continue to be supported by the public purse and chartable donations....

By the time they knock your doors down
it will be too late.....you soon discover
you stand alone with a system that is beyond approach...
""A system that refuses to be accountable eventually destroys
its own credibility along with the credibility of all true victims."
   

The Globe and Mail...
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070609.wdrugs09/CommentStory/National/home/#comments


What do you think...?

Send Comments to:

ham_editor@yahoo.ca
25  Hamilton Ontario City Issues / General City issues / The art of deal-making on: February 12, 2007, 04:28:00 pm
Is the art of deal-making
absent at Hamilton city hall?

http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1171234212487&call_pageid=1020420665036&col=1112876262536

Deal makers, deal breakers with integrity sliding under the doors. In 2006 councilor threatened because he changed his mind with regards to the Lister
Block. The King Street East cafe has officially closed. The City knowing full well that nature of this business  “Goodwin laid it all out in meetings with city
staff, local business owners and even the police vice and drugs unit, but was licensed irregardless. The Mayor of the day entwined and charged for
illegally accepting election funds. Here, here now it's 2007 three fired from the licensing department with assurances that this corruption is isolated.

A back room deal to resolve a law suit? Here, here...though city council has already voted on the matter...with a majority vote and now we are back
peddling. This city is approaching the Federal Government knees bent and please. If this City did not have the fortitude to follow through it should have
taken the lower road and sucked it in.  So tell me where is the, "Art of deal making."

Doesn't this make one wonder about every other deal that's flaunted and so called represented as a city need...the Airport development, how HECFI is
handled, including the Lister block...and now that 3% tax increase. Where is the accountability and transparency? A city with the highest poverty rate
and where 32% of the population leave the City daily for employment and we can afford to ban construction of nuclear reactors in the Hamilton area?
Now left with the highest taxes per household in Southwestern Ontario and by the way take a look at the roads around this city...they are starting to
look and feel like cow trails... oh more taxes...and what did I get for my taxes last year...here, here, "a tax bill"




What do you think...?
 
Comments appreciated
ham_editor@yahoo.ca
26  Hamilton Ontario City Issues / General City issues / $75-million on tolls for Hamiltions? on: January 30, 2007, 05:46:29 pm
Collect the $75-million cost of expressway by using limited tolls
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jan 30, 2007)
http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1170111011308&call_pageid=1020420665036&col=1112876262536

"Eisenberger is correct in wanting to give up the $75-million lawsuit against the federal government...
Keep the tolls until the $75 million is collected." Now this is a brilliant idea, playing the shell game.
Turn and twist, move it all about but in the final analysis it is the people of this city that is going
to pay. Perhaps the federal government should give Hamilton an extra cent on every liter of fuel
that it collects from this country, until it's paid. "A cup of coffee?" lets add a donut with that and
maybe the next time the federal government gets into a political scandal it will jump into some
other situation to get some brownie points. We need to remember that the government of the
day was in a quagmire of scandals and the attempt at thumping their issues was perhaps more of
a way to electrify that it stood for something; environmental concerns? I think their track record
speaks louder rhetoric, as apposed to their real concern.


What do you think...?
 
Comments appreciated
ham_editor@yahoo.ca
27  Hamilton Ontario City Issues / General City issues / City staff, running a golf course and... on: January 17, 2007, 10:32:03 am
City staff, running a golf course and...

Re: City staff take swing at sports parks
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/breakingnews/breakingnews_1561695.html

This is a tenuous issue,  to which I will not, at this time, elaborate on many of the downsides
to city staff as management. However,  there is one issue that should be considered as it
will sooner or later, and that's the Winter Sports Park...that's predicted to cost the tax payer
$1.2 million over 10 years for possible enjoyment for Hamilton for 35 days...and that's a maybe.
There comes a time when value and practicality collide. I think it's time to find a better use for
this property that would provide sustainable financial returns to this City; and adding the $1.2
million dollars to a recreational environment to a sustainable activity that would be enjoyed
throughout the year... 

What do you think...?
 
Comments appreciated
ham_editor@yahoo.ca
28  Hamilton Ontario City Issues / General City issues / A multimillion dollars dumped on: January 14, 2007, 06:04:39 pm
A multimillion dollar lawsuit over the Red Hill Expressway...
To be dumped?

