Knowledge is power -how did we do ?

A easy to use  useful interactive tool that  makes comparisons easy for competitive reviews of city or community services.  Objective information , third party administered makes performance benchmarking easier

 New Web Site Graphically Presents the Finances of 130 Municipalities
As of December 3, 2010, the Frontier Centre's living database of municipal financial statistics contains graphically presented data and comparisons of municipal finances. Frontier's David Seymour explains why you cannot have it three ways at once with any business, including Crown corporations.

This is a useful tool to compare results of the communities we live in :

http://www.lgpi.ca./report/ontario/brantford/2009

As we are moving into the new council and new budget process ,maybe this information can be used to do even better . It is our community to grow and together make it prosper .

--

Hollecrest & Associates Inc   -"Turnaround Consultants"  .

Sunridge Lodge  "Back to Eden" quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford  backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group -a positive community affirmative action group that promotes goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant Brantford and Six Nations  

Accountability and leadership: Sieg Holle Councillor for Ward 1 Brantford

Of 11 candidates there is only 1 experienced business MBA in the race.
Sieg Holle BS MBA deserves one of your two votes to make a constructive community difference

The bloodsport election race begins in Brantford

Race for city council positions begins today


Posted By MICHAEL-ALLAN MARION

The returning office at city hall will be a busy place today when three mayoral candidates and some council contenders are expected to file their nomination papers on the first official day of the Oct. 25 municipal election campaign.


Coun. Mark Littell will file his papers for the mayor's race early in the morning, then hold a news conference and reception at his William Street home at 11:30 a.m.



"I'll be laying out some of my platform at that time," the first-term councillor said over the weekend.



"I'm optimistic for the city. I have a strong track record to show for my three years as a councillor, as well as previously in the private sector and leading several volunteer organizations."



Also expected to enter the mayor's race officially this morning is six-term Coun. John Sless.



"I'll just file my papers for now," he said. "My campaign will unfold shortly after that according to a laid-out plan."



Coun. James Calnan also confi rmed on the weekend that he's running for mayor . He expects to bring his papers to city hall today, too, with a formal campaign kickoff to follow shortly.



"We have a lot of issues that we need to either take up or finish in the next four years," he said.



"They include meeting the challenges of the new economy, changes in our population and the needs of the elderly. They will need bold new thinking, and I believe I'm the man for the job."



The three contenders are moving early because they can't raise or spend money on their campaigns until they have filed their papers.



Former councillor and builder Mike Quattrociocchi declared his intention to seek the top job months ago. But he said on the weekend that he would wait till March to file his papers and comment publicly.



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"I'm going to finish my development on Grand River Avenue first," he said of a controversial housing division he has been building in stages.



It is widely speculated that Mayor Mike Hancock won't run again after two terms in the chair, but he is facing entreaties from several quarters -including among the ranks of council -to consider a third run.



"I'd like him to stay on because he's been a very good mayor, but we shouldn't push him because he deserves to take it easy if he wants after all his hard work over the years," Coun. Richard Carpenter said of Hancock who, by the end of this term, will have spent 22 years in office, including 15 as councillor.



"I think Mike has been one of the most honourable politicians I have ever met."



Hancock himself is sticking to his position that he will make up his mind and announce his intentions when he is ready.



Meanwhile, voters can expect a multitude of fresh advocacy voices, some return forays and more female candidates in the council seat races, in what is expected to be a hotly contested election, ward by ward.



Here's a quick roundup of the early candidates and touted contenders:



WARD 1



Seats in this ward could be keenly contested, because both incumbents will vacate them - Littell's due to his mayoral run, and Jennifer Kinneman's due to her decision not to run again.



"I have enjoyed this time, and I feel good about the groundwork that has been laid," Kinneman said.



But she came to the conclusion that it would not be possible to pursue a busy professional career, raise two small children and be a full-time councillor in what is still considered a part-time position, and do all three well.



"So I have decided with a heavy heart not to run again."



Mary Ellen Kaye, a teacher, environmental advocate and early champion of a waterfront master plan, says she will file her papers today.



"It's going to take a long time to knock on all the doors in my ward, so I need to get started early," said Kaye.



"When I first began years ago to advocate for things at city hall, I was looking for someone I could endorse in my ward, but it didn't happen. So I decided I'd have to run myself."



Larry Kings, a retired businessman and former two-term councillor, is also joining the ward race after finishing a stint as chairman of the city's police services board.



He said he expects to file his papers within the next week.



WARD 2



Sless's mayoral run will create one open seat, but the other incumbent, Coun. Vince Bucci, has confirmed that he is running again for a fifth term.



"I enjoy being on council and I believe I have a good record advocating on behalf of my constituents," he said. "I believe I'm making a contribution and council needs some members with experience."



Richard Wright, a businessman and lecturer, is known to be contemplating a second run in the ward, after a first unsuccessful one in the 2006 election. But he has not made a formal decision.



WARD 3



Both incumbent councillors, Greg Martin and Dan McCreary, will seek reelection.



"There is still a lot of work that needs to be done on brownfields, the landfill gas power generation project and in keeping city finances under control," said Martin, chairman of the finance committee.



"The biggest challenge ahead of us is fixing the financial mess this council has created," said McCreary. "We need to learn the meaning of the word 'No.'"



A strong challenge could come from Debi Dignan-Rumble, an administrator of numerous social agencies over the years, including her current position as program co-ordinator of the Adult Recreation Therapy Centre.



With her terms on the police services board and the community advisory committee on disability issues ending this year, "my plate is clearing, but I'm not fully decided yet," she said.



"I'm closer than I was a few months ago."



WARD 4



Calnan's decision to run for mayor will create an opening in one seat.



Former councillor Dave Wrobel says he will attempt a return and will file his papers this week. He earlier served for one complete term and most of another until he was forced to resign in 2006 for health reasons.



"I believe there's an opportunity to bring grace, integrity and teamwork back to the council table," he said.



Meanwhile, five-term incumbent Carpenter says he wants to run again.



"I enjoy working for my constituents," he said. "I'm one of those councillors who still believes my job is to work for them. If they'll have me again, I'll be happy to serve."



