My response to @Ham6Karin

I can appreciate your feelings on my posts about Ward One candidate Wasim Jarrah.  You called them shameless and discrediting and said that I was doing so only to prop up another candidate.

I am sorry to say that you are wrong on all three accounts.

Election campaigns are long and arduous.  During this time, candidates are weighed and measured against their platforms and qualifications.  All except one candidate in each race will come up short.

Running in a election is not for the feint of heart.

I don't know how closely you follow Newmarket Town Hall but we have a Mayor and Council that like to keep secrets.  (If you want an example of their secretiveness, read the www.shrinkslessorsquare.ca blog post from today).

This Mayor and Council will readily convene to a closed door meeting when things get too hot politically and prefer to decide contentious issues with back room deals.  That's how we ended up with losing Glenway at the OMB, how the soccer loan got done, and a myriad of other bad deals (most of those, I suspect, we'll never know about but we're surely paying them with our tax dollars).

Months ago, when I first reported on Wasim Jarrah's ill-advised drive to the airport, he didn't address the issue saying, "Yes it was me" or "No it isn't".  Instead, he went to Google and had my blog deleted.  In time it was proven that everything I wrote about him was correct, as he admitted to the facts earlier this week on Toronto radio.  (I'll never know what he said to Google to have my blog taken down but I have a hard time listening to him defend free speech after the censorship he imposed on my blog).

Because of this, voters can predict what Wasim Jarrah's behaviour will be if he's elected to represent Ward 1 and the next Soccer Club bail out lands on the table.  Can you tell me honestly that he can be trusted to keep similarly shady deals in the public domain?

But I am a person who believes in second chances so I decided to test Wasim Jarrah again, this time with the controversial tweets he made about Iraq.

I noticed those tweets as soon as he made them and thought "Oh boy, he's in trouble", but nobody questioned him at that time.

So when the opportunity arose, I decided to challenge him on them.

You are right when you say that everyone has the right to an opinion and frankly I respect those willing to stand by their convictions even when the public sentiment goes against them, (which is why I respect the Ward 6 councillor so much).

Clearly Wasim Jarrah buckled under my challenge.  He deleted his tweets within seconds of me raising them as an issue.  He did not respond as to why he felt Stephen Harper was blood thirsty, or why John Baird is a vampire.  He simply tried to make the problem go away by pretending these tweets never existed.

That's a big red flag for me.  I've seen our Mayor and Council employ the same "disappearing act" with contentious issues.  When faced with their own record, they did everything they could to clam up and hide.

You know what I am speaking of Karin,  It doesn't go unnoticed that you very eloquently explained what was wrong with the US foreign policy within a the context of a 140 character tweet.  Why couldn't Wasim Jarrah do the same?  Why did he simply delete the tweets as opposed to explaining his point of view.  And what can voters expect he'll do if elected to Council and he gets called upon to make a principled decision?

I never met the man but perhaps Wasim Jarrah is a very nice man.  He is likely a very good volunteer and I am sure he loves his family and they love him too.

But is he any different from the today's crop of Gruesome-Twosome bloq councillors that we currently have "representing" us?  No, because his actions over these past few months show us that he behaves in exactly the same manner as they do.

So you are entitled to believe that I am harsh, shameless and nasty.  I prefer to think that by exposing his behaviour, I have given Newmarket Ward 1 voters a clear insight to the man who wants to represent them.

And the process of vetting candidates is exactly the reason why we have election campaigns.

Newmarket Election Predictions Part 1

With the deadline to register for candidates now passed, I will begin reviewing various contests and will make predictions about their outcomes.

Like many residents, I am disappointed with the lack of choice in many of the Newmarket wards.  In many cases, I will be advising voters to plug their noses and pick between Eeny, Meeny, Miney, and Moe.  

Some races are easy to predict, even six weeks out.  Today, we are going to make predictions on a number of "sure-thing" races.

For the Catholic School Board, Theresa McNicholl is acclaimed.

I also expect long term Town of Newmarket employee, Mubs Van Beek, to cruise to an easy victory as the Public School Trustee.

Regional Councillor - Hold for John Taylor

The only mystery in this race was whether Taylor would challenge Van Bynen (a decision I am sure he is regretting as Van Bynen appears remarkably weak at this point), or if Maddie Di Muccio would challenge Taylor.  When these questions were decided, the race was over.

With a campaign that has run the gamut between sublime and ridiculous, challenger Darryl Wolk has made a stir with a number of fantastical claims, (including that he would be endorsed by MP Lois Brown), and promises, (such as bringing a balloon festival to Newmarket and annexing huge swaths of land from neighbouring municipalities).  Wolk has not given voters any reason to trust him with their vote.

