2007 Ontario Election: Mississauga "Town Hall Meeting"

[The Mississauga Muse]

OK. Some Forumers might remember that The Corporation of Mississauga announced its McGuinty, Tory and Hampton September 19th "town hall" meeting this way.


"Each official party will be invited to attend a town hall meeting, held in the City of Mississauga Council Chambers, with an invited audience of key Mississauga stakeholders as observers, and run by an external moderator."

Yes, a "town hall" meeting by-Invite only.

They've now changed it such that there'll be an "overflow" room for non-invited non-key people who might wish to show up and watch a telecast of what's happening inside the Council Chambers --all the while kept safely away from the Politicoglitterati.

So. Ahem... (lazily cut-and-pasted from my Blog...)

COME TO THE MISSISSAUGA WATCH FIRST-EVER CITY HALL GET-TOGETHER!

I also encourage municipal watchers/Bloggers from other municipalities to attend the Mississauga "Town Hall Meeting". After all, Mississauga Council proclaims itself to be BETTER than you! "The Best City in Canada" --and BELIEVES it.

Next. The Mississauga Muse wishes to extend a special "Town Hall Meeting" invitation to the good hearts in Toronto Urban Forum so that they may (like I have for over a year now) experience firsthand, the Inspirational Joy that is Mississauga Municipal Governance.

Really. You Should Go.

Onto the details.

MISSISSAUGA WATCH FIRST-EVER CITY HALL GET-TOGETHER!

"Town Hall" Meeting

Mississauga Council Chambers "OVERFLOW" room

Wednesday, September 19, 2007 7 - 9 p.m.


I really hope to see Toronto Forumers there! I'll be easy to recognize.

 

[The Mississauga Muse]

Mississauga "Town Hall Meeting" actually invites the public to ask QUESTIONS!

Yes, another change from the Invite-only "town hall" meeting happened just last week at the mississauga.ca website.

A pop-up window --and the pop up wasn't the only surprise.

Do you have a question for the candidates that you would like the Town Hall moderator to ask? Click the link below to submit a question.

Submit a question for the Town Hall

Yes, anyone surfing to this page can enter a question for McGuinty, Tory and Hampton to avoid answering --IF --your question ever makes it past the moderators.

Here are the questions The Corporation of the City of Mississauga will be asking the candidates.


Do you commit to the measures outlined by the City of Mississauga regarding the need for investments in transportation and specifically, what additional measures and investments will you make in transportation in the next four years?

Will you make the commitments outlined by the City of Mississauga regarding current value assessment, airport payments in lieu of taxes and tax incremental financing?

Will you make the commitments outlined by the City of Mississauga regarding the underfunding of municipal services, including the uploading the costs of health and social services to the Province from the municipal property tax over the next three years and the phasing out of the GTA Pooling Program completely over the next three years?


Here is the question I will be submitting to the mississauga.ca pop up window for McGuinty, Tory and Hampton to answer.

BEFORE you make the commitments outlined by the City of Mississauga regarding the underfunding of municipal services, including the uploading the costs of health and social services to the Province from the municipal property tax over the next three years and the phasing out of the GTA Pooling Program completely over the next three years will you make the commitments to grant the Ontario Ombudsman full investigative powers into the MUSH sector? (MUSH --Municipalities, Universities, Schools, Hospitals etc).

 

[Observer Walt]

I'll be easy to recognize.

Will you be bringing your semaphores to relay your question?

I'm anticipating being there. It should be an interesting event.

 

[The Mississauga Muse]

Will you be bringing your semaphores to relay your question?

I'm anticipating being there. It should be an interesting event.

You'll be there? Oh that's wonderful! Regarding my semaphores....

I will certainly be bringing at least one of the two Mississauga pole flags. But I won't be doing semaphore. I have a feeling that political expression would be frowned upon on Mississauga's private property. And that's what the civic centre is.

I thinking of learning American Sign Language and Sanskrit as a backup to Semaphore and English...

