[All] Greenbelt Scandal Continues, Disturbing Bill 185 Pushed Through Committee, Wilmot Land Assembly Protests, and Zoom Meeting Friday May 31st (today) at 5:30pm!

Fri May 31 08:22:27 EDT 2024

Good Day,

There’s lots to cover this week as the Privacy Commissioner announces a new special report on the provincial government's deception on the Greenbelt scandal, Bill 185 is pushed through Committee with none of the required amendments, and concern continues to grow in Wilmot over the mega-industrial site and accompanying massive development.  Join us to learn more and discuss at 5:30pm on Friday (today) at:

	https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09

And here’s the dial-in information in case you want to join by phone:

	One tap mobile
	+17806660144,,82644695701#,,,,*713374# Canada

	Meeting ID: 826 4469 5701
	Passcode: 713374

	Dial by your location
	+1 647 558 0588 Canada

1) Greenbelt and Provincial Government Scandal Continues - In a surprise announcement Marit Stiles, leader of the Official Opposition announced that the Privacy Commissioner will be releasing a Special Report on the Greenbelt and the role of the provincial government trying to cover up the scandal and hide information.  Learn more in the following media coverage:

	The Toronto Star - Ontario’s Privacy Commissioner To Release Special Report On Greenbelt:
	https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/ontarios-privacy-commissioner-to-release-special-report-on-greenbelt-ndp-says/article_146dac3a-19fb-11ef-93a3-f7bce0f5736e.html

	CityNews - Ontario Privacy Commissioner Probing Deleted Greenbelt E-mails:
	https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2024/05/27/ontario-greenbelt-scandal-privacy-commissioner/?

	Global News - Ford Government Faces Special Report On Their Greenbelt Activities:
	https://globalnews.ca/news/10524484/ford-government-special-report-greenbelt-communications/

In addition to the Greenbelt Scandal, Global News is reporting that the Premier’s Chief of Staff Patrick Sackville continues to use private e-mail accounts for political business - potentially trying to bypass accountability and also not disclosing previous e-mails and text messages to investigations in direct contradiction to what Sackville told Integrity Commissioner J. David Wake: “I do not conduct government business on my personal e-mail."

	Global News - Government By G-mail: Doug Ford’s Chief Of Staff Private E-mail Use:
	 https://globalnews.ca/news/10523523/government-by-gmail-doug-fords-chief-of-staff-private-email-use/

Worse yet, Doug Ford himself continues to use personal devices with no accountability for government work against the rules:

	Global News - Ford Acknowledges Top Staffer’s Use Of Private E-mail For Government Work: 
	https://globalnews.ca/news/10534108/ontario-premier-top-staffer-private-email/

And there’s more! Sackville’s text messages were not disclosed to privacy officials in a Freedom Of Information request made by Global News:

	Global News - Ontario Government Chief Of Staff Omits Text Messages:
	https://globalnews.ca/news/10530081/ontario-government-chief-staff-omitts-text-messages/

Interesting to note the income of Premier’s Chief of Staff Patrick Sackville has skyrocketed in recent years according to sunshine list:

	https://x.com/morgan_rob95901/status/1795069195278823796

And there is an excellent Op-Ed from David Moscorp at TVO that is well worth reading rightly calling out the provincial government on so much ongoing scandal:

	TVO - David Moscrop Op-Ed - The Greenbelt Scandal Won’t Truly Be Over Until Ontario Has A New Government:
	https://www.tvo.org/article/the-greenbelt-scandal-wont-truly-be-over-until-ontario-has-a-new-government

2) Wilmot Industrial Mega-Site Farm Land Assembly - There’s lots happening as people across Wilmot Township and Waterloo Region continue to speak up and show firsthand that they are unwilling to have this mega-industrial site and massive unplanned growth forced on them with no proper processes, studies, or public engagement.