All in all, I expect Taylor to cruise to an easy victory.  

INTERESTING TO WATCH (REGIONAL COUNCILLOR RACE):  Wolk boils over on Social Media (particularly Twitter).  There are a number of twitter users who have made a sport over baiting Wolk who spectacularly transforms from a mild mannered Bruce Banner type into "HULK WOLK" (and he shares all the subtlety of the green Marvel comics character).  I will be interested to see if John Taylor will provoke him into a similar tirade at Regional Councillor debate.

Ward 2 - Hold for Dave Kerwin

I believe that the majority of residents in Ward 2 feel it is time for Kerwin to go away.  With one of the worst attendance records on Council, and a voting record that mirrors Van Bynen's on every major issue, there are few reasons to trust Kerwin with your vote.

Unfortunately, it is a numbers game.  With so many challengers to split the vote, Kerwin will squeak through to another term.

INTERESTING TO WATCH (WARD 2 RACE):  Ward 2 has five senior homes.  When Van Bynen won the Mayoralty against Diane Springstein by a razor thin margin, there was a persistent rumour that Van Bynen's campaign used proxy votes from the residents of the seniors homes in great numbers to eke out a win.  I personally don't like the practice of allowing proxy votes but they are legal.  If the race gets close, will a challenger exploit this opportunity of having senior homes residents sign over their vote via proxy?

Ward 4 - Hold for Tom Hempen

If you were to ask me in January which incumbent Council member was most vulnerable to being defeated this year, I would have said Hempen.  After all, Hempen doesn't live in Ward 4.  He misses meetings and rarely attends community events.  He hardly ever speaks at council and the only legislative achievement you can point to is the special tax levy he pushed for while nobody was looking (the Maple Leafs had a play off game against Boston that night when Hempen tabled his motion).

For some reason, only Ray Luff stepped forward to challenge Hempen.  I like Ray personally.  He is a good, honest, salt of the earth type of man.  But he just doesn't have the chops to defeat Hempen. To beat Hempen, you need a candidate willing to fight.

INTERESTING TO WATCH (WARD 4 RACE)):  Residents of Ward 4 will recall the dirty tactics Hempen used against the late Larry Blight to unseat him in 2010.  Hempen is extremely vulnerable to attack ads (because he lives out of the ward in one of Newmarket's largest luxury homes, because of his voting record, his absenteeism, and his lack of community spirit regarding events).  It would be out of character for Ray Luff but I think his only chance to defeat Hempen would be to campaign like Hempen did in 2010.

Ward 6 - Hold for Maddie Di Muccio

Earlier this year, people (including her detractors) were speculating, would she be the next MPP, the next Mayor, or the next Regional Councillor?  In the end she decided to return to Ward 6 and I believe that she will hold this seat for how ever many terms she wants.

Talking to friends and neighbours, people appreciate that Maddie has kept Council honest this term.  Even people who are supporters of Van Bynen recognize that Maddie has stood up for taxpayers very effectively and she can boast an impeccable voting and attendance record.  Maddie's election materials highlights an impressive string of accomplishments that few can deny that she deserves to return.

Running against Maddie is realtor, and Ward 5 resident, Ian Johnston who is advocating for more social housing in Ward 6 and higher taxes.  Neighbours tell me that they find him abrasive and his platform has not captured the public interest.

Also running is Kelly Broome-Plumley who is appears to be well funded but clearly her campaign lacks any substance and can't be considered a real threat.  If I don't have much to say the Broome-Plumley campaign it is only because she herself doesn't have anything to say about it either.  I can not point to a single municipal issue that Broome-Plumley either supports or opposes.  

INTERESTING TO WATCH (WARD 6):  Broome-Plumley has close ties to Aurora and has the backing of Aurora insiders Steve Hinder and Tim Jones.  In 2010, Hinder and Jones backed Brian Johns's campaign who was equally well funded but finished in third place.  I have no idea why Aurora bigwigs are so interested in this ward (and Ward 7 it seems) but many residents see this as a red flag.

Other Mentions - Ward 5

24-hours ago, I was set to call this for Joe Sponga.  But with the last minute entries of John Heckbert and Ann Martin, I have decided to take a wait and see on this Ward.

Sponga does not deserve to be re-elected.  The businesses on Main St. have found him very useful because he does what they tell him to do.  Every where else in the ward, residents have very little use for him.

With his work on promoting Davis Drive, Heckbert has accomplished more in a few weeks than Sponga has in three terms on council.  I don't know anything about Heckbert's platform or if he has the funding and campaign skills to mount a serious challenge.

Ann Martin has run against Sponga before.  She has ties to Main St too.  She ran a solid campaign but came up just short in 2010.