WARD 5



Coun. Marguerite Ceschi-Smith will seek a sixth term in her seat, rather than take up calls from many quarters to run for mayor.



"I am gratified to have received so many calls and offers of support, but I believe I should continue to concentrate my efforts on the Greenwich-Mohawk brownfield project and the waterfront master plan we're working on," she said. "Both are so important to the future of our community."



Coun. John Bradford has not announced whether he will run for a second term. He was unavailable for comment.



Political columnist and political affairs broadcaster Tim Philp acknowledges that he has been under "intense pressure" for some time to run for council in Ward 5, where he ran unsuccessfully in the 2000 election.



"I'm happy with what I'm doing as a columnist," he said. "I believe that I play a positive role in the community in my present position, but at this point I have not made a decision."

[FAIR Newsletter] DFAIT truth-teller at risk; Advice for Integrity Commissioner; White collar crime

Protecting the public interest

DFAIT truth-teller at risk; Advice for Integrity Commissioner; White collar crime Another courageous DFAIT truth-teller at risk? The Military Police Complaints Commission (MPCC) was formed after the shameful events that took place in Somalia in 1993, when Canadian soldiers taking part in a humanitarian mission beat to death a Somali teenager. A CBC reporter was given altered documents, leading to allegations of a cover-up, and an inquiry that was uncovering serious problems with the leadership of the mission was abruptly cut short by the government. Now Canada's military, diplomats and politicians are again coming under intense scrutiny, this time regarding Canada's possible complicity in torture in Afghanistan. The MPCC launched an investigation in February 2007 but has encountered numerous roadblocks created by the government and the Justice Department. The government has not handed over a single requested document for over a year, and the Justice Department lawyer is alleged to have intimidated into silence 21 out of 22 public servants subpoenaed by the inquiry – they have refused to testify. The exception is Richard Colvin, a senior diplomat posted in Afghanistan who since May 2006 repeatedly raised serious concerns about the handover of prisoners to Afghan police. His 16-page affidavit was unsealed on October 14. Now Colvin's testimony is likely to be heard, but his great courage in coming forward surely puts him at serious risk for reprisals. He is  undoubtedly aware of the fate of another DFAIT truth-teller, Joanna Gualtieri, who exposed something much less serious: wasteful extravagance and mismanagement of accommodations for diplomats abroad. In Ms. Gualtieri's case, not only did the department succeed in getting rid of her, but when she sued her bosses for harassment, Justice Department lawyers stepped in, dreaming up more than 10,500 questions to put to her. Incredibly, her case is now in its twelfth year with no end in sight. We will be following Richard Colvin's case and watching closely for any indications of reprisals. Read more about Richard Colvin...  and Joanna Gualtieri... Advice to the Integrity Commissioner This week's Hill Times contains a full-page article by David Hutton and David Kilgour, that offers guidance to the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner, Christiane Ouimet. FAIR proposes five steps that the Commissioner should take immediately to help restore the credibility and relevance of her office. Read full text of article... White collar crime: a problem not just for Quebec but for Canada A Quebec whistleblower claims that 80% of govenment road contracts are controlled by the mafia, while costs are 35% higher than the rest of the country. Commenting on these allegations, Antonio Nicaso, an expert in organized crime, observes that no Canadian government has ever shown a desire to look into "this grey area where criminals, politicians and businessmen get together for different reasons... I don't think in Canada there is political will or commitment to fight organized crime," Nicaso said. Read articles about white collar crime...  and organized crime... David Hutton Executive Director http://fairwhistleblower.ca/simplenews/statistics/click?nid=302&mail=holcrest@worldchat.com&url=http://fairwhistleblower.ca Federal Accountability Initiative for Reform (FAIR) promotes integrity and accountability within government by empowering employees to speak out without fear of reprisal when they encounter wrongdoing. Our aim is to support legislation and management practices that will provide effective protection for whistleblowers and hence occupational free speech in the workplace. FAIR is a registered Canadian charity. Unsubscribe from this newsletter

--


backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
http://www.backtoeden.bravehost.com/
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -quality 24/7 care

Ontario's New tax hike

Nothing is as it seems -doing something about it counts -enough is enough   

pass it on- awareness is the beginning of real accountability 

  You are about to become the victim of the largest tax hike in our 
        history. How will this affect you? Let?s start with just a few things
        that are to be charged the extra 8% and see if it will affect you or
        your family.

-----

 Ontario's new tax hike

        As a concerned taxpayer I feel it is important to have you all
        understand what the new HST or "blended tax?"means to Ontarians. It
        amazes me that this announcement has slipped by without a ripple, and
        yet when I tell people about the impact to them they are all shocked.

        The intended purpose is to blend the GST and the PST into one tax.This
        will cut down the paperwork burden for Ontario businesses and, in
        theory, lessen staff by merging both departments. This could be a noble
        attempt to cut costs. There is just one problem. Rather than just
        blending the products and services that now charge both taxes, the
        provincial government has decided that it will apply this new tax to
        almost all goods and services that you do not pay PST on now!

        You are about to become the victim of the largest tax hike in our 
        history. How will this affect you? Let?s start with just a few things
        that are to be charged the extra 8% and see if it will affect you or
        your family.

        Gasoline
        Home heating fuel
        Water
        Hydro
        Used cars
        Government and city services
        Any service you now use for your home or business such as repairs,
        professional services of any kind, construction materials etc.
        
        These are just a few.

        See this article about how the 1000.00 BRIBE they are offering will not
        even cover ½ of the increased cost to the average family. This tax hits
        Ontarians hard, but ESPECIALLY the low income ones! They will have an 8%
        increase in everyday life, and yet you will not see their benefits or
        salaries rise.

        http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/269917


        Actually almost everything currently without PST in your life except
        children's clothing, prescriptions, diapers, and feminine hygiene
        products will now cost you 8% more. Oh and here is a kicker. The fuel
        tax will slide with the increasing cost of that fuel.