Public Protests and Demonstrations Continue - The protest last week at MPP Mike Harris Jr’s office in Elmira inspired people to demonstrate outside Monday’s Wilmot Council meeting in Baden where they received strong support and managed to talk directly with Wilmot Mayor Natasha Salonen and several Wilmot Councillors though few answers were received and many concerns remain.  There are now plans to rally outside each Wilmot and Regional Council meeting in June and July.  Please join these small rallies and speak up.  Learn more at: www.fightforfarmland.com

Impacted Farmers Attempt To Delegate At Wilmot Council - Kudo’s to Stewart Snyder one of the farmers facing expropriate for trying for weeks to delegate at Wilmot Township Council in order to have his concerns heard.  Stewart finally managed to get onto the Council agenda as a delegation on another soil issue but was shut down and prevented from speaking about this mega-industrial site and being forced off his land.  He made it clear though that he is unwilling and his farm is not for sale. Waterloo Record Reporter Luisa D’Amato wrote an excellent column about Stewart’s attempt to address Council and the frustrations facing citizens that have no way to reach elected officials hiding behind non-disclosure agreements and using every possible means to prevent citizens from being able to address Council and get answers:

	The Record - Why Can’t This Wilmot Farmer Speak Up To His Elected Officials About This Forced Land Sale?:
	https://www.therecord.com/opinion/columnists/why-cant-this-wilmot-farmer-speak-up-to-his-elected-officials-about-this-forced-land/article_eed225d0-138d-575b-957d-d9f7b511d3c2.html

OFA Farmer Videos - The Ontario Federation of Agriculture has put together excellent video clips of recent presentations, delegations, and activities around farmland protection and this very concerning Wilmot farm land development.  You can download these videos which are excellent for social media at the following link:

	https://ofa.on.ca/newsroom/we-must-protect-farmland-for-the-sake-of-future-generations/

Provincial Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie Wilmot Visit - Bonnie Crombie, the leader of the provincial Liberal Party visited Wilmot this past weekend.  She met with impacted farmers and landowners and toured the proposed mega-industrial site along with some of the impacted businesses such as Mountain Oak Cheese.  She is promising to return and will speak up about the Fight For Farmland helping to show that we are unwilling in the meantime.

Additional Media Coverage - Media coverage continues:

	Woolwich Observer - Wilmot Land Grab Indicative Of Policies Of Growth Over People:
	https://www.observerxtra.com/wilmot-land-grab-indicative-of-polices-of-growth-over-people/

Lawn Signs - Fight For Farmland - Another 200 new signs of the original black & white design have just arrived from the printers yesterday.  There are now over 2,500 signs up in our communities and demand continues to be strong!  Order yours online, pick them up from local Sign Captains throughout Waterloo Region, and learn more at:

	www.fightforfarmland.com <http://www.fightforfarmland.com/> 

3) Bill 185 Update -  The very concerning Bill 185 misleadingly named the Cutting Red Tape To Build More Homes Act with very troubling proposals to remove citizen’s rights to appeal development approvals at the Ontario Land Tribunal, remove Regional Planning Authority from upper-tier regions that could negatively impact all of our Waterloo Regional environmental protections, and proposed changes to pretty much eliminate urban and settlement area boundaries - encouraging rampant sprawl anywhere, anytime passed through the Standing Committee Line-by-Line Review on Wednesday with unfortunately none of the needed changes or amendments.

Kudos to MPP Catherine Fife, MPP Jessica Bell, MPP Andrea Hazell, and MPP Aislinn Clancy who proposed amendment after amendment and fought for hours to try to get much needed changes to this very troubling Bill.  Unfortunately, they were continually outvoted and their motions defeated by Conservatives MPPs.  Unfortunately, Conservative MPP Mike Harris Jr. who had stated he didn’t want to decimate Waterloo Region's environmental protections and was ready to propose a compromise that would see Waterloo Region retain Planning Authority instead didn’t propose anything and he voted in favour of removing Planning Authority from the Region of Waterloo contradicting statements he had made to myself (Kevin Thomason) and MPP Aislinn Clancy.

NDP MPP’s Catherine Fife and Jessica Bell are vowing to keep fighting Bill 185 at the next step of third and final reading in the the Legislature in the coming weeks.  Hopefully their final appeals will see Waterloo Region retain Planning Authority and all our environmental protections such as the Countryside Line, Protected Countryside, Environmentally Sensitive Landscapes (ESL), ESPA’s, Source Water Protection Areas, etc. remain intact.

