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Latest blog for Huff Post

12 October 2011
Posted by Ian Chadwick in Social values, Pointless legislation, Provincial folly, Municipal governance
I'm blogging sporadically for the Huffington Post these days. So far all about municipal issues. Roughly once a week. Here's my latest effort:
www.huffingtonpost.ca/ian-chadwick/municipal-bonusing_b_999666.html
You can link from there to my previous posts as...

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Tags: Huffington Post, blog 0 Comments


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Election Raises Concerns for Ontario's Municipalities

01 September 2011
Posted by Ian Chadwick in Provincial folly, Social values, Collingwood's municipal m...
Two questions about the aftermath of the upcoming provincial election are on the minds of councillors in most of Ontario’s municipalities: will there be downloading? And will there be another round of infrastructure funding?

Downloading provincial services onto municipalities was done under Conservative Premier Mike Harris in the late...

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Tags: election, province, Hudak, McGuinty, Collingwood 0 Comments


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Not much change promised for Ontario's municipalities this election

26 August 2011
Posted by Ian Chadwick in Federal follies, Provincial folly, Social values, Collingwood's municipal m...
Ontario’s provincial leaders are promising a lot this election. It’s what they’re not promising that is more troubling to me.

I listened to the leaders of the three parties speak at the AMO convention this week, and heard a lot of promises, a lot of justification, some blame, some excuses and some puffery. But for everything we're...

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Tags: AMO, municipalities, province, partnerships 3 Comments


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A reflection on AMO's 2011 convention

25 August 2011
Posted by Ian Chadwick in What I'm reading now, Provincial folly, Collingwood's municipal m...
Spent most of this week at the annual AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario) convention. This year it was held in London, ON, and around 2,600 municipal politicians and staff from across the province attended. As always, it's a combination of information, networking, schmoozing, politics, workshops and ideas. I've always enjoyed...

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Tags: Collingwood, AMO, convention 0 Comments


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Familiar promises over incomplete highway project?

25 November 2010
Posted by Ian Chadwick in Provincial folly
Does this story from the Municipal Information Network sound familiar? Seems we're not the only community in Ontario waiting for the province to live up to its promises to complete a section of highway...

Durham Region, Peterborough call for the Province to honour its commitment and build Hwy 407 East Extension in one phase

Oshawa,...

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Tags: highway, province, construction 0 Comments


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Why would anyone use "payday loan" services?

20 November 2010
Posted by Ian Chadwick in Collingwood life, Pointless legislation, Provincial folly, Social values
I received an advertisement in the mail box, last week, telling me the "Cash Store" would soon be opening in my area, and saying I was already "pre-approved" to borrow an amount of money as per the table on the back. Given that I never applied, that's a generous offer from a stranger. Or is it?

What struck me was the cost...

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More accountability for the public sector proposed

27 October 2010
Posted by Ian Chadwick in Collingwood's municipal m..., Collingwood life, Provincial folly
So far, I have been unimpressed by the McGuinty government, but the proposed new legislation that expands accountability rules across the public sector strikes me as the best thing they've done to date (perhaps the ONLY good thing they've done to date).

Municipal governments are governed by similar rules, and I have always wondered why...

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Tags: accountability, public sector, openness, transparency 0 Comments


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A troubling loss over an OMB decision

18 October 2010
Posted by Ian Chadwick in Provincial folly, Pointless legislation
A recent court decision against the City of Brampton shows how the OMB - an appointed body not accountable to voters or taxpayers - has more authority over local planning issues than duly elected representatives. The decision will allow developers to ignore official plans and sustainable growth initiative and build what they please where they...

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Tags: OMB, planning, democracy 3 Comments


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HST and economics: two minus one equals three?

28 June 2010
Posted by Ian Chadwick in Pointless legislation, Provincial folly
I'm obviously a dunce when it comes to mathematics, much less economics. To me, the simple equation two minus one would equal one. Dalton McGuinty's government, apparently, has a new math, and in their calculation two minus one equals three. My schooling was obviously inadequate.

McGuinty's Liberals are boasting how more taxes will...

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Tags: HST, McGuinty, provincial sales tax, PST 0 Comments


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Toxic HST launched by province this week

07 May 2010
Posted by Ian Chadwick in Social values, Provincial folly, Pointless legislation
The much-dreaded Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) snuck into our Ontario lives like a nasty thief in the night, this week. Unsuspecting home buyers who expected the HST to kick in July 1, met with a nasty, expensive surprise. Home purchases had another 8% tacked on, as of Saturday, May 1.

So did delayed closing costs, gym memberships, landscaping and...

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Tags: tax grab, Ontario, provincial, PST, HST, GST, McGuinty 0 Comments


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