        Our premier is counting on taxpayers to do what they always do when a
        new tax is added. Nothing! It is very important that you start to
        research and discuss this with your friends and family. It is not too
        late to stop this if you are willing to do something as send an email to
        the premier asking him either to a) stop the tax grab all together or b)
        do what was originally intended and blend the tax on the products that
        now have both taxes and not to extend the new tax to everything else. If
        you just sit there remember you lose the right to complain about taxes
        ever again. Get UP and start telling everyone about this injustice and
        we can stop this today. Don't think your email will not count. Most MP's
        get 10 emails, they consider it a catastrophe!

        Send your objection to:


        www.premier.gov.on.ca/feedback/feedback.asp
        <http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/feedback/feedback.asp

Today, smack dab in the middle of a tsunami of horrible economic news, the Ontario provincial Liberal government has introduced what many will see as a massive tax grab, just when we all can least afford it.

On Canada Day, July 1st, 2010, Ontarians can not only celebrate the birth of their nation, they can also celebrate a new harmonized sales tax system that will pump up the coffers of our provincial government and empty out the pockets of taxpayers. 

But don't worry people ... we have elected a compassionate and magnanimous crew down at Queen's Park. They've announced that over a two year period, you'll be receiving three rebate cheques that will total $1,000 as a hand up from your elected officials to help offset the costs you "might" incur due to the sales tax harmonization. 

What, pray tell, might those extra costs that you "might" incur be on? That KFC Wrapper you pick up for lunch; your morning cup 'o joe at Timmy's; that newspaper you read; that vet bill you willingly pay for your beloved pet; your prescription drugs; the gas you put in your car; the oil or gas you have delivered to your home to keep you and your family warm; etc. etc. 

$166 a year to drink coffee and eat snacks at work; 
$156 a year to drive your car; 
$72 a year extra to heat your home; 
$55 a year to get your hair cut, go out and see a movie and send your clothes to the cleaners; 
$33 a year to read The Star; 
$50 a year to to prevent pregnancy (The Pill); 

These are but a few that I've worked out as a starting point. As you can see, in year 1, we're already over $500 (remember the bribe the Liberals are giving us, that $1,000 rebate cheque spread over two years). As I said, this is only just a starting point and I've used very conservative figures like $20 a month for haircuts, $20 a month for dry cleaning and $10 a month for movies. 

Thinking about selling your home? Add about $2,000 to your closing costs. 

Thinking about buying a new one? In 2008, the Toronto Real Estate Board said that the average house price was about $404,000. If you were thinking about buying a newly built home for about that much (by the way, best of luck finding one for that price!) you would pay an additional $8,000 in taxes. If you had the gall to up the ante and buy a brand spanking new home for $500,000, instead of it costing you $500K that brand new home would cost you $540,000. In other words, you'd have to pay the full 8% PST, or an additional $40,000. 

So tell me, why aren't you bowing down and scrapping your forehead off the floor at the feet of Dalton McGuinty et al thanking them so much for that extra $1,000 rebate cheque (which, by the way also is only for the first two years after implementation, after that its all gravy for the government)? I know my forehead will be clean, and come Oct. 2011 when the next provincial government election happens, I will remember this and remind as many other Ontario voters as I can, thank you very much.

This opinion article was written by an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not necessarily intended to reflect those of DigitalJournal.com:

Arbitrary Tax mistakes

This is a CBC investigative report that is disturbing and needs redress by all Canadians pr

Part 2: Tax Mistake - Couple

For 13 years now, Irvin Leroux has gone back and forth with the Canadian Government in a bitter fight over his taxes. The Canada Revenue Agency insisted he owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes. Irvin Leroux disagreed. So he fought ...and fought. But as the battle continued, his bill got bigger, climbing to one-million-dollars in back taxes, penalties and interest.

The story begins back in 1992. Mr. Leroux developed some land he owned in Valemount, British Columbia. He removed trees, sold the timber ... created lots for a subdivision and built an R-V park. The plan was that the business would support him and his wife, Jill Moore, in their retirement.

But the couple's never-ending fight over taxes ruined those plans. And even though the Canada Revenue Agency eventually admitted it made a mistake, the battle isn't over. Irvin Leroux and Jill Moore joined Anna Maria from Vancouver.


Listen to Part Two: Click link to hear radio interview


Part 3: Tax Mistake - Reporter

In our last half-hour, we spoke to Irvin Leroux and his wife Jill Moore. They walked us through the last 13 years of their life and their battle with the Canada Revenue Agency. It began with an audit in 1996 that found that Mr. Leroux owed $50,000 dollars. Five more audits and ten years later, the bill stood at a million dollars.

Eventually, the Canada Revenue Agency admitted it had made a mistake. But in the process, Mr. Leroux lost his business, his home and his savings. He and his wife are still fighting for compensation.

The CBC's Kathy Tomlinson has been investigating the couple's story

Tax Action: 22 Years of Pork

Little wonder the federal government is borrowing $93-million a day. Through extensive research, the CTF brings public exposure to unnecessary spending. Until expenditures like these are curtailed, the federal government will never balance its books.

CONTACT YOUR MP!
It’s time to end political slush funds. www.taxpayer.com
Incredibly, Prime Minister Harper — once a staunch critic of regional development funds agencies — has committed to creating two more — one for Northern Canada and for Southern Ontario. That would bring to six the number of regional development agencies. Please join us in calling for the elimination of regional development agencies in favour of broad-based tax relief.Mail, call, or e-mail your MP to demand governments prioritize their spending.

CTF-is one of the original accountaility groups -worth a look Pr

Looking for a few good men and women -the governance process

golden opportunity Posted By BRUCE CORCORAN

Chatham-Kent is looking for a few good men and women. Six to be exact.

Hopefully the decision process will be a nightmare, for all the right reasons.

The municipality is seeking six Chatham-Kent residents to form a governance task force to help with the corporate review process.

Think of it, these six lucky individuals will have a say in how to improve how the municipality operates. From ward boundaries to the size of council, this task force will have a say, but subject to council's ultimate approval, however.

