Who’s piloting this ship?
Chris Schurr has been rallying to change the way our candidates are elected by lobbying to have corporate and union canpaign contributions banned in municipal elections.
I think it’s time that SD readers join him in this quest.
How many times within recent memory have we seen decisions made in council chambers that seemingly go against prevailing wisdom when it comes to planning our long-term future? Jenny Coco’s big-box development got the go-ahead for a zoning change despite the evidence that it would harm the neighbouring environmentally sensitive Ojibway Complex as well as our local, independant retail and commercial enterprises, while the city’s own planning reports tell them that Windsor is over-retailed and we don’t need any of these new big box developments. Petretta Construction received permission from our city council, going against the recommendations from its own experts on the planning department, to build a pedestrian unfriendly building on a prominent intersection in our downtown core. Heritage buildings are being leveled by the dozens to make way for surface parking lots and lower property taxes, despite proof that protecting these structures goes a long way towards attracting and building a more creative business culture. Hasn’t that been a stated objective of this administration?
So, who’s pulling the strings that are making way for these anti-Windsor planning decisions?
Schnurr brought to light a report by York University professor Robert MacDermid suggesting that land developers have a lot of influence in municipal decision making based upon the amount of campaign contributions made to municipal canadidates;
“The pattern of giving by large backers in the development industry suggests some very calculated decisions about which candidates to support,” MacDermid says. “Developers want councils that are favourable to rapid development and to their own development proposals and they spend accordingly.”
The Toronto Star echoed MacDermid’s findings when it stated;
“With corporate donors - mainly developers - supporting those already in office, it is hard for new candidates to challenge an incumbent,” wrote the Star’s editorialists on Tuesday. “And, although the politicians deny it, a nagging suspicion remains that the donations tilt municipal councils in favour of developers’ interests.”
It seems as though other municipalities are heading the call, so maybe it’s time that we do the same in Windsor. True, the cases that MacDermid followed were predominantly from the GTA, it would be naive to believe that developers didn’t hold the same type of influence throughout the province.
It would be in our best interest to follow Ajax’s lead and rally behind an unadulterated campaign finance program. Maybe then we will see development that benefits the community as a whole as opposed to simply lining the pockets of a few wealthy corporate campaign donors.
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A Gala for the Garden of Rarities
Speaking of the CocoBox development in the far-west end, there is a fundraiser being held tonight to support the mounting legal fees of a group taking the rezoning decision to the Ontario Municipal Board.
Taking place at 7:00 PM at The Room (255 Ouellette Avenue, above Chanoso’s) in beautiful downtown Windsor, tickets are $25 and can be bought in advance at Chanoso’s on Ouellette and Cardoba’s Coffee House on Malden Road in LaSalle. Call 519-978-3590 for more details, or visit their Facebook group page.
To say that we need to support this OMB appeal is stating the obvious. I hope to see a full room tonight in this bid to protect the provincially-declared sensitive Ojibway complex as well as our struggling local independant retail sector.
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Great job Chris!
Your work uncovering the truth of how our city is run, who is in who’s pockets, and what needs to be done to correct many of the historic problems of Windsor is much appreciated by all concerned Windsorites.
Banning corporate and union campaign contributions sounds like one of many great issues that a progressive slate running in the next municiple election would get elected on. Its time that progressives of all colours and stripes in this city ban together to start organizing and preparing to run a slate in the next municiple election. The only way the corruption will end, and progressive ideas flourish, is with a clean sweep of the old guard.
I hope to see your name on the ballot in the next election - and many others like those who host this site as well.
Lets start organizing!!!!
Influence peddling (campaign donations, soft money et al) it seems has come to the smallest of communities to the apex of our financial systems, with the ordinary citizen being shut out of all decision making and look where we are now and going.
Chris Schnurr and Chris above are right in drawing attention to the situation in Windsor, it is starting to smell real bad and nothing but full disclosure by all elected officials on who paid what and who accepted what …ahem…donated to their election campaigns is now needed for the simple reason IT DOES SMELL!
Alas, our mayor and city council really do have a hearing problem when it comes to the above…They don’t listen to any of their departments, planning or otherwise or to all the expensive consultants that they have forked money over to for this and that study and ESPECIALLY ITS CITIZENRY BUT always seem to favour the big rich developer, who couldn’t care less of planning or the environment or the people who he/she is actually building for….I guess money does really talk!
But that this has always happened in this city, Holiday Inn, Devonshire Mall, the Canderel Building, Costco estates and now the west end, just to name a few.
I am sure everyone read the Star today where it shows little Kenny Lewenza jr. dismissing local bloggers.
The only reason I believe he is doing this is because he knows he can’t control what the bloggers say. Unlike The Star where Windsor dumps tons of advertising money at them for Greenstink.
I also believe if we are successful in making this change he won’t be able to run because his union pals wont be able to pony up the cash. He will have to run on his own merits which will result in very little votes.
Both Chris’ are onthe money with this. It is very disturbing to see this at a local level because municipal gov’ts have more to do with your adily life than the province or feds ever will yet the back door purchases of favours are all easy to spot in this city.
1) union union union = Lewenza
2) Brister = DRTP
3) Eddie Francis = tunnel plaza, big box development (Coco), downtown bar scene (doesn’t he have investments at 29 Park? Hmm…), arena (development and Farhi)…
And the grand daddy of them all…all of teh councillors sitting on various boards in this city with no relative experience.
This is just what I could think of quickly. Why else all of the secret in-camera meetings?
Well, that would explain a lot. One of the only, and I mean ONLY good thing about the auto decline in this town is the lessening political power of the union. Furthermore the CAW and its more vocal members look more and more like relics from a bygone age.
As our places of employment take their leave, only to be replaced by fly by night call centres who dont pay their employees nearly enough to support a family or put even one child through college, the CAW and its promises of a better life for all lose credibility.