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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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Human rights gone awry

09 October 2011
Posted by Ian Chadwick in Politics outside Canada, Pointless legislation, Social values
A lot of news stories I read while in England used the term "human rights" to describe some failure of the powers to be to come to terms with the demands of the disputants - or their perceived "rights." But most of the stories weren't about human rights at all, but rather about personal choices, lifestyles and fashion....

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Tags: news, human rights, media 4 Comments


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Creationist victory a sad day for American education

22 April 2011
Posted by Ian Chadwick in Science, Pointless legislation, Social values
It's pretty easy to make fun of American education these days. There are viral videos on YouTube that paint a bleak, even frightening, picture of the average American unable to locate Iraq on a world map, unable to identify the name of a country beginning with the letter "U", the religion of Buddhist monks, and so on. Rick Mercer did...

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Tags: America, creationism, evolution, science 3 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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Notice of motion to drop charges against Duncan's

19 October 2010
Posted by Ian Chadwick in Collingwood's municipal m..., downtown-BIA, Election 2010, Pointless legislation
I made a notice of motion, at last night's council meeting, to drop the charges recently laid against Duncan's Restaurant for erecting an illegal patio on the Hurontario Street sidewalk. It was, of course, beside the building, not curbside.

Since a new council will likely change this bylaw very soon after getting inaugurated, it seems...

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Tags: Collingwood's Municipal Madness, patios, downtown 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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The BIA's Titanic meets the town's iceberg

27 August 2010
Posted by Ian Chadwick in Pointless legislation, Election 2010, downtown-BIA, Collingwood's municipal m...
By now, most readers will be aware of the resignation of the BIA's chair over the ongoing dispute between the organization and the town. That head butting stems from a disagreement over the terms and conditions in an agreement jointly signed by the town and BIA and the province.

I've written about some of this previously, but, of course...

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Tags: BIA, mayor, council, downtown, Collingwood's Municipal Madness 2 Comments


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Some questions about downtown displays

04 August 2010
Posted by Ian Chadwick in Pointless legislation, Election 2010, downtown-BIA, Collingwood's municipal m...
[font="Tahoma"][size="2"][color="#000000"]Yesterday, I was asked by a downtown merchant to get answers to a few questions re: the new licensing bylaw. He made some salient points I hadn't really considered during our debate on the bylaw, in particular about the merchant displays on the main...

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Tags: Collingwood's Municipal Madness, merchants, downtown, bylaws, council, tents 5 Comments


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Doors closed on patio issue, says EB

31 July 2010
Posted by Ian Chadwick in Pointless legislation, Election 2010, downtown-BIA, Collingwood's municipal m..., Collingwood life
"Councillors closed the door on the patio issue, Wednesday, allowing downtown businesses another couple of weeks with temporary fencing for curbside patios." Enterprise-Bulletin, July 30, 2010.

Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the special...

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Tags: Toronto, Collingwood Municipal Madness, downtown, patios, buskers 8 Comments


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Street art and patios, Orillia-style

26 July 2010
Posted by Ian Chadwick in Pointless legislation, Election 2010, downtown-BIA, Collingwood's municipal m..., Collingwood life
We took a road trip, Saturday, to Minden, and stopped off in Orillia on the way. Orillia was having a big downtown street festival - about six blocks of the main street closed off, with some side streets closed as well. Full of people, merchants, buskers, visitors. And here's what we...

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Tags: Orillia, council, patios, downtown, buskers, Collingwood's Municipal Madness 3 Comments



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