Judging by how many people take issue with the day-to-day operations, from tree cutting on streets such as Victoria Avenue in Chatham, to the equipment supplied to councillors and top administrators, to the condition of our roads and bridges, plus a host of other areas, including our property taxes, thousands of Chatham-Kent residents will be signing up to have their say.

That would be wonderful, albeit a nightmare for Chatham-Kent administration personnel who will be tasked to sift through the list of applicants for the volunteer positions.

What shouldn't occur is a light list of people interested in the position. So many people have spoken up over the years, either by letters to the editor, open protest, by delegation to council, or in countless coffee shops across the municipality, it's time to put up or shut up.

How the six positions will be formed -- and ultimately council would like to see one from each ward -- is somewhat flawed, but not much can be done about it. Administration will choose the volunteers through a blind or anonymous process.

This isn't as simple as picking bingo numbers. Qualifications must be examined, and the best people picked for the task force. Unfortunately, even with names deleted from the process, the qualifications and backgrounds listed could very well give away the identities of many potential candidates. This isn't Toronto and its massive population; this is Chatham-Kent, municipality of 106,000. And when breaking down into wards, the population pools shrink even further.

As a result, it's possible past history with a nameless but obvious applicant could cloud administration's judgment. But there isn't much that can be done to get around this, other than to trust in the selection process.

Despite facing the potential hurdle of being known to administrative personnel making the selections and the reality council has the final say on any recommendations made by the task force, the opportunity to provide such important input should be too great a draw to avoid for our outspoken citizens. If you care about your community and think you know of ways to improve how the folks at the Civic Centre run things, get involved; apply.


Forms must be submitted by April 30. For more information, call Dawna Urquhart at 519-352-8401, ext. 3011, or e-mail CKcao@chatham-kent.ca.

"The natives are getting restless and want to be more involved in the spending-governance . Getting them involved in the process makes sense -and more eyes on the ball can only help the public accountability and governance process . This is a model that should be endorsed in every community by the Taxpayers " PR

Trustee arrogance

"This is arrogance to deny the public their public right to information and choice for their children " PR

Public trustees oppose website Posted By ELLWOOD SHREVE, THE DAILY NEWS

A new school finding tool on the education ministry website has prompted the Lambton Kent District School Board to state its disapproval in writing.

Trustees voted unanimously to send a letter to the ministry and premier stating their opposition to the website that provides demographic information such as the number of special needs students, education level of parents as well as income levels, and number of immigrants. The site also compares scores on the Education Quality Accountability Office (EQAO) testing.

Chatham Trustee David Goldsmith raised the issue, stating: "I see potential havoc coming."

He is worried what impact this could have on transportation and school boundaries if parents decide to try to shop around for a school.

Sarnia Trustee Paul Millman said the website has "stigmatized our students . . . it's not right."

Gayle Stucke, LKDSB director of education, said the website "was deliberately set up to shop" for schools.

She said there was an indication the site was being created, but "there was never any understanding that it would be to this degree."

She noted all of the information is available in the public domain, but added, "it is the comparator factor that is of particular concern."

Stucke said it has long been the LKDSB's position that "there's been nothing to be gained by rating and comparing schools."

She added comparing data is only valuable in terms of helping to find ways for a school to improve.

Why not slice number of city councillors in half?

Why not slice number of city councillors in half?


RE: Who's looking out for the taxpayer

Mr. Philp's article and proposal of having an auditor-general is a very interesting one. In these difficult times, both private and public sectors have had hiring freezes and downsizing. While we hear of endless studies regarding committees and proposals, the city should definitely study the justification of having two councillors per ward in a city the size of Brantford. There are endless examples of larger cities that have a single councillor responsible for larger wards and a greater number of residents.

A single councillor per ward, with the mayor would equal six votes on council; in order to break a tie, the candidate with the most votes that did not get elected could be installed as an at-large member. An increase in responsibilities, pay and a part-time staffer would attract and keep the good and popular councillors and attract a new type of candidate and instil a greater sense of commitment to one's ward.

In the last five years, two ward-mates thought so little of their commitment to council that they ran (unsuccessfully) for higher office after being elected with a mandate in Ward 3. Another interesting note is the fact that in the 2006 election, the three councillors who received the most votes in the city beat their current ward-mates by an average of 1,316 votes.

Brantford residents would no longer have to call two councillors for services or concerns and city workers would no longer have to deal with two sets of phone calls or e-mails for a single problem. This would produce a more efficient council with shorter meetings, less speeches and save trees due to the decrease in paperwork.

It would also save taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars in the long run. Like Mr. Philp, I am not optimistic of a city council taking this seriously, but would be interested in the results of a poll or study of popular opinion on this proposal.

Jorge Gomez Brantford

An interesting assessment of improving the effectiveness of our cities spending habits. I agree with the need and am a proponent of the auditor general function as suggested by Tim Philips. The suggestion that the elected members or councillors be reduced in the name of effeciency by Mr. Gomez needs reviewing and is counter intuitive to the taxpayers interest.

The councillors are our public watchdogs, and attempt to the best of their ability and time resources to ensure that the non-elected and highly paid administrators and staff spend our money wisely and according to agreed to plans. They are our oversight group and can be removed by public vote if they are not effective. If we removed just one of the 100K club administators , we could increase this oversight group by a factor of 5, and increase the
potential public accountability factor . More eyes on the tax spending ball ,not less public eyes, seems to make sense. Pr

Put the Breaks on Big Auto Bailouts

We are a non-partisan citizens' group dedicated to lower taxes, less waste and accountable government.

Driving Taxpayers off the Cliff:NoBailouts.ca Launched to Put the Brakes on Big Auto Bailouts

As both US and Canadian governments ramp up handouts to Big Auto, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has launched an online petition at http://www.nobailouts.ca/.

In addition to the $782-million received by the big three automakers in Canada from federal and provincial governments over the past five years, GM and Chrysler will now receive an additional $4-billion in “short-term loans," $185-million to back new car warranties and a further $700-million to support the auto parts industry. Is this how politicians think we want our taxes spent?With the strong prospect of another $6-billion being readied to pour down the proverbial tank, it’s time for taxpayers to slam on the brakes. Don’t let big unions and big corporations get away with this.Your financial support allows us to slam the breaks on wasteful government spending and other issues important to taxpayers.

