Category Archives: The Issues

Municipal

Council member John Smith’s conflict of interest:

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With specific reference to Council member John Smith and conflict of interest:

– He is a large booster (Friends of UCFV) or UCFV’s bid for university status
– As a councillor he was and is in a position to influence the decision on what facilities were built and where
– Stated to the audience at a public promotional meeting at UCFV that the Arena was important to/needed for the bid for University status
– Shortly after the results of the vote were announced he was on the phone telling people what a big boost the Yes vote (and thus the arena) was for UCFV’s bid for University status
– Clearly Mr. Smith was in a conflict of interest and should have recused himself had nothing to do with the decision of what to build and where – particularly with respect to the Arena.

Abbotsford City Council as a whole and conflict of interest:

– When faced with a similar position the city of White Rock’s council felt it to be a conflict of interest and unethical for them to actively support the proposal they were placing before the citizens of White Rock.
– Were they correct it is a conflict of interest and thus should Abbotsford’s council have been neutral instead of heavily promoting THEIR plan?

Abbotsford Council ethical behaviour:

– The ethics of using unlimited city assets to promoter plan A.
– Use of city staff to hand out pamphlets and promote plan A.
– Use of city staff on overtime to go around in the evening putting back up Plan A signs blown down by the wind.
– In the final week before the vote having city staff phone the citizens of Abbotsford urging them to get out and vote Yes for plan A.
– The ethics of denying the “No” side access to and use of City property eg. “No” side not allowed to put up displays or distribute literature on city property or at “public meetings”. No side was also told they would be required to pay rent for city facilities the council and Yes promotion used for free.

Abbotsford Council denial for Free Speech:

– The “No” side was not allowed to put up displays or distribute literature on city property or at “public meetings”. The “No” side was also told they would be required to pay rent for city facilities the council and Yes promotion used for free.
– The City used tens of thousands of dollars of City funds to advertise and promote their “Yes” side but refused to even consider or discuss providing funds for the “No “side. In their use of unlimited funds for the “Yes” vote and denial of any funds for the “No” side the City denied the right of free speech and the same access to the voters of Abbotsford to the “No” side.

Questions of conflicts of interest and the buying of city contracts:

– Many construction firms, contractors, suppliers and at least one credit union donated money to the to promote Plan A and/or took out newspaper ads in support of the City’s position
– None of these firms, their family, business associates or partners should be awarded any portion of the financing or construction of Plan A; ideally these firms should not have any dealings with the city and current council
– Any contracts awarded would appear or would be council paying off firms for supporting them on Plan A
– Would give the appearance or be buying city contracts by paying off/paying to support council
– All these firms and council are in a conflict of interest position with any business conducted due to the companies financial support of City staff and council on Plan A.

Questions of timing on bid selection/awarding:

– Vote was held at the end of November: How is it possible to award contracts in January 2007 for ground breaking in April of 2007
– It would seem that the only way this timing could take place is if the City had begun to seek bids before the vote
– If this is the case it would the City is playing favourites and pre-selecting who will be awarded(rewarded) contracts
– Timing is such that no ethical business or persons that waited until the results of the vote were in could bid
– Is the city following the requirements for awarding contracts?
– I have seen no public call/advertisement for bids: how and were was this done and if not why not.

Abbotsford Council ethics and a “sweetheart” deal with Mr. Esposito:

– There is a long history of conflict between Mr. Esposito and the City of Abbotsford including Mr. Esposito suing the City; the city has opposed Mr. Esposito and his Liquor licences and establishments.
– Mr. Esposito owned the property upon which the City Wanted to build the new arena
– After Mr Esposito sold the property to the city his development application received swift approval by council.
– With the history between the City and Mr. Esposito it appears that some kind of under the table deal was reached behind closed doors; especially in light of the City’s lack of ethics and forth rightness vis-à-vis Plan A.

Questions of ethics and conflict of interest for the Board of Governors and President:

– Both parties were closely associated with Councillor John Smith and his obvious conflict of interest between his connection to UCFV and his duties as a Abbotsford City Councillor.
– Despite the obvious conflict of interest between the advantages to UCFV’s bid for University status of having a large arena type complex built next to UCFV and the best interests of the City of Abbotsford the Board of Governors and President actively supported John Smith and Plan A, failing to recuse themselves or inform the public of their conflict of interest.- This lack of ethical awareness raises questions about the fitness of the President and the Board to lead UCFV and the current suitability of the leadership to lead a University.

Homeless, Municipal

The Fraser Valley Inn and Aftermath

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It is hard to believe but the actions of the city just get worse and worse: stupider and lacking in any consideration for people or consequences. Their actions in regards to the residents of the Fraser Valley Inn deserve only contempt.

