Council thinks their settlement means maintenance of the status-quo; instead their self-dealing has created the conditions for their defeat at the OMB.
Protest, Police, Pandemic, and Rights: Why the City Fining Sarah Jama Makes for a Charter Test Case
, Editor |
Monday’s ticket poses the question, can the government impose a public health limit on the number of people involved in an outdoor protest which follows all other public health regulations?
Protest, Police, Pandemic, and Rights: Camping in Front of City Hall
, Editor |
A look at the case law involving protest camps, the arguments advanced by the City for removal, and COVID regulations.
Joey's Notepad: 500176 Ontario Ltd. v. London (City) 27 O.M.B.R. 118
, Editor |
In which my interest in post-secondary students and local government results in my reading an old OMB ruling.
COLEMAN: An Independent Auditor General in 2023?
, Editor |
With two years until the 2022 municipal election, citizens groups are forming and the need for an independent Auditor General will likely be an issue as Hamiltonians look to clean up a culture of cover-ups.
Hamilton City Hall: Public Meeting Videos Do Not Have to Be Made Public
, Editor |
The Public Record is exploring what steps can be taken regarding the destruction of public meeting video. There are no similar instances in case law, this appears to be the first time a municipal City Clerk has destroyed this type of public record.
Upcoming IMFG Talks on Municipal Finance
, Editor |
This Wednesday, the executive directors of municipal and government financial officers associations in both Ontario and BC will discuss COVID’s impacts upon the health of Canada’s municipalities, to be followed by a panel of international experts in two weeks discussing the impact upon cities around the world.
COLEMAN: So When Did Council Change The Rules to Use the IC against LGBTQ Chair?
, Editor |
A tweet is drawing attention because it highlights one of the questions that have not been answered by Hamilton City Council and Hamilton City Clerk Andrea Holland – when exactly did Council change policy in order to direct their Integrity Commissioner to investigate the Chair of the LGBTQ Advisory Committee Cameron Kroetsch.
On Integrity Commissioners: Guelph Podcast With Robert Swayze
, Editor |
Swayze sat down in early 2019 with Adam Donaldson for his Guelph Politico podcast, it is an insightful interview on the role of the Integrity Commissioner and the boundaries of the position.
Joey's Notepad: Municipal Councils as Quasi-Judicial Decision Makers
, Editor |
This is a rare instance of Council entering into quasi-judicial decision making – they are sitting in judgment of an individual, must determine guilt, and render a decision which complies with both the Municipal Act, common law, and natural justice.
Coleman's Column: Without Coverage, Municipal Elections Are Noncompetitive
, Editor |
Study after study after study proves the value of local journalism to local democracy. They confirm the decline in coverage of local elections, caused by decreasing number of local journalists as daily newspapers close, is making local elections less competitive and voter turnout is declining more rapidly in communities that have lost daily news coverage. The result is increased corruption in local government resulting from lower accountability.