Public opinion polls show a majority of Canadians oppose these costly, bottomless handouts. It’s time politicians hear from the taxpayers paying the bills, and not from special interests feeding at the trough. One angry taxpayer may not be heard, but tens-of-thousands of bailout-paying citizens speaking with one voice cannot be ignored. The CTF is already leading the charge -- earning headlines from coast-to-coast in opposition to auto bailouts.

Sign our petition at http://www.nobailouts.ca/ and forward it onto everyone you know! Your friends, family and co-workers all pay taxes. Let’s get the attention of our politicians.

I agree -think about all the other things we could do with our money- PR

$100K earners double - Brantford Expositor - Ontario, CA

This is ridiculous -have your services increased by a 100% -another first for Brantord on the negative side of the performance sheet- lets do something about it- to be continued" PR


$100K earners double
EXTRA! Local list of top pay-getters grows to nearly 300 names Posted By SUSAN GAMBLE, EXPOSITOR STAFF

Brantford blew past the provincial increase in the $100,000 Club by doubling the number of names on the list of well-paid public servants.
$100,000 club:Check out the complete local list onPage A7
This year's list of 53,572 names, culled from ministries, municipalities and provincially funded organizations across the province, is up 28% from the previous year

But, in Brantford, the number leapt to 298 names from 146 -- a 104% increase.

As usual, the man in charge of the emergency room at the Brantford General Hospital was the top earner on the city's list.
Dr. Gene Jarrell drew $404,309 in 2008. He was joined by other emergency room physicians Dr. Eric Irvine at $284,022, Dr. Anna Jocic at $260,882, Dr. Andrea Unger at $181,269 and Dr. Brian Colborne at $147,302.
Five registered nurses made the list this year, while retiring hospital president and CEO Rick Woodcock made $223,040 and his vice-president, Joseph Buller, drew a $181,959 salary.
"With nurses moving onto the list, that's definitely a change, but they're on pay grids and as you move along with experience you increase your remuneration," said BGH spokesman Gary Chalk.
For hospital managers, Chalk noted that responsibilities have dramatically increased over the last five years.
"A 40-hour work week is nonexistent and managers don't get overtime," he said. "We often find it almost impossible to use vacation time before you lose it from year to year and we're dealing with issues that are certainly significant."
Top-earner Jarrell is more than welcome to his salary, said Chalk, since he all but lives in the hospital's emergency department.

"When I'm on my deathbed, give me Gene Jarrell," said Chalk. "Many times he's responsible for 30 patients all at the same time and he takes that responsibility seriously. Combine that responsibility with his long hours and you see he earns the money."
Chalk said that Woodcock, who retired in 2008, was hired back on a contract basis until the end of 2009 to give the board more time to conduct a search for a new president. Some of Woodcock's remuneration reflects his salary, vacation bank and retirement payout.

In 2007, there were 20 workers on the list from the hospital, while last year there were 28.
City workers on the list doubled to 69 from 35.

Much of that is attributed to arbitration settlements for police officers and firefighters.
In fact, it pays to be in law and order:
There are 16 city police sergeants, inspectors and managers on the list and 28 employees with the fire department.
Police Chief Derek McElveny earned $171,040, while his deputy chief, Jeff Kellner, brought in $159,375.
At the fire department, fire chief Garth Dix earned $129,566, while his platoon chiefs made between $107,000 and $112,000.

Over at the courthouse, four provincial judges got a 15% boost with a raise to $264,368.
Crown attorney Bob Kindon's income almost hit $200,000 last year, while the assistant Crown attorneys earned between $125,000 and $161,000.

Ten OPP workers are on the list -- almost the same number as last year but with few of the same people.
Commander David Durant's $123,636 salary was surpassed by Const. Kevin York's $142,847.
Much of the burgeoning list is due to salary increases at both local boards of education.
With 33 principals joining the list for the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board, their list soared to 42 from eight..

"An increase in salaries caused people to exceed the $100,000 limit," said Wally Easton, association director for the Brant Haldimand-Norfolk Catholic District School Board.
Easton said one thing that helped tip several salaries onto the list was that, through a quirk of the calendar, there were 27 pay packages in 2008 instead of the normal 26.
"The salary disclosure legislation is based on your T4 salary, not necessarily the annual salary that a person gets."
The Grand Erie District School board's list also jumped substantially, to 86 from 31, welcoming 56 principals and vice-principals to the list.
There was a substantial drop in the remuneration for the executive director of the Brant Children's Aid Society. Andrew Koster's salary was listed last year at $166,615 but dropped to $139,500.
At Laurier Brantford, new president Max Blouw earned $362,093 compared to outgoing president Robert Rosehart's $366,711 the previous year and three local faculty members moved onto the list.
Similarly, at Mohawk College, five faculty members moved onto the list.

With the establishment in Brantford of the health integration network for this area of Southern Ontario, five new positions were added to the list, including CEO Pat Mandy, earning $279,453.

At the Brantford casino, a new manager moved into place, but just three employees are on the list.

The full salary disclosure list -- which can be found at www.tinyurl.com/d494ez-- looks at all those substantially funded by the taxpayer, amounting to about a million workers.

About 6% of them make the $100,000 list.

Auditor general has lots of praise - Brantford Expositor - Ontario, CA

We need more public oversight to get value for our money PR

Auditor general has lots of praise

Posted By GREG WESTON Posted 1 day ago

The cavernous hall in the federal conference centre was full of long faces yesterday as reporters digested the auditor general's report on government waste and ineptitude.

Sheila Fraser's latest tales from the trough are actually updated progress reports on several federal agencies outed as delinquents in previous audits.

As usual, there were a few horror stories, such as the mind-numbing perennial revelation mobsters and drug-traffickers are slipping through federal security screening and getting jobs in the most sensitive areas of Canada's airports.

But what put frowns on the faces of so many journalists pondering Fraser's handiwork earlier this week was a phenomenon we get to report all too infrequently.