As I write this (Saturday July 16, 2005, afternoon) I have no clear understanding of exactly what is happening or will happen with the residents of the Fraser Valley Inn. And anyone who reads the Friday Times story (July15) and then the Saturday News NO story (July 16) can only be as confused as I and the residents of the Inn are. I spoke to several of the residents earlier today (Saturday) and all they know is that apparently the are being tossed out into the streets (evicted is to kind a word for the way they are being treated) this weekend.

I am not about to argue that something does not need to be done about the Inn – it clearly does. And if the city needs to use health provisions to get action, fine. Going after the owners is an excellent idea. But their actions in dealing with the residents are unacceptable, even indefensible. No matter the label you apply to the residents of the Inn ( the Times “low-income” in many ways the kindest; a local restaurant owner quoted in the Times calling the Inn a brothel, which would label the residents ******, a comment I will not dignify by actually spelling out said label), they are residents of Abbotsford. Our fellow citizens who deserve to be treated with consideration.

But instead of making a clear statement on the situation spokespeople duck the issue and the Mayor refuses comment to the Times. Failing the duty of care owed to these citizens. Much more important is the fact that it is clear that it is the actions of the city that are causing the residents of the Inn to need to relocate. But rather than accept responsibility for its actions and deal with the consequences of the course the city is following, they deny responsibility and bury their head in the sand. As for the residents being rendered homeless….. why, there is no homelessness problem in Abbotsford – just ask the city, council or the mayor.

So what do I think is owed? Consideration. The city should have been up front and clear what was occurring. Or, if the city did not know what was happening, found out and told those affected. Acceptance of the consequences for its actions. Residents pay rent at the beginning of the month and it appears they will lose half a months rent, a financial catastrophe for them. They are owed compensation. The city can then go after the owners for reimbursement. They are due aid in dealing with any problems that arise with the Social Assistance bureaucracy from this mandated move. They are truly due the city finding them new housing. Perhaps being required to find housing will serve to drive home to city hall, council and the mayor how their actions on low-cost and subsidized housing have made it all but impossible for those who fall on hard times to find a safe, clean affordable place to live while they get back on their feet and move back into “mainstream” society. This is the very minimum the city owes its ( and our fellow) citizens,

Consideration of the consequences of its actions, acceptance of responsibility for the consequences of its actions and doing what is needed to remedy those consequences. This city administration? This council? This Mayor? The chance of this happening brings to mind the expression “A snowballs chance in Hell”.

It seems clear that we need to replace the mayor, council and senior city staff with people of character, some brains, thoughtfulness, compassion and an eye for where the city should be heading into the future. Then we can begin to into a grand city and superb community to live in. Rather than the laughing stock of the Fraser Valley it has become.

Post Script: I came across this, originally a letter to the editor. The update is that the majority of the residents of the Fraser Valley Inn were unable to find other accommodations. They are currently homeless and denied any welfare on the grounds that being homeless prevents them from job searching (as noted homelessness did not prevent me from finding gainful employment) so that even the $185 is denied them. The final Paragraph, in light of the actions the city is currently taking to cleanse Abbotsford of the homeless is even truer today.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Edmund Burke

Homeless, Municipal

Cleaning up the City’s homeless

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I suspect that when called upon to explain their current actions with regard to their persecution of your fellow citizens unfortunate enough to suffer the travail of homelessness, the Mayor, Councilors, city Staff and Police will all claim “we were just trying to cleanse – oops, clean up – the homeless situation”. In their zeal and drive to exterminate –oops eliminate – the homeless from the streets of Abbotsford they seem indifferent to the consequences of their actions. Whether those actions cause suffering for the homeless OR the other taxpayers of the city. They seem to have forgotten the words of Herman Melville “We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men; and among those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects”.

I do have a suggestion concerning cleaning up the city’s homeless. Since it is sensible, pragmatic and would accomplish something positive, I doubt the intolerant tyrants attempting to purge the homeless from the streets would be interested in these suggestions. Let us use a small fraction of the funds and resources being wasted on this futile, but dogmatic, effort to ‘disappear’ the homeless. Let’s truly clean up the homeless. As I have written about on this site, bathing and laundry are major problems for the homeless. If you think about it this lack of bathing and laundry availability are major barriers to employment to a group of people have enough barriers to finding jobs. The city has facilities at which the homeless could get clean, such as the Recreation Centers. These facilities are set up to use photo ID cards which would permit the city to avoid any abuses of the privilege and would also permit limits on the timing and length of visits. Rather than waste resources on senseless, malicious attempts to cleanse the city of homeless this would help to clean up the homeless.