Attached below in Appendix B) is a detailed report on Bill 185 by Mark Reusser, Kevin Eby, and Kevin Thomason specifically detailing the situation in Waterloo Region and what is at risk.  Please feel free to share this report and reference it in any way you think would be impactful.

Finally, here’s an excllent Op-Ed by Kim Perotta and Susan Lloyd-Swail on Bill 185:

	The Hamilton Spectator - Bill 185 Will Not Provide More Affordable Housing:
	https://www.thespec.com/opinion/contributors/bill-185-will-not-provide-more-affordable-housing/article_cdfafb13-1bcf-52fa-aa04-6a3dd490c718.html

Thanks again to everyone who wrote letters, make calls, filled out petitions, and whatever else possible with regards to Bill 185.  It was really impressive to see our community response and extremely disappointing to see the complete lack of response from the Conservatives despite recognizing our valid concerns.  Please continue to speak up to elected officials and ensure that they do all they can to see the worst parts of Bill 185 amended.

4) New ALO Webinar - New Data Refutes Province’s Sprawl Agenda - Join Environics Research Sr. Vice-President of Public Affairs Sarah Roberton and Expert Planner Kevin Eby on Thursday June 6th at 7pm to learn about new polling data that shows people don’t want sprawl suburban homes and how developers are increasingly focussing on new homes within urban boundaries.  Please encourage elected officials and staff to attend for the information they need to be making better housing decisions.  Register for free at:

	ALO Webinar - New Data Refutes Province’s Sprawl Agenda:
	https://www.liveableontario.ca/event/webinar-new-data-refutes-provinces-sprawl-agenda

5) ALO Housing Report Underway - 5 Ways To Make Homes Affordable - The Alliance For A Liveable Ontario (ALO) has been working on a housing report since January that is now completed and a copy is attached below as PDF.  Please review this report titled “Waking Action Together: Five Ways To Make Homes Affordable In Ontario" and if you and/or your organization would like to endorse it please fill out the following online form:

	https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdQQjDY6W_oQAv25LZ9EPGP3soq_cYtc0YuSv_M8f3Pm_hP_A/viewform

They hope to release the final report in June.  In the meantime, please DO NOT share it with media yet.

6) GRCA Niska Road Lands Update - Thanks to Laura for letting us know that the GRCA will be presenting the Niska Land Holdings Management Report at their June 28th GRCA Board Meeting.  This natural area on the west side of Guelph and east side of Puslinch Township is approximately 65 hectares of forests, wetlands and meadows where the Speed River and Hanlon Creek meet.   Back in January we discussed the controversial plans to sell off or develop parts of these lands.  It will be interesting to see what is now being proposed.

Of course the absurdity continues with the report due to be released on June 21st, 7 days before the GRCA Board meeting, but requirements are that any presentations from anyone wanting to speak at the meeting have to be received 8 days in advance so good luck trying to draft your presentation when you don’t even know what the report is recommending...

Learn more and speak up for this amazing natural area at: https://www.grandriver.ca/en/who-we-are/niska-land-holdings.aspx#gsc.tab=0

7) Recent Media - Excellent articles about the province promoting sprawl and farmland loss and the impacts of the loss of Planning Authority:

	The Record - Doug Ford Hasn’t Learned From The Greenbelt Scandal: Ontario’s Housing Strategy Still Promotes Sprawl And Paving Over Farmland:
	https://www.therecord.com/thestar/doug-fords-hasnt-learned-from-the-greenbelt-scandal-ontarios-housing-strategy-still-promotes-sprawl-and/article_d2807b4b-5ee6-57e3-a590-bb9b82d83ba2.html

	The Record - “Choices Ahead Will Be Tough” Chair Redman Delivers 2024 State Of The Region:
	https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/choices-ahead-will-be-tough-chair-redman-delivers-2024-state-of-the-region/article_b68a8901-4e59-59df-8912-8ab0fa6540b6.html
	Includes excellent comments from former Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson about the devastating impacts of the removal of Regional Planning Authority in Alberta 20 years ago and the efforts to restore it.

