City Council Needs To Get Real

By Tim Stewart

(WINDSOR, ON) – Given the recent remarks by Councillor Joanne Gignac it would appear that arrogance can be contagious.  The arrogant behaviour of Mayor Francis, with his penchant for turning off microphones, raising his voice, interrupting delegates and councillors alike, and his flagrant disregard for council chambers decorum and common courtesy, is well known.  Councillor Maghnieh continues to sit on council primarily due to a lack of a proper mechanism to remove him.  It has become apparent that he is not the only councillor who understands that he can act with impunity for at least four years.

During the July 9/12 council discussion Councillor Gignac absurdly suggested that the “majority” supported the mayor and council direction to outsource the AG based on the simple fact that she and her colleagues had been elected.  Mr. Francis, Ms. Gignac, Mr. Maghnieh and anyone else on council who shares this view needs a reminder that they answer to the taxpayer every day during their mandate not just every four years at the ballot box.  If Ms. Gignac truly desires to “get real” she might try talking to her constituents more frequently about such subjects as the auditor general file.  You work for and answer to the taxpayer Ms. Gignac although Mr. Francis might have you believing otherwise.

The enormous amount of misinformation generated by this mayor and council with regard to the auditor general file in particular is shameful.  Much of the information is nothing less than outright fallacy being presented as the truth.  We the taxpayers are being treated as fools and called conspiracy theorists by the very people we elected to represent us.  For anyone to suggest that we have tried the internal auditor general position is laughable.  The facts clearly prove otherwise. Councillor Marra’s comments indicate that he understands this reality.

Most telling was the mayoral response to the suggestion of a friendly amendment by Councillor Hatfield leaving Enwin open to the audit process.  Even when he has full control of the nature and scope of the audit Mayor Francis is clearly irritated and frustrated at the thought of an investigation into the business dealings of the taxpayer owned entity known as Enwin.  I would suggest that it’s no coincidence that nearly one third of the mayor’s paycheque and many millions dollars of dividends paid to the city is provided by that very same entity.

Short URL: http://www.windsorsquare.ca/?p=36740