All punning aside, this form of cleaning up homelessness has the potential to accomplish more than merely shuffling the homeless around and around the city. Think about what affect appearance has on how people are treated – especially when looking for work. I know I always feel better, both physically and physiologically, when I am freshly bathed – don’t you? Cleanliness leads to feeling better about yourself, which is the road to increased self-esteem and self-respect. These are the foundation supports required for the homeless to start to get back into the game of life, to take charge of their lives. Thus giving them hope to find work and homes. Yes I know that giving them a chance to be clean is not going to lead all the homeless off the streets. The point I have tried repeatedly to make is that Based on my up close and personal experiences what is required in dealing with homelessness, hunger and poverty is flexibility and a willingness to use many different approaches. Each approach may only affect some of those in need of help, but many programs and approaches together would have a chance to lead to significant reductions of the homeless population. We are dealing with people which means some will choose not to be helped, to make changes or any effort to change. That is reality. Reality is also that at least this proposed approach will accomplish something and has the potential to lead to many varied benifits. Unlike the current policies of both denying there is a large homeless population and chasing this nonexistent (denial is a favourite mindset) population from point to point in the city.

I suppose that the question is what kind of society or city are we? Do we really want to have an uncaring society where people are judged to be disposable? What is the character of the citizens of Abbotsford? Is it mean, self-centered, greedy and heartless? Or is it caring, supportive, courteous and helping? It is inevitable that we will find out. As your actions contribute to the outcome as to the spirit of our city, keep in mind the words of Demosthenes:

You cannot have a proud and chivalrous spirit if your conduct is mean and paltry; for whatever a man’s actions are, such must be his spirit.

Consider, Federal, Municipal

I voted – did you?

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I went and voted today. As I wrote earlier having become one of the “undesirables” I have a vested interest in protecting the Charter of Rights. This seems to be particularly important in light of the city government’s current war on the underclass to which I belong. I was allowed to cast my vote. It appears that in the eyes of the Federal government I still have citizenship rights and the right to cast my ballot. In fact it appears that the Federal government considers me a citizen of Abbotsford, in spite of what the city government may claim, as they accepted my right to vote in a downtown Abbotsford poll.

A tip of the hat to Elections Canada with regards to voting. Although they had to look up the procedure for a homeless person to vote, the people at the poll were courteous and unfazed by my homelessness. I needed ID and to swear an oath but that was to be expected and reasonable. Nice to see that at least one level of government is in touch with reality with respect to the existence of the homeless.

Caveat emptor, Homeless

NO letters to the editor for YOU! -local newspapers tell homeless

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Borrowing from Jerry Seinfeld, this is what the newspapers tell the homeless. Adding insult to the injury their failure to accurately inform the public of the truth and reality of the homeless situation in Abbbotsford by denying them any editorial voice as well.

“letters…include an address and daytime phone number to be used for verification purposes”

Let us consider these requirements. I am homeless, therefore I have no fixed address to give them. I cannot afford shelter or food and certainly have no money to waste on luxuries such as a phone. “Money talks” is an old expression, but seems true in ways I had not thought of before. The truly needy are so poor that newspapers deny them any voice. They will no doubt claim the need to be able to verify letters are not fake, perhaps even citing cases of fake letters in the past. Anyone, including some local journalists, who chose to make the effort required had no problem verifying the existence of, communicating with or meeting Mr. H. Although somehow I doubt they will claim laziness as their excuse for any verification problems.

The BC Press code states “newspapers first duty is to provide the public with accurate information”. Hmmm. It also calls on newspapers to “defend the right of expressing opinions no matter how controversial”. Hmmm. I suppose that neither actually requires newspapers to provide the with accurate information about major social issues. One could argue that an important part of defending a right of expression is to occasionally use that right. Homelessness is a major social issue. Newspapers claim to cover important issues so that people can make intelligent, informed decisions. HA! This is not a nice, neat, easy or simple issue to cover. It is not a popular issue, especially with the advertisers (whether businesses, local officials or government) and the powers that be. This has apparently led to news providers (newspapers, television, magazines) avoiding the issue and its assorted difficulties. Denying the homeless a voice and denying the public any true and accurate information for making decisions about addressing homelessness.

For the homeless such as myself, (who would like to begin to address the issue of the homeless and start to deal with the underlying problems that give rise to these social problems, rather than wasting money chasing the homeless from neighbourhood to neighbourhood around the city and all the other such wastes) it is far easier to tell about the reality of homelessness and make editorial comments to the entire world on the world wide web, than it is to reach our fellow citizens of Abbotsford through the local papers. Through the Internet I can speak to the world using www.geocities.com/homelessinabbotsford to share the arduous life lessons I have learned. Any citizen of Abbotsford interested in actually accomplishing something on this issue can join the rest of the world there to read my writings and get a view of what is really happening on the streets and within the current social assistance system with regards to this important issue. And hopefully, at some point, our local (news)papers.