Re:Mayor wants to ditch lawsuit 'We need to get this behind us'

Mayor Fred Eisenberger wants to end a lawsuit against the federal government over costly delays to the Red Hill Valley Parkway.
He's lined up nine votes against the lawsuit, versus four supporters and three undecided. It's a reversal of the vote in 2004 when
a slight majority launched the suit.

The Red Hill Valley Parkway is scheduled to open later this year.
Hamilton Spectator File Photo
By Nicole Macintyre
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jan 12, 2007)

http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=1014656316146&c=Article&cid=1168555812612


A slippery slope of trust and accountability speaks loud considering past city council adamantly supported this venue. When one totals
the cost to which befell this City due to the Federal Government, summarized and approximately $37 million dollars the $230,000 already
spent on legal fees seem trite.  It's interesting that the dumping of, what was considered the only recourse, is attributed to. "such as
Brad Clark and Scott Duvall who question the suit's merits."The interesting fallout is that, "Several councilors want to hear from staff before
casting their vote." Considering direction on this issue has already been voted on...?

"Eisenburger says, his reasoning goes beyond the money, to the principal of healing wounds in the community over the controversial roadway." 
What this really means is that he is prepared to dump those additional costs on the local community...A city with the highest taxes, the highest
poverty rate with a downtown falling into rubble...but then he hopes to that tax increases won't serge beyond 3%....with the largest jump is to
be in the out lying areas, Stony Creek and  Flambourgh....and I ponder if he will remember that it was those areas that elected him...There are
times when you have to stand up to the plate and swing...with intent...It's truly time for Hamilton to stand for something.....or when it comes
down to the nitty gritty are we just going to hold out a tin cup and play the beggars role forever...?

What do you think...?
 
Comments appreciated
ham_editor@yahoo.ca

29  Provincial and Federal issues that effect Hamilton / Canadian Social / Political Issues / Quarry growth 'stunning betrayal on: December 08, 2006, 10:09:21 am
Quarry growth "stunning betrayal"

Ontario cabinet OKs
expansion plan for
ecologically significant
greenbelt site

http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1165531812322&call_pageid=1020420665036&col=1014656511815

By Christine Cox
The Hamilton Spectator
MILTON (Dec 8, 2006)

Environmentalists are outraged, is anyone really surprised? From the onset of this re-zoning, "Greenbelt"
has been designed to usurp individual rights, imbedding in province the total authority of excreting it's will
over property without the consent of the individual or of the community. In reality this re-zoning has little
to do with protecting the environment, it's a zoning that allows the Province to play politics with property
that it does not own. To be more direct, the provinces has further imbedded the fact that it is the land Lord
and that no one owns their property, we all have become tenants. Those that esteem to purchase a property
deed have simply become, "Glorified Tenants" with out rights. In fact the "Greenbelt" now violated by the
Ontario government has been nullified....the provincial government is in conflict with it's own bylaws.

What do you think...?

Send Comments to:
ham_editor@yahoo.ca






30  Provincial and Federal issues that effect Hamilton / Canadian Social / Political Issues / Re: Farmer sour over ban on raw milk sales on: December 07, 2006, 01:19:11 pm
Raw Milk / Pasteurized


In a world of high production, where money is the governing factor, the recognition that the intake
of hormones and medicated foods that drive high production of milk in to days world, entwined with
the high stress of dairy cattle society must balance the risk of probability. There is little doubt that
careful husbandry and ideal diets that raw milk could be produced that would meet the high safety
standards. The difficulty, as a society, would be the monitoring of each dairy herd to insure such
a standard. Over the past forty to sixty years the focus of the milk delivery system has been dedicated
to bulk safety that offers a society the optimal safety net to a product that is distributed to millions and
has the potential of having and adverse effect on thousands of lives. Perhaps one need to examine this
with an analogy. The use of condoms and safe sex; for a small percentage that are allergic to latex, the
benefits from it's use are far out weighed, rather than distributing or contacting aids.

The dilemma of choice is always the pragmatic stumbling block of a free society. Are the producers and
sellers of raw milk willing to accept full responsibility for their product, bearing all costs to health, if this
was to occur, including the control and damages should it be found to be the cause of an epidemic?

It is the authors intent as with any issue is to elevate such topics for discussion; the maintenance of democracy
is not acting or reacting in blind faith but rather a re-examination of issues that continually maintains checks
and balance to ensure our freedom of choice is preserved and is shrouded in the common good of all.


What do you think...?

Send Comments to:
ham_editor@yahoo.ca




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