	The Hamilton Spectator - The Future We Choose: The Massive Climate Failure Of Our Federal Political Parties:
	https://www.therecord.com/opinion/contributors/the-future-we-choose-the-massive-climate-failure-of-our-federal-political-parties/article_e4de8a74-60ec-5037-9c4f-50aa7350f826.html

	CityNews - Waterloo Looking To Expand Plans For Affordable Housing Development Near RIM Park:
	https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2024/05/27/waterloo-looking-to-expand-plans-for-affordable-housing-development-near-rim-park/?

8) Conservation Authority Changes - CELA recently provided comments in respect of the proposed regulation regarding the Minister’s new permit and review powers under the Conservation Authorities Act, ERO No. 019-8320. The Minister is granted new powers to approve a development application and over-ride a CA. Previously the consideration of applications relied on the technical expertise of CAs, for example floodplain mapping and modeling of watershed conditions. The Ministry lacks this expertise and there is no plan to fill this gap.  Some of these powers came into effect April 1, 2024, the ERO comment period was open from April 5 to May 6, 2024. (That is not a typo, the comment period was after the powers came into effect).  Learn more at:

	https://archive.celafoundation.ca/archive-item/comments-on-proposed-new-ministers-permit-and-review-powers-under-the-conservation-authorities-act/1570-ero-019-8320-may-6-2024-cela-submission/

9) Reform Gravel Mining - Provincial Day of Action, June 8th - In less than two weeks, communities across the province will participate in the first-ever Day of Action To Protect Ontario From Gravel Mining.  Learn more at:

	https://www.reformgravelmining.ca/provincial-day-of-action

And mark your calendars for June 8th.

10) SCAN! Canada Wide Action in October - Seniors For Climate Action (SCAN!), along with Grandmothers Act to Save The Planet (GASP), Suzuki Elders, and Climate Legacy are working together for a Day of Action on October 1st.  There is a planning meeting on June 12th.  Reach out to GASP for more details - https://www.gasp4change.org/

11) Toronto Announces More Progressive Changes For Housing Choice And Affordability - The City of Toronto has announced a large-scale Official Plan amendment that will re-zone more than 30,000 properties on major streets to allow apartment buildings of up to 6 storeys.  This sort of infill housing will quickly build the affordable housing needed where transit and infrastructure already exists.  Learn more at:

	Environmental Defence - Toronto Legalizes 6 Storey Apartment Buildings in Model to Fix Ontario’s Housing Shortage:
	https://environmentaldefence.ca/2024/05/24/torontos-legalization-of-six-storey-apartment-buildings-in-residential-neighbourhoods-is-the-model-for-fixing-ontarios-housing-shortage/

12) What's On the Table? - The Waterloo Region Community Foundation (WRCF) is organizing On the Table to encourage community connections and conversations across the Waterloo Region from June 7th-9th. As part of this ClimateActionWR will host an On the Table event, Coffee, Cookies and Climate on June 7th.  What do you think the Region will look like in 2050? Join to discuss climate futures, the Region's TransformWR 80by50 strategy, and the importance of social infrastructure in community climate action.  Learn more at:

	www.climateactionwr.ca <http://www.climateactionwr.ca/>

13) Lead in Drinking Water - CELA completed a joint submission with OMWA (Ontario Municipal Water Association) under the Environmental Bill of Rights for a request for review related to lead in drinking water.  In a surprising response, the Minister denied the application and all of the 12 recommendations they submitted including one to lower the acceptable limit of lead to 5 mg/L (or ppm), from the current limit of 10 mg/L, a change that is supported by a wealth of scientific evidence. Learn more at:

	https://cela.ca/application-for-review-of-lead-in-drinking-water-standard-under-the-environmental-bill-of-rights/

14) Highway 413 faces opposition from Chiefs of Ontario - At a meeting earlier this week Ryan Bowie, Environmental Program Manager for the Chiefs of Ontario provided some comments regarding Highway 413. He indicated they are looking for involvement in the bilateral table (federal and provincial) assessing the project. He indicated that if they cannot stop the highway their hope is to get a better project, and to get accommodations for First Nations that are affected by the project.  Please continue to speak up and fight against this absurd and destructive highway proposal.