I am still heavily leaning towards a Sponga hold but I am keeping an open mind to see if either of these challengers gets their campaign rolling along.

 

Don't Re-Elect Lousy Mayor, Newmarket

If anyone needs an example why Tony Van Bynen should not be re-elected this fall, then watch this week's council meeting (archived on the www.newmarket.ca website).  Clearly, our current Mayor has been watching archived recordings of the North Korean Politburo because he is modelling his style of chairing meetings after tyrant Kim Jung Un. 

It shows a lack of confidence in his own platform with the way that he deals with questions that challenge him.  If he thought his plan through, he would have all the answers. 

And the same example is permeating the various ward races.  There are many candidates who will openly criticize the incumbents' voting records on various issues.  Almost none would dare to criticize Tony Van Bynen, even though he is the person who actually instructed his bloc how to vote.  It is almost as though new candidates fear reprisals if they are critical of our current Mayor. 

It isn't clear why Tony Van Bynen feels he needs to control everyone all the time.  After all he has accomplished very little in his tenure and if elected again, I don't expect that he will achieve much afterward either. 

Let's summarize Tony Van Bynen's "accomplishments" as Mayor Newmarket:

1) Shared Digital Infrastructure - millions of dollars poured into scanning back issues of the Era and some personal papers belonging to heiress Belinda Stronach while our public library fails to meet the grade as far as books and other resources are concerned.
2) Magna Centre Construction - at almost double the cost because of the mayor's folly regarding the MayStar lawsuit.
3) Rapid Bus Lane Construction - years behind schedule and tens of millions over budget
4) Old Town Hall Restoration - now double the original costs and years behind schedule

There is not a whole lot to recommend the mayor for re-election. 

Why the Davis Construction is Such a Cock Up

A Newmarket resident tweeted some important advice to the Town of Newmarket.  Apparently, while walking, she was almost struck by a car as she crossed Davis Drive at Main St.  She noticed that cars turning left were blind to pedestrians because of the construction fencing that obstructed drivers' view.

The Town of Newmarket twitter account replied and informed her that they have passed the message on to York Region.

The York Region twitter account then acknowledged that they have forwarded the message on to Viva Next.

Then, (and it would be funny if the potential consequences weren't so tragic), the woman tweeted that she was again almost struck by another vehicle at the same intersection just a few days later.

So while our local municipal government bodies are playing "pass the buck" with this pedestrian's safety, ordinary people are still at risk of being run over in traffic at the corner of Davis and Main.

All that has to be done is to address the positioning of the construction fencing.

What we don't need is for the Town of Newmarket, York Region, and Viva Next to say, "It's not my problem."

Drinking and Driving is a Newmarket Election Issue

3 years have passed since Chris Emanuel plead guilty to driving while impaired.  Here is the Toronto Star reporting on this crime:  http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2011/08/16/councillor_fined_for_driving_drunk.html

This story, in the context of a municipal election, is more relevant than ever.

Voters in Ward 7 won't be able to vote Emanuel out of office.  He isn't running for re-election.

But the Mayor, who downplayed Emanuel's crime as the folly of youth, can certainly be held to account.  The Mayor's antagonistic attitude towards community members who were appalled by the crime showed a man who was out of touch with ethical standards.

So should Regional Councillor Taylor be held to account.  It was Taylor who pleaded against demanding Emanuel's council resignation.  Taylor promised us that Emanuel was essential in blocking the Glenway development.  It turns out that Emanuel's involvement in this dispute only increased the number of homes to be built through an ill-advised 'all or nothing' OMB hearing.

Councillor Kerwin called Emanuel a friend and spoke about the work that Emanuel did on council.  Voters should challenge Kerwin to name a successful council initiative led by Emanuel in the past three years.  There aren't any.

And finally, council hopeful Kelly Broome Plumley needs to answer for her decision to name Emanuel a community hero via a New Roads Kia blog.  The corporate headquarters of Kia Canada had to formally denounce that move in light of Kia's support of MADD Canada.  It was a serious lapse in judgement and a slap in the face of all victims of drunk drivers.

While voters may not be able to punish Councillor Emanuel's misdeeds, there are others on the ballot who should face voters' wrath.  When the candidate knocks on your door, please tell them where you stand on the issue of drinking and driving.

The First Attack Ad of the Municipal Campaign Comes from Tony Van Bynen

Tony Van Bynen must have had a bad week.

After weeks of negative public feedback about his Davis Drive debacle, he's resorted to what he does best: attacking the person who has brought it to light: Councillor Di Muccio.

In Tony Van Bynen's "positive" Newmarket, when things get desperate, it's best he attack through third parties - regardless of how fringe they might be.