 

[allabootmatt]

Should I be eagerly looking forward to an equivalent Toronto town hall meeting?

 

[FutureMayor]

Mississauga Matters Town Hall Meeting

Of course Mississauga Matters!

I got to give it to City Council and Staff for successfully luring the three party leaders to our City Hall to debate matters specifically focused on Mississauga. I can't think of another Ontario city doing the same.

I was shocked to learn from the website that it was an invite only event. While it will be broadcasted on local television for all to watch, they should have anticipated a bigger demand for tickets. The event should have taken place in the 1300 seat Hammerson Hall at the Living Arts Centre.

Luckily I've wandered the corridors of City Hall long enough to score an invite to the event.

Louroz

 

[The Mississauga Muse]

Of course Mississauga Matters!

I was shocked to learn from the website that it was an invite only event. While it will be broadcasted on local television for all to watch, they should have anticipated a bigger demand for tickets. The event should have taken place in the 1300 seat Hammerson Hall at the Living Arts Centre.

Luckily I've wandered the corridors of City Hall long enough to score an invite to the event.

Louroz

Hunh... so you scored an Invite, FutureMayor.

Funny. Because I emailed Hazel McCallion and cc'd all councillors on Thu, 12 Jul 2007 12:23:49 -1000.

Here. Allow me, FutureMayor:

To: "Hazel McCallion" <Hazel.McCallion@mississauga.ca>
From:[my real email address deleted]
Subject: Request for September 19, 2007 Town Hall Meeting Invitation
Cc: ....[edit/delete]

Part of which reads:

I ask for an Invitation. If you, Madame Mayor, don't find me worthy of representing Mississauga citizens at the September Town Hall meeting, I respectfully hope that at least one Councillor speak up for me and allow "outside" citizens in.

I mean, I can understand Hazel McCallion not thinking I deserve an Invitation. But --not even a SINGLE councillor thought me worthy? Not ONE?

FutureMayor, you wrote:

"Luckily I've wandered the corridors of City Hall long enough to score an invite to the event. "

Gee, I didn't know that all someone had to do to score an invite as a "key stakeholder" was wander the corridors of City Hall.

Thanks for helping me plumb a new low to the Mississauga Bottomless Bucket, FutureMayor.

See you on September 19th. I'll be in the "overflow" room with other citizens that the Mississauga Trust-Quality-Excellence Hypocrits didn't bother booking Hammerson Hall for.

[Edit: re: Hammerson Hall? It wouldn't have mattered if the "town hall" meeting been booked at the Hershey Centre. It wouldn't have mattered.

 

[FutureMayor]

Town Hall Invite

Hey MM:

I just caught up on your blog, and I see that you suggested the Living Arts Centre way back too!

I wasn't initially invited to the event either, however I put in a request to friends inside the City Manager's office and got one.

That being said, I'm surprised that at least your local councillor didn't respond to you about your e-mail request. If I were you, I would contact Communications office and request media accreditation to the event as contributor to the Mississauga News.

Best of luck!

Louroz

 

[The Mississauga Muse]

Hey MM:

I just caught up on your blog, and I see that you suggested the Living Arts Centre way back too!

I wasn't initially invited to the event either, however I put in a request to friends inside the City Manager's office and got one.

That being said, I'm surprised that at least your local councillor didn't respond to you about your e-mail request. If I were you, I would contact Communications office and request media accreditation to the event as contributor to the Mississauga News.

Best of luck!

Louroz

Thanks Louroz. Just for fun --and I'm asking this in public. What day (do you remember? It's important) did you ask for an invitation?

 

[FutureMayor]

Request & Mississauga Summit

I made the request on September 4, 2007.

I see you have also done your homework on the upcoming Mississauga Summit. I know it an exclusive group of 150 people meeting (yours truly included).