15) Doug Ford Prioritizes Beer Yet Again… - Premier Doug Ford is set to waste a over half of a billion dollars bribing the Beer Store owners to stay open for a year and not immediately lay off thousands of workers….

	CityNews - Beer, Wine and Cocktails To Be Sold At Ontario Corner Stores This Fall.  What You Need To Know:
	https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2024/05/23/beer-wine-cocktails-ontario-corner-stores-this-fall-sources/?

Meanwhile Doug Ford is underfunding public education and public healthcare. Bhutila Kharpoch, a Toronto area MPP toured a secondary school that revealed appalling conditions. Ontario schools were facing a $16 Billion backlog of repairs as of 2022:

	CP24 - Decades Of Neglect - MPP Calls Out Education Minister Over Flooding at West-End High School:
	https://www.cp24.com/news/decades-of-neglect-toronto-mpp-calls-out-education-minister-over-flooding-at-west-end-school-1.6905554

16) Norfolk County Settlement Boundary Expansions - It has been extremely concerning to see Norfolk County pushing through massive settlement boundary expansions for thousands of new homes despite the protests of citizens and community groups.  It looks like the County is taking a really unusual tactic of a “willing host for growth” to approve boundary changes after the fact.  Please help speak up and support area organizations at:

	https://cardhaldimandnorfolk.ca/

17) Reminder - Next Meeting - Join us Friday, May 31st at 5:30pm (tonight) online at the Zoom link below:

	Topic: Grand River Watershed Bill 23 Bi-Weekly Zoom Meeting
	Time: Every Other Friday at 5:30pm EST

	Join Zoom Meeting
	https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09

	Meeting ID: 826 4469 5701
	Passcode: 713374

Thanks for all the great efforts so far - please share any questions or ideas.

Cheers,
Kevin Thomason, Mike Marcolongo, and Joan Faux on behalf of all our community groups.

-----------------------------------
A) Upcoming Events

Friday, May 31st at 5:30pm - Next group update meeting on Zoom - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09

Wednesday, June 5th - 7pm CAPE - Code Red For Climate - wildfires, heat impacts and solutions - RSVP - https://act.cape.ca/launch_code_red_for_climate

Thursday June 6th at 7pm - ALO Webinar - New Data Refutes Province’s Sprawl Agenda - for more information and to register - https://www.liveableontario.ca/event/webinar-new-data-refutes-provinces-sprawl-agenda

Saturday, June 8th - Provincial Day of Action Against Gravel Mining - https://www.reformgravelmining.ca/provincial-day-of-action

Saturday, June 15th - 6pm to 8pm - Council of Canadians Pub Night - The Duke Of Wellington Pub, Waterloo - See poster below.

-----------------------------
B) Bill 185 Submission Report - Losing Planning Authority In Waterloo Region by Mark Reusser, Kevin Thomason and Kevin Eby:

Please review and share the following easy-to-read and informative report:

---------------------------------
C) Alliance For A Liveable Ontario (ALO) 5 Ways Report: 

Please do not share with media yet - though please sign up your organization if they wish to endorse the report:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdQQjDY6W_oQAv25LZ9EPGP3soq_cYtc0YuSv_M8f3Pm_hP_A/viewform

---------------------------------
D) Council of Canadians Pub Night - Saturday, June 15th 6pm - The Duke Of Wellington Pub, Waterloo:

---------------------------------
E) Reform Gravel Mining Coalition - Provincial Day of Action - June 8th

https://www.reformgravelmining.ca/provincial-day-of-action

https://www.reformgravelmining.ca/provincial-day-of-action

---------------------------------
F) TVO - David Moscorp - Op-Ed Article:

OPINION <https://www.tvo.org/current-affairs/tag/opinion>
·
POLITICS <https://www.tvo.org/current-affairs/tag/politics>
The Greenbelt scandal won’t truly be over until Ontario has a new government

OPINION: It’s good and right that we should learn more about the land-swap scandal. But don’t we already know enough to reach the most important conclusions?