A majority of the sample departments Fraser checked had significantly cleaned up their act.

The auditor general gave thumbs-up, for instance, to an overhaul at Passport Canada after the agency all but came apart at the seams two years ago.

Fraser had previously warned the agency wasn't prepared for new American security rules in 2007 that made passports mandatory to enter the U. S. by air.

Sure enough, the agency was caught with its service down when more than 500,000 Canadians applied for passports in the first month after the U. S. regulations came into effect.

The result was a Canadian traveller's nightmare of day-long lineups at the passport office, processing times of more than a month, and in many cases, cancelled vacations and other trips.

The next big rush is already starting as the U. S. prepares to extend its passport requirements to Canadians crossing the border by land or sea, starting this June.

But this time, Fraser says, the passport office seems far better prepared for the onslaught.

"We are pleased at the extensive action Passport Canada has taken to fix the problems it had, and to be better prepared this time," Fraser said this week.

She lauded the agency for having "put a lot of effort" into making life better for consumers, including an exhaustive PR campaign to encourage Canadians not to wait until the last minute to get a passport.

Fraser cautions only "time will tell" if Canadians are smart enough to heed the advice.

The auditor general also had good things to say about Indian and Northern Affairs, a department that rarely gets to the bureaucratic podium.

Fraser lauded the department for a 42% increase in transferring treaty lands owed to First Nations communities in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Aside from the ongoing security fiasco at the nation's airports, Fraser even had some positive things to report on national policing and intelligence.

Good thing.

The last time she checked, in 2004, border watch lists for suspected terrorists and other criminals were full of errors and omissions, and didn't even include a roster of stolen passports.

While problems remain, Fraser gives the various policing and border agencies good grades for improving the reliability of the watch lists.

Fraser's report also included two chapters from her environmental counterpart, Scott Vaughan, who gave gold stars to both the federal environment and health departments.

He said Health Canada had updated drinking water standards that had not changed in more than 15 years, and the environment department had managed to produce a meaningful air pollution index.

All of which may leave ordinary Canadians wondering why it takes a mauling by the auditor general to achieve such seemingly basic levels of service.

But for now, at least, Fraser's dearth of news for reporters was good news for taxpayers.

GST/PST harmonization hides tax grab

Ontario Budget 2009: GST/PST harmonization hides tax grab

People planning how they will spend their $1000 cheque from the provincial government will have to think twice. First not everyone gets the $1000. Families with 2 or more people, this includes single parents, will get the $1000. Single people, including those 65plus, only get $300 – and it’s spread over 3 payments.


The cut-off is $166,600 for families and $82,000 for singles – those with incomes above these amounts will not receive the transitional payments.


These payments were meant to soften the blow from the increase in Retail Sales Taxes due to the new combined tax now applying to goods and services that were not taxable provincially before harmonization. Based on government analysis of consumption patterns, people could be paying from $185 to $1000 more in sales taxes due to this change. The budget papers say that even after the $300/$1000 one time only payments have stopped, taxpayers will still be ahead but that depends on believing that businesses that stand to gain the most from this change will pass their savings through to consumers.


One huge flaw in this analysis is that some products like home heating oil- which is a major expense for most families, especially older Canadians, - is not much subject to competitive pressures.


Instead of exempting essential products like home heating fuel, the government is leaving it to taxpayers to pressure businesses to pass through their savings. Increasing sales taxes is no way to stimulate consumer spending and it in fact hurts most those who have no choice but to spend on necessities.
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce [OCC] was clearly delighted with being able to convince the Province to harmonize the sales taxes, calling it the “biggest single stimulus for the Ontario economy”. At Queen’s Park after the Budget speech, CARP caught up with Len Crispino, President and CEO of the OCC and asked him how this would help the single person who only gets $300 one time only but is faced with a permanent 8% increase in their home heating costs. His answer was that the improved economy would help everybody.


CARP asked Mike Colle MPP to champion the cause of people hit with the new taxes. While he was not necessarily prepared to call for an exemption for home heating fuel, he was willing to lead the charge to encourage businesses who gain from harmonization to pass those savings along to consumers. Since he is the Chief Government Whip, perhaps he can get his caucus colleagues to echo that message as well.


CARP could not get a straight answer from anyone in the lock up about whether mutual funds would now be subject to provincial sales tax but if they are, it would be one more blow for people whose retirement savings have already been hammered.

Customer King - good news -bad news

Residents rally around ER

By TREVOR TERFLOTH, THE DAILY NEWS

The good news is that the people a thousand of them- will save their hospital and are tired of listening to the MOH -LHIN piffle.
"He didn't mince words about the lengths he was willing to go to prevent a possible ER closure.
"I'm prepared to take legal action to put an injunction against it," Gilbert said.

The chief said if the CKHA and LHIN can't manage the Wallaceburg facility, they should "give it back to people who can."

Wesley said there is a high demand for the Sydenham campus and believes it is desperately needed to take pressure off the Chatham facility. See http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1499748

The bad news is that the government is going to legislate energy requirements. Smitherman the former czar of health ie the LHIN creator is now going to attempt to solve the energy challenge in the same autocratic way - ie increase taxes, build an unaccountable bureuracray , and restrict competitive market choices - teaching this challenged Czar is only possible through citizen action and those with intellect to ask the right questions and see through the propaganda and mi's -information PR 

,

-----------------------------------------------SOS

Participants in last night's forum were in no mood to answer a questionnaire about their emergency department.

More than 1,000 people attended a community meeting at Wallaceburg District Secondary School to discuss the future of the ER at the Chatham- Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) Sydenham campus.

While the Erie St. Clair Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) had arranged for electronic voting technology to gather input, many in the crowd walked to the front to drop off their clicker devices.

In a report earlier this year, the Hay Group gave several recommendations, including converting Sydenham campus into an urgent-care centre.

The LHIN board is to make a decision in June.

Save Our Sydenham (SOS) chairman Jeff Wesley gave an address, as did Walpole Island Chief Joseph Gilbert, and both received a standing ovation as they entered the gymnasium.

Gilbert said he and his community fully support Wallaceburg citizens in their fight.