The summit format follows the Toronto Summit model closely. I believe the small format works, and will produce some exciting new initiatives for Mississauga. This will be an unprecedented event with the city's top CEO's meeting to discuss Mississauga matters. My particular focus will be on community wide engagement, City Centre development and sustainable transportation.

That being said, this is actually a United Way of Peel initiative and not the city of Mississauga. As a board member of the United Way, I was pretty clear that it will only get my support if the event was to be broadcasted on Rogers just like the Toronto Summit. There also had to be reassurance that when Brampton and Caledon were ready to host their own summits that we would be there to support them fully.

Again, to gain access to the Summit, I would request media accreditation.

Louroz

 

[The Mississauga Muse]

I made the request on September 4, 2007.

Well, Louroz, I made my first "Town Hall" meeting request to Hazel McCallion and Council on:

Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2007 12:23:49 -1000

The second on:

Date: Wed, 01 Aug 2007 16:13:27 -1000

The August 1st one included the following:

"I'm asking to be invited to the "Town Hall" Meeting on September 19, 2007 as a citizen-observer and Citizen Blogger. That is, someone who isn't regarded by The Corporation as one of the "key Mississauga stakeholders".

I also wrote:

"If there's not enough seating, I won't mind standing or even sitting on steps. Actually I really don't even have to be in there, provided that my two video cameras and audio digital recorder can.

I'm sure you'll agree that there is no more objective an observer as video documentation. It even beats Hansard. While I understand why you can't open Council chambers to all who'd wish to attend, I hope that all citizens of Mississauga can have a true Town Hall meeting --in FOI terms, OA rather than RA.

Only in that way can they be informed voters in the Fall election."

Trust me when I say, Louroz, that The City of Mississauga does everything in its power to control Information. That "Town Hall" meeting? It's controlled by The City of Mississauga and Rogers just as tightly as a Bush Admin Chat with the Prez.

Mississauga does NOT want a citizen's video camera in there. Because they can't control it.

How do I know? Here's the reply I got from Hazel McCallion and cc'd to Councillors etc.

And look at the date, Louroz.

August 29, 2007
Our File: N.04.01

Dear Ms. [deleted]:

This will acknowledge receipt of your e-mails regarding the Town Hall meeting taking place at City Hall on September 19, 2007.


As you may not be aware, seating is limited to 300 guests in the Council Chamber, however, an overflow room will be made available in the Municipal Hearing room located on the 2nd Floor of the Civic Centre for guests to view the meeting from that location. The meeting will also be broadcast live on Rogers Television and on the web so access is readily available to any member of the public who wishes to view the meeting from the comfort of their own home.


Thank you for your inquiry.


Sincerely,

HAZEL McCALLION, C.M.
MAYOR

Seriously, Louroz, why doesn't McCallion just say she doesn't want an Observer who "goes deep" in there?

And if Hydrogen is reading this... now you know why I've plunged into the deepest of cynicism trenches.

You get that letter from McCallion and you know that Mississauga Summit is having seven speakers talking on "Our Mississauga: A Progressive, Humane and Caring Community"

Of course, on the bright side, this vast chasm between Promise and Delivery makes Mississauga a dream for Bloggers to cover.

 

[FutureMayor]

Hey MM:

I admire you for your attempts. I am on your side when you call for the "meeting" to be more open for regular citizens to attend in person, even at a first come, first served bases. Hopefully not all the 300invited "stakeholders" will show up and members of the general public will be asked to fill up space.

In the future, I would just by pass the Mayor's and councillors offices and request media accreditation from the Communications office directly.

Best of luck once again!

Louroz

 

[The Mississauga Muse]

I see you have also done your homework on the upcoming Mississauga Summit. I know it an exclusive group of 150 people meeting (yours truly included).

I understand how to be part of the Mississauga "exclusive group" Louroz.

You have to be fluent in MississaugaSpeak. I can actually do that but it hurts my stomach.

You wrote:

That being said, this is actually a United Way of Peel initiative and not the city of Mississauga. As a board member of the United Way...