 <https://www.tvo.org/author/david-moscrop>
Written by David Moscrop <https://www.tvo.org/author/david-moscrop>
May 29, 2024
Share

An Ontario Greenbelt sign is shown by farmland on October 12, 2023. (Nathan Denette/CP)
Somehow, the Ford government continues to survive. After six years in power, after countless shortcomings and scandals of varying levels of notoriety, the government is hanging on. Better than that, in fact: it’s ahead <https://338canada.com/ontario/polls.htm> in the polls and may even be preparing for an early election <https://globalnews.ca/news/10526815/ontario-opposition-parties-ready-for-early-election-call-after-premier-fuels-speculation/>. But the Greenbelt affair hangs over the heads of the Tories nonetheless — and it may someday come crashing down on them, once and for all. One hopes it does.
In the latest development in the scandal that keeps on giving, the Ontario’s information and privacy commissioner is preparing a special report <https://globalnews.ca/news/10524484/ford-government-special-report-greenbelt-communications/> on how the government handled communications and documents related to its land-swap plans. The report, which doesn’t yet have a release date, will contain a look into deleted Greenbelt emails <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/greenbelt-privacy-commissioner-deleted-emails-1.7215604> and alleged codewords in internal communications that might have been used to circumvent freedom-of-information laws and public access to details about the plan.
Article continues below
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Once the report drops, we’ll have another round of head-scratching and finger-wagging. Perhaps some more resignations, too. But then what?
NDP leader Marit Stiles, whose party asked the commissioner to look into the issue, was quick to remind Ontarians that, just over a decade ago, a potentially similar report into the gas-plant scandal under the Liberal government produced a police investigation and jail time <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/david-livingston-liberal-aid-jail-gas-plants-dalton-mcguinty-1.4613731> for a top staffer who deleted emails. The implication is clear.
As the report prepares to make its way to the public, the Toronto Starreported last week <https://www.thestar.com/politics/these-documents-tell-a-different-story-newly-released-records-reignite-questions-about-premier-ford-s/article_cf10aa78-0c9b-11ef-bfb3-6376f2f37604.html> that a member of the premier’s office held a private meeting with a developer who, it just so happens, subsequently had his land swapped from the protected Greenbelt. As Sheila Wang and Noor Javed write, this raises questions “about how directly involved the premier’s staff were in the ill-fated housing development plan.”
Now Global News reports <https://globalnews.ca/news/10530081/ontario-government-chief-staff-omitts-text-messages/> that Ford’s chief of staff, Patrick Sackville, “appears to have not disclosed text messages to privacy officials in a freedom of information request.” This is the same staffer who used his private email account for government work.
This is serious stuff, and we aren’t done learning the extent to which it’s scandalous and, one would think, disqualifying for a government to maintain the public trust it requires to govern. But as much as it’s good and right for us to learn more, haven’t we already reached the important conclusions?
As I’ve written before <https://www.tvo.org/article/the-greenbelt-report-proves-it-the-ford-government-is-corrupt>, the Greenbelt scandal is further proof positive that the Ford government is corrupt and unfit to govern. And as I’ve also written before, Ford should resign <https://www.davidmoscrop.com/p/doug-ford-must-resign-2023-edition>. Anyone paying the least bit of attention to the details of just how atrocious the land-swap deal is and acting in good faith ought to reach the same conclusion.
The Greenbelt issue always looked to be, at the very least, a little off — more likely a lot off. Then came the auditor general’s report <https://www.auditor.on.ca/en/content/specialreports/specialreports/Greenbelt_en.pdf> that found the plan was run improperly and led to preferential treatment for “certain prominent developers.” A little less than a month later, Housing Minister Steve Clark resigned <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/steve-clark-resigns-greenbelt-1.6956402>, but not before his chief of staff had bowed out <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-housing-amato-resigns-1.6944225>.
In case anyone had forgotten, the RCMP is investigating the Greenbelt scandal, too. In a recent letter <https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/bonnie-crombie-asks-rcmp-for-update-on-greenbelt-investigation-of-ford-government/article_9cb00b46-190c-11ef-9b0b-2761429c01d1.html> to the force’s commissioner and assistant commissioner, Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie referred to the latest news and asked for “an update on the progress of your investigation, in light of these most recent revelations.”
Crombie’s letter was politicking at its finest, but she’s not wrong to wonder about the status of the investigation — even though the RCMP is, as a rule, likely to say that the investigation is ongoing and that it can’t get into specifics on the fly. Nonetheless, the results of that work will shape Ontario politics, and in due course we’ll be more than a little interested to see what the police come up with. But, again, we already know what needs to happen.
The broader takeaway from all this new information is the same as it was from the initial Greenbelt information. The more we learn about the affair, the more we can be sure that those of us who called the Ford government crooked and unfit for purpose from the start were right. New information is good and necessary, but it simply supports the conclusion that Ford and his lot are unfit to govern and ought to go.
The details of this mess continue to matter, and Ontarians deserve accountability: politician by politician, staffer by staffer. But, ultimately, it’s Ford who bears responsibility for this mess, and it’s Ford and his government that ought to pay the political price. The Greenbelt scandal won’t be truly over until the province has a new government and, one hopes, at least for a time, a break from the weekly nonsense and semi-regular jaw-dropping scandals.
 <https://www.tvo.org/author/david-moscrop>
David Moscrop <https://www.tvo.org/author/david-moscrop>
David Moscrop is a politics writer and the author of Too Dumb for Democracy.

