About a week and a half ago a story ran in The Spec. The story, which is really a non-story was about “offensive” comments made by Ward 8 Councillor (and Police Services Board Member) Terry Whitehead. I was a little surprised because I hadn’t heard about these “offensive” comments earlier so I skimmed the article, before reading it three more times in depth. After sitting back and reflecting I decided that the entire process had offended me as a resident and taxpayer here in Hamilton and as a citizen in a democracy.
The offensive comment by the way was:
“The whole time I’ve been on that board, not once have I had a provincial appointee say that the budget is too high. Not once.”
Terry Whitehead, Hamilton West Mountain Ward 8 Councillor
From the City Council Meeting March 9, 2016
I sat down at my desk and wrote the following, which was the first thing that I had written since the election.
Here is an excerpt and a link to the rest of the article.
Stan Tick is offended. The mayor and Coun. Ferguson are demanding an apology and once again the members of the Hamilton Police Services Board are showing us all why the current system doesn’t work.
The comments that these board members are so up in arms over is a quote from Coun. Terry Whitehead. At a recent council meeting Whitehead said: the “The whole time I’ve been on that board, not once have I had a provincial appointee say that the budget is too high. Not once.”
Stan Tick, a provincial appointee to the board, has been a favourite of mine to watch over the past two years.
His membership on the now defunct governance subcommittee demonstrates what is wrong with the current model.
