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As an Ontario resident, I share the disbelief and anger of many of my neighbors at Doug Ford’s management style. How this guy won with a majority is proof positive of the effects of low voter turnout. We have no one to blame but ourselves.
That said, the latest – and in my view, unforgivable – mismanagement is this Bill 23 “More Homes Built Faster” Act that Doug Ford is ramming down the throats of Ontarians.
At the top of the list of insanity is this apparent fact that Doug Ford has actually advised Ontario developers who are some of his biggest campaign donors that he is going to remove land from the Greenbelt and rezone it for development. The developers – notorious for their utter contempt for nature and conservation – of course start snapping up the land.
This, apart from being a clear violation of the Ontario Conflict of Interest Act, can be prosecuted under the criminal code. It certainly calls for a police and Integrity Commission investigation – and fast. That in and of itself is enough to cause the land removal from the Greenbelt to be cancelled.
But of course, there is the aspect of ecological protection.
Now I know that developers as a species are more or less incapable of considering future generations, but let’s help them out here.
- As is widely published, mentioned, and even taught in schools, the preservation of waterways and natural habitats is directly related to the quality of drinking water, air and life itself. The removal of land from the Greenbelt is to directly reduce these aspects of quality for current and future generations.
- Depriving a province of a rapidly growing population of farmland would reduce the food security of all Ontarians. The correct economic approach should be to protect all arable land from development until food self-sufficiency is reached. Immigration should be controlled by food production capabilities – not by building more homes faster.
- By arbitrarily removing land from the Greenbelt, the Ford government has single-handedly caused the speculative price of all rural real estate in Ontario to rise beyond its unattainable height for young homeowners. Developers will now roll over and drool over any piece of farmland – Greenbelt or not – knowing that Doug Ford is corrupt and dumb enough to be forced to strip it of any protections.
Doug Ford seems ignorant of the fact that the farm land is infrastructure, and arguably more important than highways and condos. If we stand by and allow this historical travesty of democracy and law, then we will all be complicit in the reduced quality of life our children can expect.
Is this something we can wear to our graves? I can not do it.
What Can We Do To Stop Them?
The Conflict of Interest Rules in Ontario governing the conduct of elected officials are outlined in Ontario Regulation 381/07. Regulation is administered by the Office of the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario.
I wrote them an email as follows: (Feel free to cut and paste and send your own version to [email protected])
As a private citizen of Ontario, I am writing to the Office of the Integrity Commissioner to report a violation of the Conflict of Interest rules by Doug Ford and/or members of his government or his affiliates, associates or family members .
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, and/or members of his staff, and/or individuals directly related to any of the above, did, or likely had, advised and disclosed to 6 Developers who purchased farmland in of Ontario’s Greenbelt that Doug Ford is now proposing to remove from that protection, new, and confidential, that this change will be made by the Ford government as soon as possible.
Evidence pointing to wrongdoing is currently only circumstantial, as, for example, it was revealed by the Toronto Star et al that the De Gasperis family’s TACC group borrowed $100 million from CIBC at a reported interest rate of 21 percent to purchase a parcel of land that, at the time of the loan and purchase, was still within the Greenbelt.
Such a high interest loan would only be considered by a sophisticated business group like TACC if they knew in advance that Doug Ford would remove that parcel from the Greenbelt.
This is likely to be determined by your office in its official capacity, whether or not that is the case, and as I am sure you will agree, the circumstances call for such an investigation.
Furthermore, if it is determined that there is any exchange of value with the Development Group or any member of the Ford government or their friends and relatives, or promises of such exchange, the matter should also be referred to the appropriate agency of the police for criminal investigation.
with you,
James R. West
The response I received advised that OICO investigations can only be initiated by sitting MPPs. So I wrote in my MPP more or less verbatim what I wrote above. I think it is important for all Ontarians to write to the same Integrity Commissioner and their MPP so everyone knows how important this outstanding issue is to Canadians.
And if Doug Ford is willing to sell out to developers (watch his resume for compensation once he leaves office) early in his second term, what more damage will he do to Ontario’s future?
The Bill 23 Act is so full of instances where democracy has been trampled upon that it is positively outrageous. Doug Ford has basically anointed himself the dictator of Ontario, and if nothing is done, only the developers will be happy. Let’s get it together Ontario. It is government overreach that is a bald faced power and land grab.
What do you think?
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