...There also had to be reassurance that when Brampton and Caledon were ready to host their own summits that we would be there to support them fully. [/QUOTE]

Louroz, seriously "support them fully"? Mississauga consumes enormous energy simply trying to dull the edge of the contempt it has for those two regions of Peel.

Louroz. Darlin'. It's ME here. The only time Mississauga'd ever support Brampton or Caledon would be if it benefited in return. We're not talkin' about a Mother Theresa municipality here.

Again, to gain access to the Summit, I would request media accreditation.

Actually, I put in a request today and this one will be FUN. After all, the Summit is 1,300 seats.

I can't WAIT to get back:

Dear Ms. [deleted]:

This will acknowledge receipt of your e-mails regarding the Mississauga Summit taking place at the Living Arts Centre on September 22, 2007.


As you may not be aware, seating is limited to 1,300 guests in Hammerson Hall, however the Summit will be broadcast live on Rogers Television to any member of the public who wishes to view the meeting from the comfort of their own home.

Thank you for your inquiry.

Sincerely,

HAZEL McCALLION, C.M.
MAYOR


I posted this today in my Blog. The great odds citizens face...

 

[The Mississauga Muse]

Hey MM:

I admire you for your attempts. I am on your side when you call for the "meeting" to be more open for regular citizens to attend in person, even at a first come, first served bases. Hopefully not all the 300invited "stakeholders" will show up and members of the general public will be asked to fill up space.

Hey there, Louroz.

A couple hours ago, I sent a third email to McCallion et al asking for an invitation as part of the almost-media that is a Blogger. I also phoned Communications as you suggested.

Then I remembered something. I invited people including TO Forumer to come watch in the "overflow" room. That'd be like me being bumped up to first class and leaving friends in the cattlecar. I'm ashamed of myself.

So I just sent off another email to Hazel McCallion and cc'd to all councillors and withdrew my idiot request.

Just FYI, Louroz. (The part below where I say I apologize for what I'd written earlier, it's me apologizing for asking for an invitation a third time --not me having written anything disrespectful to them.)

Here it is:

"Madam Mayor,

I apologize for what I wrote earlier. Emotion happened --learning you'd directed me to the "overflow" room not because all 300 seats in the Council Chambers were filled but that you don't want citizens like me in there.

I feel badly because I forgot who I was --that I'm a citizen like me and not one of The Corporation's citizens.

You're right. I really DO belong in the "overflow" room. I'm ashamed that I forgot that in the heat of discovering there were still plenty of open seats.

I withdraw my request for seating inside the Council Chambers."

I could'a added you can offer me a thousand bucks and I won't go in there now but --

The overflow room.

Observer Walt said he'd show up. I'd rather be in the overflow room with him. Plus maybe Hydrogen will show up. And maybe even Urban Shocker.

And I hope he looks EXACTLY like his avatar!

 

[The Mississauga Muse]

Hey MM:

I admire you for your attempts. I am on your side when you call for the "meeting" to be more open for regular citizens to attend in person, even at a first come, first served bases. Hopefully not all the 300invited "stakeholders" will show up and members of the general public will be asked to fill up space.

Louroz

Hey Louroz me again.

Just got back from a Tory out-of-the-starting-gate stumper with Tim (Bill 130 Standing Committee) Peterson. I think I just saw half of the 300 "key stakeholders" that were invited to the Mississauga "town hall" meeting.

Plenty of millionaires in that group man.

Got it all on video. Including me asking John Tory about letting the Ontario Ombudsman into the MUSH sector.

For a guy who had just talked about taking a stand and never going wrong if you do the right thing, he sure spoke fast when answering me and in all honesty I can't really tell you what he said...

something about... maybe MPPs doing the accountability instead of the Ontario Ombu.... eh... I'll work the video and share it here first.

I wanted to yell at one point, "YO! Everybody in here who also campaigned for Mike Harris --let's give a cheer."

But I got an eye for security types....