Last week, Councillor Di Muccio wrote a blog asking why a member of Tony Van Bynen's and ward 6 candidate Kelly Broome Plumley's campaign team was encouraging Davis Drive businesses to make a claim against York Region, with the use of tax payer dollars, for the inconvenience of lost revenue that construction may have had on their businesses. Councillor Di Muccio (presumably out of respect) didn't name the individual who made the claims in her blog. She wrote this blog because after speaking with management at York Region, she discovered there was no such compensation. In fact, Van Bynen opponent, Chris Campbell, confirmed Councillor Di Muccio's position with his own phone calls to York Region.

Something smells bad at the Old Boy Club Headquarters in Newmarket.

What is a desperate Mayor Van Bynen to do? Ask one of his acolytes to attack Councillor Di Muccio through his opponent's campaign team.

Here's an email I received from Councillor Di Muccio this morning. It was written by a member of Mayor candidate Chris Campbell's campaign team:

"...this Doug Brown guy is Chris Campbells election campaign social media guy.  I sat next to him the other day (editor's note: at Chris Campbell's campaign meeting) and he sent me a FB friend request.  ‎He seemed reasonable in past FB posts and had no reason to be concerned.  I can't believe what he posted on FB about your opinion on the fact or fiction of any reported financial assistance to businesses on Davis Drive.  

Chris Campbell posted on his blog exactly the same opinion as you (editor's note - referring to Councillor Di Muccio) , as confirmed by the Region and Viva Next contacts he spoke with confirming that no financial assistance available to Davis Drive businesses directly opposing Jim Alexander's comments yet Campbell's social media guy trashes you for having the same exact opinion?  This is totally berzerko world?  

I smell a trap being set and caution is advised with this guy.....Either Chris Campbell doesn't know that his social media guy is a Tony Van Bynen plant or Chris Campbell himself is a Tony Van Bynen plant. 

Something stinks here.. Newmarket politics is truly messed up."

Who is Doug Brown? Doug Brown is Newmarket Free Press (@newmktfreepress and @aralai), the same individual who posted the negative attack letter from Tony Van Bynen's ally, Jim Alexander. Most of Jim Alexander's negative letter is focused on attacking Councillor Di Muccio without actually defending his position of making claims against York Region in what we can only presume is a hush hush you-scratch-my-back-and-I'll-scratch-yours program.

How can Doug Brown attack Councillor Di Muccio when his own candidate, Chris Campbell, holds the same position as her?

There's only one easy answer: this is Tony Van Bynen's Newmarket.

And on voting day remember: it's yours too.

It's time to take it back.

Compensation for Davis Drive? Why not Glenway?

On January 8, 2013, I exposed the curious ties between the people behind the group opposing Slessor Square, the Glenway Preservation Association, the Town of Newmarket and the Newmarket Aurora Liberal Party Association.  I think taxpayers would be wise to pay attention to these links because millions of your public funds have been spent at the behest/ direction of the very few people who cross over between these groups.

I recall that many Glenway home owners asked about compensation as a result of the Marianneville development.  These home owners paid a premium to have a property that backed on to a lush golf course.  With Mayor Van Bynen and the Glenway Preservation Association (lead by Ward 7 council hopeful Christina Bisanz, herself a former unsuccessful Liberal Party candidate), having bungled the OMB hearing, these same home owners are out of pocket 10's of thousands in terms of home equity.  These home owners are victims of the Mayor and Glenway Preservation Association's insistence on playing hard ball with a developer who was very willing to negotiate for fewer homes.  Hard ball tactics seldom lead to winning solutions.

The money lost by Glenway home owners in this fiasco will never be recovered.  The lot premiums are gone.  Residents depending on home equity for a secure retirement must make up that money in some other way.

Compare this scenario to another case of compensation, one that Mayor Van Bynen apparently approves of.  A close ally of the Mayor is announcing that public funds will be made available to businesses along Davis Drive who have been hit by lost revenue due to the bus lane construction.

Pay no attention that, unlike Glenway homes, this construction inconvenience is only temporary.

And Newmarket taxpayer, pay no mind that the person who announced this compensation, has multiple locations and a large corporation behind him to ensure his brand will be just fine.  Jim Alexander is not laying awake at night worrying about being able to afford retirement.

And finally, let's not busy our thoughts with the fact that the people who are forcing this bus lane through and forcing us to accommodate another 45,000 new residents are the Liberal Government at Queen's Park.

Because these same Liberal Party members want your vote, (including former Liberal Party candidates John Taylor and Christina Bisanz).  And once they are on council, they'll be able to take care of their wealthy friends, like Jim Alexander, while ordinary home owners can go get stuffed.