-------------------------------
G) Speak Up and Ensure Your Voice is Heard:

Wilmot Township Council

Natasha Salonen, Mayor, Wilmot, natasha.salonen at wilmot.ca <mailto:natasha.salonen at wilmot.ca>
Stewart Cressman, Councillor Ward 1, Wilmot, stewart.cressman at wilmot.ca <mailto:stewart.cressman at wilmot.ca>
Kris Wilkinson, Councillor Ward 2, Wilmot, kris.wilkinson at wilmot.ca <mailto:kris.wilkinson at wilmot.ca>
Havir Sidhu, Councillor Ward 3, Wilmot, harvir.sidhu at wilmot.ca <mailto:harvir.sidhu at wilmot.ca>
Lillianne Dunstall, Councillor Ward 4, Wilmot, lillianne.dunstall at wilmot.ca <mailto:lillianne.dunstall at wilmot.ca>
Steven Martin, Councillor Ward 4, Wilmot, steven.martin at wilmot.ca <mailto:steven.martin at wilmot.ca>

Region of Waterloo Council

Karen Redman, Regional Chair, kredman at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:kredman at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Berry Vrbanovic, Mayor, Kitchener, berryv at kitchener.ca <mailto:berryv at kitchener.ca>
Dorothy McCabe, Mayor, City of Waterloo, dorothy.mccabe at waterloo.ca <mailto:dorothy.mccabe at waterloo.ca>
Jan Liggett, Cambridge Mayor, Cambridge, liggettj at cambridge.ca <mailto:liggettj at cambridge.ca>
Sue Foxton, Mayor, North Dumfries, sfoxton at northdumfries.ca <mailto:sfoxton at northdumfries.ca>
Natasha Salonen, Mayor, Wilmot, natasha.salonen at wilmot.ca <mailto:natasha.salonen at wilmot.ca>
Joe Nowak, Mayor, Wellesley, jnowak at wellesley.ca <mailto:jnowak at wellesley.ca>
Sandy Shantz, Mayor, Woolwich, sshantz at woolwich.ca <mailto:sshantz at woolwich.ca>
Doug Craig, Regional Councillor, Cambridge, dougcraig at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:dougcraig at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Pam Wolf, Regional Councillor, Cambridge, pwolf at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:pwolf at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Colleen James, Regional Councillor, Kitchener, CJames at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:CJames at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Michael Harris, Regional Councillor, Kitchener, MHarris at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:MHarris at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Kari Williams, Regional Councillor, Kitchener, KariWilliams at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:KariWilliams at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Rob Deutschmann, Regional Councillor, Kitchener, RDeutschmann at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:RDeutschmann at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Jim Erb, Regional Councillor, Waterloo, JErb at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:JErb at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Chantal Huinink, Regional Councillor, Waterloo, CHuinink at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:CHuinink at regionofwaterloo.ca>

