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Home My WebLink AboutLakeshore Advance, 2013-03-06, Page 54 Lakeshore Advance • Wednesda , March 6, 2013 opinion www.Iakeshoreadvance,cam tAkesAore Advance PUBLISHED WEEKLY P.O.BOX 1195 58 Ontario St., North Grand Bend ON NOM 1TO phone: 519-238-5383 fax: 519-238-5131 email: Iakeshore.advance@sunmedia.ca SUN MEDIA A Quebecor Media Company NEIL CLIFFORD Publisher/ Advertising Manager neil.clifford®sunmedia.ca LYNDA HILLMAN-RAPLEY Editor lakeshore.advance@sunmedia.ca MARK STEPHEN Advertising Sales mark.stepOnasunmedia.ca JULIE HARRISON Typeset ng/Classtf ieds lakeshore.ads®sunmedia.ca www.lakeshoreadvance.com SUBSCRIPTION RATES ADVANCE Regular $42.00 (40.004 2.00 GST) Online subscriptions available—same rates Publications Mau Agreement No.40064683 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO LAKESHORE ADVANCE CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT PO,Box 1195 58 Ontario St. North Grand Bend ON NOM 1 TO For any non -deliveries or delivery concerns: phone: 519-238-5383 e •mall: lakeshore. advanceOsunmedla.ca Changes of address, orders for subscriptions, and undeliverable copies (retum postage guaranteed) are to be sent to Lakeshore Advance at the address Indicated hare. Advertising Is accepted on the condition that In the event of a typographical error, the portion of the advertising space occupied by the erroneous Item together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertise- ment will be paid at the applicable rates. We acknowledge the financial support of the coven ment of Canada through the Canadian Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities. Canada Monter the Canadian Community ApCna Newspaper Association and the Ontario Commonrty Newspapers Association Bluewater Biz Mark Cassidy Bluewater Biz It was zero degrees today. if it is twice as cold tomorrow what would the temper- ature be? Iceculture located in 1 Iensall is a Bluewater success story. This past Decem- ber we visited Iceculture to present a Business Excellence Award for Exporting. 'Ihe award is well deserved. Iceculture ships their incredi- ble ice creations to 58 different countries around the world putting Bluewater on the map in the process. l leis month their expert ice carvers built a full-size Lexus automobile for all outdoor COtlltlulnity Celebration in Brampton. You could really go for a spin in that vehicle. If you are looking for something cool to do with the kids during March Break why not celebrate the joys of our Canadian winter at Iceculture? Here is what you can expect. First there's a giant 50 foot ice slide (now that's really skid stuff). You can have fun photos taken to post on your Pinterest or Facebook pages. Next take a tour of the ice plant or visit the famous ice lounge and take home a frozen souvenir. Remember to dress warm. Ladies no need to use your cold cream for this trip. Call Karen for more information 262-3500 x229 or email her at karen@iceculture.com. letter to the editor Somebody has it figured out To the editor: As I sit here reading the London Free press 1 Can't help but sit and wonder what could be, and should be when 1 read with enthusiasm the arti- cle in Mondays paper. The city of London has decided to continue to allow beer gardens in Victoria Park this season! Bill Coxhead - the head of parks and recreation is quoted as saying "London is a creative, vibrant and engaged community that encourages Lon- doners to conte together to attend festivals and events where cultural diversity can be celebrated in a safe, respectful and engaging manner," he said. He said that last year, London played host to 180 special events that attracted hundreds of thousands, which boosted the city's economy. CONTINUED > PAGE 5 Ombudsman complaints doubled from 2010 Leadership is an opportunity to serve. It is not a trumpet call to self-importance." f there is one continued mantra in Ontario today, it has to be "See you in 2014:' London, lbronto, I.ambton Shores, Sudbury are only a few of the many municipal- ities that remind the voters to save the date for the next municipal election. Council members have taken to the "blame the media" mode. If they look bad in the press, it has to be because the media is choosing sen- sationalism over fact. I Inunm. One resident in Sud- bury said, "When you ignore the people who elected you, you can certainly expect to be "abused." Each of these councils is dealing with Ombudsman complaints. As a matter of fact, the Ombudsman report with 119 complaints regarding closed meetings in 2011-2012. ('rhe Ombudsman then issued their first separate annual report on municipal cases in October. Because that report covered the period from April 1, 2011 to August 31, 2012 (slightly longer than a regular fiscal year) and they had of course received more cases by then, the total in that report was raised to 128.) In comparison for 2009-2010 - there were 68 complaints and 2010-2011 there was 95. Sudbury recently fired the Ontario office and brought in a private investigator - against public protests. 'Ihe Ombudsman Office has been probing the citizen complaints relent- lessly- but some wonder, why do they bother? There is no repercussions and although council is required to make the report public, at least one council does a quick "receive and file" with no discussion as to what they may have done wrong. in October Ombudsman Andre Marin said, "Local politicians in Ontario should face fines or even jail tinge for meeting in secret without good reason, in a report that lashed 1. Donald Waiters out at several municipal councils across the province. "'There are no penalties for violin • ing the law that requires municipal councils to conduct their business in public, as there are in many Amer' Can states, so some councilors across Ontario don't take the issue seriously enough," complained Marin. \'Vltile the ( )lobous man is attempting to stake sure councils follow the mules the Ontario privacy coin ntissioner wants cowl cilors included in free torn of information laws. Councilors are under no obligation to reveal their records of meetings, schedules, entails and the like to the public because, unlike bureaucrats, they're not considered public "employees" tinder Ontario's Taws, 'Ihe Ombudsman is an independ ent officer of the Legislature who investigates complaints from the public about Ontario government services. Andric Marin Inas been the Ombudsman since 2005. in I,ondon, two years running, members of council have dined together, in public, constituting, in the minds of the public, secret meet Jugs. What if this same group had their chitchats by e-mail instead of over burgers? I vaguely remember someone from Municipal Affair stat ing that enutils constitute a "meeting" and are not allowed, as the "meeting" would not be open to the public. No wait staff there- so that would be wrong only if they are caught. Under the Municipal Act, 2001, all municipalities must have an invests gator for complaints about closed meetings. By default, it is the Ombudsman's Office, but they can also appoint an investigator of their choice. 'Ihe Ombudsman is the inves- tigator for 190 of Ontario's 444 municipalities. Sand Lynda HiI Editor, Lake s of Time Iman-Rapley shore Advance