Brad Duguid (MPP Scarborough Centre)

[The Mississauga Muse]

Good morning TORONTO Boys and Girls!

For the last two Mondays and one Wednesday, I went to Queen's Park (Room 151) to sit in on clause-by-clause deliberations of BILL 130.

OK. MPP Brad Duguid.

What do you-all know about him?

Here's the reason I ask.

BILL 130 COMMENTS by BRAD DUGUID on YOUTUBE

Duguid made my brain go "WAAAAAAaaaaaaaa?!"

I clearly made one of the five dudes uncomfortable. The Clerk came over to me and said that someone asked me who I was. I hesitated since I didn't know how to answer the question.

Before I could say, "I fight evil empires", she asked "Are you PRESS?"

I answered, "No. I'm a resident of Mississauga."

She went away.

I'm now going to buy an amulet and have it engraved with the words, "NO, I'M A RESIDENT OF MISSISSAUGA" for when Bill 130 gets into Third Reading.

Love,

The Mississauga Muse

 

[Mike in TO]

When someone asks who you are, why don't you just tell them your name?

Mr. Duguid is the PA the Minister Gerretsen. His office has photo's of JFK all over it. Overall a nice guy, used to be a Toronto City Councillor.

 

[FutureMayor]

ha, that's fantastic that you made them feel uncomfortable! The fact that they had to send a staff member to ask about you is brilliant and I loved your answer!!!!!!!

My finest hour in politics took place when I was speaking before one of those committees. It was looking at the Bill to change the representation in Peel. I was so witty that I had the whole place laughing at one point in time.

Transcript of my presentation can be found on pages 44 - 46 of hansard:

www.ontla.on.ca/hansard/committee_debates/38_parl/session1/finance/pdfF048.pdf

Louroz

 

[The Mississauga Muse]

Hi, Mike in TO.

You asked:

When someone asks who you are, why don't you just tell them your name?

Because THIS someone was Government. Giving my name was my first inclination but I stopped because I feared I'd be considered a smart ass.

Like my name is going to tell them anything?

You wrote:

Mr. Duguid is the PA the Minister Gerretsen. His office has photo's of JFK all over it. Overall a nice guy, used to be a Toronto City Councillor.

Yes, well, Duguid being Parliamentary Assistant on urban issues to Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, John Gerretsen explains a lot about what transpired.

Particularly, his parrot-like refrain when he expressed "full confidence in municipalities" which I just posted up onto YOUTUBE:

BRAD DUGUID EXPRESSES "FULL CONFIDENCE"

and then even more confidence (all in the same breath!):

BRAD DUGUID EXPRESSES EVEN MORE CONFIDENCE

And merging the two together?

BRAD DUGUID'S FULL CONFIDENCE IN MUNICIPALITIES (BILL 130)

And the full statement (so no one thinks I fiddled with editing)

In there he begins, "While it may not --". Oh for him to have finished that sentence....

BRAD DUGUID FULL CONFIDENCE COMPLETE STATEMENT

Overall a nice guy, used to be a Toronto City Councillor.

Wow. "used to be a Toronto City Councillor" and makes the above statements...

You wrote:

His office has photo's of JFK all over it.

Only two things to say about that:

Oh my... oh welll....

Thanks for the info, Mike in TO. "PA the Minister Gerretsen." --you've provided THEEEE piece of the puzzle. Now I can put what Mr. Duguid said into "context".

 

[The Mississauga Muse]

Hey there, FutureMayor

Great to hear from you again.

You wrote:

ha, that's fantastic that you made them feel uncomfortable! The fact that they had to send a staff member to ask about you is brilliant

Whoa WHOA... careful. I didn't make everyone feel uncomfortable. Just the dudes sitting on the left. These four.

I made one of THEM squirm enough to get the clerk to ask who I was.

Interesting when you think about it. I was shooting even more pics/video at the OTHER side of the room. Of Ernie Hardeman and Michael Prue.

Like here:

And here:

And I shot all kinds of video of them to boot.

They didn't mind.

Like why is it that I seem to only attract the attention of evil empire builders?

While I'm talking about Hardeman and Prue, that last Monday sitting on Bill 130, the committee deliberated well past 7 pm. Then it was over. And it took me some time to leave Queen's Park hall (I looked around at the portraits and displays) and then proceeded out the door.

That's when I saw Mr. Prue in his judge's robes starting to go up those big centre stairs. He gestured arms wide (to show off his robes) smiled, and said, "My other job."

I got to go home. He ....he's a new hero to me. And so is Ernie Hardeman.

Here's one of my favourite pics I shot of them.

Future Mayor you continued:

The fact that they (LEFT side of the table) had to send a staff member to ask about you is brilliant and I loved your answer!!!!!!!

Next time, I'll be prepared to answer. Instead of just saying, "I'm a resident of Mississauga", I'm going to say, "I'm a resident of Mississauga and #1 Fan of the Hardeman and Prue DEE-fense team!"

(I'm trying to turn municipal governance into a spectator sport.)

Future Mayor, you wrote:

My finest hour in politics took place when I was speaking before one of those committees. It was looking at the Bill to change the representation in Peel. I was so witty that I had the whole place laughing at one point in time.

When I find time I'll read the Hansard transcript. Right now I have to learn all I can about the evil-empire-builder-Bill 130.

Great to hear about your finest hour. You'll have many more, Future Mayor.

My finest hour is yet to come. After almost 40 years of terror (quaking, near-panic attack sense of doom) at public speaking (I avoided it at all costs) my doctor suggested I try this medication --a beta-blocker that prevents adrenalin shooting through me.

Oh MY HOW IT WORKS!

My goal (yes, this is how effective those pills are) now is to speak before a provincial committee on municipal governance.

For now I'm just contenting myself with protesting outside Queen's Park.

Did you know that you're not allowed to "anchor" a protest sign in any way? They say it's to protect the grass but they won't even let you attach a sign to a post (it was windy all three times I showed up).

So. Time to construct a big billowy BILL 130 PROTEST kite that can actually fly!

 

[building babel]

Being "press", and a resident of Mississauga to boot, aren't mutually exclusive though.

 

[The Mississauga Muse]

Hi there, building babel

You wrote:

Being "press", and a resident of Mississauga to boot, aren't mutually exclusive though.undefined

Agreed. But I don't get it. If I *were* press, what'd be the problem? Are press not allowed to aim sunlight at a standing committee proceeding?

I mean, seriously. A huge part of the problem is "press" doesn't.

That last session I think I was the only person in the "audience" who was actually "audience". Every chair that had a human on it other than me, hosted a butt of a lawyer. A lawyer expert in the Ontario Municipal Act. A lawyer expert on roads. A lawyer expert on The Toronto Act and how it pertains to existing.. on and on. There were lawyers for the OMA. Lawyer for the Province.

Not a SINGLE lawyer however, represented the People of Ontario.

I know. I was there. The only people stepping up to bat for us were Hardeman and Prue.

I keep teetering between moral-outrage and resignation. From "I've had it I can't take it anymore" to "People DESERVE the Government they get." (the problem is, while my mind will often dangle the latter, my heart ain't nibblin' at THAT worm".

Tell it to me straight. Is it just me? Like because I'm finally paying attention... or are governments just ilkier than they've ever been?

Seriously, building babel, I keep trying to find the bottom to government-bucket and every time I think I've located it, there's some new legislated low inflicted on the human social landscape.