He didn't mince words about the lengths he was willing to go to prevent a possible ER closure.

"I'm prepared to take legal action to put an injunction against it," Gilbert said.

The chief said if the CKHA and LHIN can't manage the Wallaceburg facility, they should "give it back to people who can."

Wesley said there is a high demand for the Sydenham campus and believes it is desperately needed to take pressure off the Chatham facility.

"We are not a low-volume hospital," he said. "Quit repeating this."

Wesley said if the CKHA wants to cut costs it should begin at the administrative level.

Hospital CEO Ken Tremblay was not in attendance yesterday.

LHIN CEO Gary Switzer said he understood the emotions the community was feeling.

---------------------------------Energy

Ron Anderson, with Chatham-Kent's economic development department, said, "that's the way it has to happen. It has to become law or (companies) search the world for these products.

"It's going to help the municipality at a time it's needed, right now," he added.

Jacques Gauthier, senior vice-president and chief operating officer with Kruger Energy, sees a benefit for having domestic content rules.

"If, in fact, the government puts a little pressure on the suppliers to install some facilities here in Ontario . . . it could be savings for everybody and it's a good idea," he said.

Gauthier said a company such as Siemens has a lot of facilities in Europe, but nothing in Canada, because wind energy is a relatively new industry here.

Chatham-Kent Essex MPP Pat Hoy, who hosted Smitherman during his visit, said, "Chatham-Kent is way ahead of the wave on this and they're to be commended."

He said the minister will make the changes to require investment here which "will be to the benefit of this whole region and, indeed, Ontario."

When asked if the province has a target for the amount of wind power it wants to see developed in the province, Smitherman said a number is not being put out there because "a target is a cap in my opinion."

Instead, he said the message being sent to investors is that Ontario seeks to be "a world leader in green, renewable energy."

Smitherman said he will move forward soon with a directive that will give guidance about where investments need to occur in transmission.

"This will give us some sense of the capacity that we're seeking to create and will help to flesh out those opportunities."

The act will also see the province take a more active role in deciding where renewable energy projects can be developed in Ontario.

Smitherman said the government has noticed several municipalities have struggled with such issues as determining appropriate setbacks for wind turbines.

He said the government will create a law that provide clear guidance "so that we don't have a patchwork quilt, but we have one circumstance for all of Ontario."

The guidelines will be defined by the Ministry of the Environment that is consistent with the environmental assessment act, he added.

However, Smitherman stressed municipalities will continue to have a say on proposed projects.

"No one will be surprised that something is coming forward," he said. "Consultation with the local community will remain a very, very important ingredient before any project is given the permit to be able to build.

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"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -quality 24/7 care

Expropriation-a can of worms by Tim Philps

maybe there will be fishing for taxpayers dollars with that can of worms-comment PR

At city council, it seems, a councillor's fancy turns to multi-million dollar projects to rehabilitate the downtown.

At least this certainly seems to be the case when you look at plans to expropriate almost the entire south side of Colborne Street from the bridge to Grand River Hall next to the library and replace these eyesores with one or more mega-projects. As night follows day, the arguments have started at council about using public money to do this.

On the one side, you have the "Let the private sector do it all" group. These councillors feel that the city's only role is consultative or, at most, to provide assistance through some kind of grants process by giving some percentage of the cost of the project based on the total price tag.

Some councillors on this side also feel that if the city does go ahead with the expropriation, then any proponent with a project should expect no further help from the city beyond a gift of the land.

Ward 3 councillor Dan McCreary is the lead proponent of this school of thought. His wily political mind realizes that if he can get such a motion passed by council, even by a slim majority, it would require a two-thirds majority to overturn the policy. That is a much higher bar to jump over and would make it very difficult for a fractured council to change its collective mind.

Why council should reduce its flexibility is beyond me, but it seems to make sense to McCreary.

The side that has the upper hand in the council chamber, for now at least, is willing to purchase the properties at fair market value or to expropriate them if a deal cannot be struck.

This approach has the virtue of putting the land in the hands of the city and making negotiations with future developers much simpler. It also has the virtue of giving the city some say in the eventual use of the property. This gives council a very big stick to wave in negotiations with a developer when it comes to project approval.

Of course, it is also a costly avenue to pursue if a deal cannot be struck as the legal and other costs of expropriation could be considerable on top of the money actually paid for the properties.

Anyone who has watched council over the past few years will be tempted to make comparisons between this project and the Harmony Square project that consumed the last two councils with rancor, hyperbole and probably resulted in costing the seats of at least two city councillors. That project, which everyone acknowledges was a great success, was plagued by a nastiness that I have seldom seen in municipal debate.

Every stage was fought over and I have never seen tempers flare as often as during the heady days of the debate over Harmony Square. The only thing comparable that I can remember is the downtown grants debates... come to think about it... it was the same council!

Councillors against this project say that the downtown grants program, which was successful in spurring development in the core over the past few years, is the way to go rather than expropriation. It would certainly be a cheaper way to go.

While there might be some merit in their argument, I do find it interesting that some of the

same councillors who are such advocates of using a grants program on the South side of Colborne Street are the same people who argued vehemently against the grants program in

the first place. Perhaps some councillors have had a conversion on the road to Colborne Street?

The south side of Colborne Street has been the wart on the nose of downtown. It was so bad

that it stood in for an abandoned town in a horror movie. The residents of Brantford are sick of this situation and want it fixed. Most members of council heard loud and clear, during the last election, that citizens want this situation resolved sooner rather than later.

Last year might have been a better year to start this project as we are too close to the "silly season" that starts next January when councillors start their reelection campaigns.

However, you cannot turn the clock back no matter how hard we might wish to do so. This project will have to run the gauntlet of political ambition and politics over the next few years before we can be as proud of our downtown as we are of Harmony Square.

Perhaps most telling in this process is the narrow one-vote margin by which the project passed the first hurdle.

Mayor Hancock has a big job to steer this project to completion. Fortunately, he has a record of winning the votes that he needs to keep things on track.

Democracy is a very messy business and we are all going to get a little soiled before this project is complete.

