Thankfully, we live in a country like Canada, where we have elected representatives who don't try to stay in power for thirty years. It's also a good thing that Bev Oda doesen't live in Chapleau. We seem to be free of these types of political shenanigans that we are so used to seeing in the news. Or are we?
The latest minutes of coucil meetings show that councillor Rose Bertrand nominated her own husband, Graham Bertrand, for a position on the Chapleau Public Utilities board of directors, a paid position. According to provincial legislation (which is also public) and common sense, this is clearly a conflict of interest. While this may be a small town, clearly another councillor could have nominated Mr. Bertrand instead of his wife. That's why the legislation exists. We hold our elected officials to a higher standard than this and, as such, they are required to act within an acceptable code of conduct. Let's see what kind of repercussions this act has on the council level. Hopefully, sooner rather than later, something is done to send a message that this type of behaviour will NOT be tolerated.
Yes I had read that in the Jan. 10, 2011 min. If you also look in the Dec. 20, 2010 min. she also approved a 2% increase in the salaried employee's grid for the year 2011. Isn't her husband working at the airport? Is having Rose Bertrand on coucil a benefit to us or to herself?
ReplyDeleteI agree that Mrs. Bertrand should have declared conflict of interest, but I think that the other councillors and even the mayor could have refused Mrs. Bertrand nomination (Graham Bertrand) and in the other case her vote on the increase in the salaried employee's for the year 2011 and remind her that she was in conflict of interest.
ReplyDeleteThey apparently can't influence anyone during a meeting. She has excused herself in the past for conflicts, there is no reason whatsoever that she couldn't during these two meetings. Easier to blame someone else!
ReplyDeleteLets not forget to lay blame on Lisi also. She was the one who seconded Rose's motion. What this all comes down to is a lack of interest from the public. If there were more of a pool of people to choose from then maybe he(Graham) would have never even have been nominated. I hear a lot of people complaining but yet no-one wants to volunteer their time to anything.
ReplyDeleteFor instance after repeated requests for people to volunteer for the CHS 90th Reunion Festival there are barely enough people to run this comittie and just may shut down totally. I volunteer with a group of others on this comittie and we have lost 2 good people that are too busy to help.
You know what I didnt even graduate from highschool yet I am helping out...????? Crazy yet I am doing it for this town.. To help the businesses gain monies from something that could, and would bring in excess of 1200 people for 1 weekend.
I WILL NOT be reaping any financial rewards from this event as I am not a business owner. Do I make my point to other business owners in town??? Restaurants, Motels, The town in general.
Sorry to get off track Mr X.
No problem, Dennis. Your comments are welcome, as always. There does seem to be a lack of participation in this community. Kudos for helping out with the graduation committee. I have a feeling there would be more people to help out if some of them still lived here. Another drawback of the mass exodus from Chapleau over the years. I can't explain the low rate of participation in other areas. Some people (like myself) are just too busy. Obviously, some just don't care, but I'm sure that others are uncertain what is expected of them. There was a volunteer fair for youth last year. I think there should be more events like this. The township could even be a bit more descriptive and explain exactly what a member of the museum committee does, for example. This would eliminate the unknown and perhaps more people would know what they are getting into and participate more. These are just some of my ideas. I'm just one person and don't have all the answers.
ReplyDeleteAnd who is heading the CHS Reunion committee! :)
ReplyDeleteJust a theory but maybe if someone else was chairman of the committee, you may get more volunteers.....
Dear Anonymous i had a discussion with the chair and may I add he is the chair 'only' because no one else was interested. it is well know to the commite that if someone is interested in the positon, he will step down.
ReplyDeleteIt's your move, step up to the plate
As anonymous has stated he is only there cause no-one wanted to do it and would gladly stand aside should someone stand up.. I have known both Rose and Graham all of my life and am glad to say that I can call them friends. They have done a lot for this town and people need to remember that..:) If people can take the time to comment on different blogs and such should think about dedicating just a little bit of their time to some different thing in town.
ReplyDeleteBy the way I am still waiting for Kimmo to reply on his site too..
Stockholm Syndrome is all I have to say....followed by a temper tantrum by G.B......:)
ReplyDeleteTo the other anonymous...if you had a discussion with the chair and he would gladly step down, why don't you take it over? YOU step up to the plate! BS has been going on for too long with the B's. If no reunion happens, so be it..it won't be the first major event cancelled! And trust me they are going to take their toys and go home!!! When someone organizes fish derbies at Mulligan's Bay during Town Events like our past fish derbies or Winter Carnivals, such as happened this year, you have to wonder where their hearts are?
ReplyDeletelooks like the Mayor and the Possee are working hard at getting a seat vacant, either Bertrand, Bernier and probably aiming a Craigs next..
ReplyDeleteHas anyone notices that Municipal Council has yet to react to any of the articles printed in the paper or to any of the blogs? Is this their interpretation of damage control or have they all finally realized that they are all guilty of stupidity? Did you know that the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs offers training to all Council members after each municipal election? That training should be made a mandatory requirement for all those wanting to sit on council. But in Chapleau, it's NOT.
ReplyDeleteDenis, terribly sorry that you are hurt by the fact that Rose and Graham are your friends in all of this but need I remind you that two other individuals had offered to be on the committee which Rose nominated her husband for and therefore there was no need to nominate her husband on that committee except for monitary gain of course. Oops! Did I say that? As for Lisi being stupid or should I say lacked experience and seconded Rose's motion. Lisi's been on many other committee's and the Municipal Council has been internally oriented on process and procedures, I really do think that they all know what a conflict of interest is and when to recognize one. I think the big reason the other councillor's did not say anything is because of the cost associated with declaring someone in a conflict of interest. Did you know that whoever blows the whissle of them is responsible for legal fees? Yep!If this goes to court, whoever makes the official complaint gets to pay the cost. Why do you think there's so much political corruption in this country? I raise the Canadian flag and I am so prould of Mrs. Charron and Mrs. Ouellette for having the GUTS and the NERVE to expose this political corruption in this community. Yeah! You go girls cause you rock!
The longer they sit on their duffs and do nothing, the worse it makes them look. I mean both collectively and individually. I really expected to see something in this Saturday's paper. This ongoing silence is slowly and steadily getting louder...
ReplyDeleteYes Mrs. Charron is a reliable source to go to for conflict of interest. I believe she was brought to court when she was on council for being in conflict. Did she resign her position?
ReplyDeleteMay I point out that there is no seconder to any nominee and while Lisi or any other councillor could have pointed out the conflict, she only voted for Graham and did not second the motion. I do believe she has a right to vote for who she chooses, even if the nomination was a conflict. I am not saying she was not wrong, but it was not for council to police the nominator. Rose should have had the sense to police herself and not nominate Graham. Just trying to add some clarity to the seconding of the nomination, as people seem to have that fact wrong
ReplyDeleteSomething stinks here. I looked back in the newsper and there was no call out to the public for interest to sit on the Hydro Boards, like all the other committees, gee I wonder why? Also, I heard thr the the grapevine that Mr. donivan was appointed to the public works cmte without having to submit a letter of interest and everyone else had to submit a letter of interst to be eliible. Why? is he that good a participant, or is this an old boys club in the making. I think there is more to this story...
ReplyDelete