Province of Ontario

Premier Doug Ford - doug.fordco at pc.ola.org <mailto:doug.fordco at pc.ola.org> or 416-325-1941
Paul Calandra - Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing - paul.calandra at pc.ola.org <mailto:steve.clark at pc.ola.org> or 416-585-7000
Andrea Khanjin - Minster of Environment, Conservation and Parks - andrea.khanjin at pc.ola.org <mailto:andrea.khanjin at pc.ola.org> or 705-722-0575
Todd Smith - Minister of Energy - todd.smith at pc.ola.org <mailto:todd.smith at pc.ola.org> or 613-962-1144
Michael Parsa - Associate Minister of Housing - michael.parsaco at pc.ola.org <mailto:michael.parsaco at pc.ola.org>

Local Conservative MPPs:
Mike Harris Jr - Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier, MPP Kitchener-Conestoga - mike.harris at pc.ola.org <mailto:mike.harris at pc.ola.org> or 519-669-2090
Brian Riddell - MPP Cambridge - brian.riddell at pc.ola.org <mailto:brian.riddell at pc.ola.org> or 519-650-2770
Jess Dixon - MPP Kitchener South - jess.dixon at pc.ola.org <mailto:jess.dixon at pc.ola.org> or 519-650-9413
Will Bouma - MPP Brantford-Brant - will.bouma at pc.ola.org <mailto:will.bouma at pc.ola.org> or (519) 759-0361
Ted Arnott - MPP Wellington-Halton Hills - ted.arnott at pc.ola.org <mailto:ted.arnott at pc.ola.org> or (519) 787-5247
Ernie Hardeman - MPP Oxford - ernie.hardeman at pc.ola.org <mailto:ernie.hardeman at pc.ola.org> or (519) 537-5222
Matthew Rae - MPP Perth-Wellington - matthew.rae at pc.ola.org <mailto:matthew.rae at pc.ola.org> or (519) 272-0660

Local NDP MPPs:
Catherine Fife - MPP Waterloo - cfife-qp at ndp.on.ca <mailto:cfife-qp at ndp.on.ca> or 519-725-3477

Local Green Party MPPs:
Mike Schreiner - MPP Guelph - mschreiner at ola.or <mailto:mschreiner at ola.org>g or (519) 836-4190
New! - Aislinn Clancy - MPP Kitchener Centre - aclancy-co at ola.org <mailto:aclancy-co at ola.org> or 519-579-5460

Independent MPPs:
Bobbi Ann Brady - MPP Haldimand-Norfolk - babrady-co at ola.org <mailto:babrady-co at ola.org> or (519) 428-0446

Federal Members of Parliament

Local Liberal MPs:
Bryan May - MP Cambridge - bryan.may at parl.gc.ca <mailto:bryan.may at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 624-7440
Tim Louis - MP Kitchener-Conestoga - tim.louis at parl.gc.ca <mailto:tim.louis at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 578-3777
Valerie Bradford - MP Kitchener-South Hespeler - valerie.bradford at parl.gc.ca <mailto:valerie.bradford at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 571-5509
Bardish Chagger - MP Waterloo - bardish.chagger at parl.gc.ca <mailto:bardish.chagger at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 746-1573
Lloyd Longfield - MP Guelph - lloyd.longfield at parl.gc.ca <mailto:lloyd.longfield at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 837-8276

Local Conservative MPs:
Michael Chong - MP Wellington-Halton Hills - michael.chong at parl.gc.ca <mailto:michael.chong at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 843-7344
Larry Brok - MP Brantford-Brant - larry.brock at parl.gc.ca <mailto:larry.brock at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 754-4300
John Nater - MP Perth-Wellington - john.nater at parl.gc.ca <mailto:john.nater at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 273-1400

Local Green Party MPs:
Mike Morrice - MP Kitchener - mike.morrice at parl.gc.ca <mailto:mike.morrice at parl.gc.ca> or (519) 741-2001

-----------------------------------
Kevin Thomason
Vice-Chair, Grand River Environmental Network
www.gren.ca <http://www.gren.ca/>

Phone: (519) 888-0519
Mobile Phone/WhatsApp: (519) 240-1648
Twitter: @kthomason
E-mail: kevinthomason at mac.com <mailto:kevinthomason at mac.com>
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