The 7 new truths about your customers -consumer power

The 7 new truths about your customers – from Profit Magazine

How you can employ just a few simple tactics to satisfy your customers' fast-rising demands.

By Kara Aaserud with digest and comment by Sieg Holle

The Customer king is a positive change factor and progressive agent .for improved high value growth everywhere

The information revolution is bigger then the industrial revolution with many more far reaching implications .We live in a Inter-Net connected or wired world, without virtual borders. This is a world where the customer is king, in a highly aware society that has the ability to instantly communicate their requirements, their hierarchy of needs everywhere 24/7 in the convenience of their residence. They mostly have the freedom of choosing the products and services that suit their needs and requirements through their purchasing power. The ability to instantly communicate, find alternatives, purchase what they want, allows them to overcome many old restrictions, restraints and hurdles. The new reality trend:

o Causes a revolution in customer ,the buyers’ expectations

o Empowers customers to find better service, price and selection with little or no effort.

o Freedom of choice ensures that the old saying “buyer beware” has shifted to “seller beware” –you can easily lose your source of revenue if you don’t deliver on your promises

You need to understand how this revolution has created the seven new truths about your customers-the bill payers, the taxpayers, the service payers, and your market constituents-and how you can employ just a few simple tactics to satisfy their fast-rising demands. The stakes are high .Conversely if you do not listen, do not adapt to the new communication reality you could fail and be part of a splendid but spent force and tradition that once ruled by taking the customer for granted.

It has become easier to mobilize change agents, advocacy group and those that have a cause. The new Ralph Naders, will instantly tell every one of “consumer lemons”, the new Kings will instantly share the “I have a dream philosophy “with their interested peers to change and challenge the existing order.

The people that spend the money for products and services are the new customer Kings. Customers that expect to be heard If they are ignored, mislead, monopolized or taken for granted they have the power to say no. instantly inform others and affect change by moving their spending elsewhere. A summary digest of the new rules and their implications follows.

New customer rules	The facts and reality	Implications
1: Customers won't give you a second chance “ lower bad service or bad performance tolerance levels” “ more informed –the easy access wired information web revolution “	- - 23% of Canadian consumers said they would quit doing business with a company immediately after a bad experience, twice the level (11%) in 2007. In the same period, those who said they would speak to a supervisor before taking their business elsewhere tumbled from 49% to 36%.	In a world of consumer empowerment, you have to get it right from the beginning. Bad service desertion - due to a dichotomy in the marketplace. Some companies are getting customer service horribly wrong, more are starting to get it right. Each time consumers get a taste of great service, they no longer wish to settle for the subpar variety offered elsewhere.
2: Customers control the conversation “Companies no longer hold absolute sway over the decisions and behavior of consumers, “	Unhappy consumers used to have few means to tarnish a company’s name: word of mouth and their inner circle of family, friends and colleagues . Rise of social-media channels such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, and of Web-enabled mobile devices that make it easy to complain in real time about a lousy customer experience. And the Internet’s archival nature means a bad review lingers in cyberspace.	Satisfied Customers Tell Three Friends, Angry Customers Tell 3,000, The Web not only provides consumers with a platform for expressing their preferences, grievances and experiences, but it also provides companies with a means of listening to them When you come across negative feedback—which you will—respond with sincerity and transparency
3: Customers expect to be heard “Virtually everyone has an emotional desire to be heard,”.	Never before has feedback, and the ways in which you collect it, mattered more to your customers and, therefore, to your reputation.	If you don’t offer them a range of channels through which they can share their frustrations and concerns (or compliments), they’ll soon find their own, often more destructive, outlets. “A company that fulfils that need will have a huge advantage over competitors who ignore it.”
4: Customers will bail if you keep them waiting	Ten years ago, you could take three or four days to solve a problem,” “Today, clients want an instantaneous response.” The gap between what clients expect (90%and what companies typically deliver is 54%	In our wired, 24/7 and globalized economy, speed is king. If you can’t get back to customers quickly enough—whether by phone, blog, e-mail or face to face—someone else will. Set specific response times then design systems to deliver
5: Customers know more than you do What value do you bring to the transaction if the customer is better informed than you are?	It has become far easier for consumers to do their own web research and shop around before even entering the store. This informed group is growing fast and is over 1/3 of population Customer has already been to all the comparison websites that the companies do not want you to go to,	Switch your focus. “It’s highly unlikely you’ll win the information war,”. “You should try to win the relationship and service war instead.” Staff ,who are passionate about the product or service, take the fear and complexity out of the buying process and have the emotional empathy Have the right organizational structure in place, including training and incentives. to build a culture of good customer service.
6: Customers see transparency as the key to credibility Transparency keeps the firm credible and, more important, gives it an edge over its rivals	The bleak economy likely has you feeling even more inclined than usual to keep your cards close to your chest. Yet it’s tough to keep bad news secret in an ultra-wired world, and if it leaks out online, the damage to your firm’s reputation can spread far and fast	“When you make mistakes, you’ve got to own up to them. And it’s much better if you own up to them before somebody else decides to own up for you.” “People find it refreshing. They realize that I’m a person like they are, that I’m a human being. And that has allowed me to move ahead of the competition.”
7: Customers insist on individual treatment You need to nurture advocacy.”	A cookie-cutter approach that analyzes consumers based on broad measures such as age, sex and income doesn’t cut it anymore. As customers become increasingly diverse, the gap(30) between what they want—more personalized, customized service (88)—and what companies are delivering is widening.(58) The key to understanding customers is to listen to what they have to say and respond. The objective is a simple one: to truly get to know your customers, so you can serve them in a way that meets their individual needs	A‘one size fits all’ approach, which is the standard model, all you can really do is throw more money and people at it, and constantly strive to address the mass,”. is not optimal. True competitive advantage comes from being able to tailor your products or services to the individuals you serve Analytics software that measures client behavior. “A lot of ROI models around customer service are hopelessly outdated,”. “They’re typically based on frameworks of the customer’s lifetime value, which are good but not sufficient for this new world of virility and word of mouth.”

A executive summary of the new consumer reality – The Customer king