Accessibility Awareness And Candidate Accountability
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The Downtown Espresso Cafe is advertising candidate meet and greet sessions. Out of concern that persons with disabilities may be excluded because of the step, I posted to You know you are from Amherstburg when…. a Facebook group “for all who grew up in the great town of Amherstburg, Ontario Canada!!!”
Notification: “Your comment was automatically declined based on certain criteria in this group.”
‘See feedback’ revealed: These rules come from the group admins.
1 No Promotions or Spam
Absolutely no sale posts of any kind unless you have approved it by the admin first. Certain posts will be allowed based on the discretion of the admin.
2 No Hate Speech or Bullying
Make sure everyone feels safe. Bullying of any kind isn’t allowed, and degrading comments about things like race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, gender or identity will not be tolerated.
3 Be Kind and Courteous
We’re all in this together to create a welcoming environment. Let’s treat everyone with respect. Healthy debates are natural, but kindness is required.
I then wrote the same comment on the Downtown Espresso Cafe Facebook page and it was deleted.
Other than ‘the candidates should know better,” everything else in the comment was quoted from the town’s information.
The candidates should know better. The step to get in can make this inaccessible. From the town’s 2022 Municipal Election Draft Accessibility Plan: “The Town of Amherstburg will provide Candidates with the Candidates’ Guide to Accessible Elections produced by the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO). The Town will also incorporate accessibility information and messaging into Candidate Information Packages and Candidate Information Sessions.”
Copyright – this information is protected by Canada’s Copyright Act. Request written permission from the burg watch at gmail dot com.
Amherstburg Candidates And Accessibility
Page numbers are missing, an issue I’ve raised in the past, but Amherstburg’s 2022 Municipal Election Draft Accessibility Plan states,
The Town of Amherstburg will provide Candidates with the Candidates’ Guide to Accessible Elections produced by the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO). The Town will also incorporate accessibility information and messaging into Candidate Information Packages and Candidate Information Sessions.
Windsor Star: Points to Ponder About Political Candidates
Doug Schmidt, Windsor Star speaks to professors in his article, How to respond when municipal council wannabes come knocking.
Good examples of questions to ask; the challenge is getting the candidates to answer.
Windsor Star Profiles Mayoral Candidates
Dave Batagello, Windsor Star reports, Four-person race to become next mayor in Amherstburg.
Amherstburg Hiring Again
The town is currently filling the vacancy of two positions:
Windsor Police Service Strategic Plan: Have your say
From the Windsor Police Service Public News Update:
Over the coming weeks, the WPS will host in-person, one-on-one consultation sessions to offer residents an opportunity to provide input on the development of our strategic priorities and the future of policing in our community.
Town of Amherstburg
When: October 6, 2022, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Where: Libro Credit Union Centre (Essex Power Energy Zone Room), 3295 Meloche Road
Feedback collected through these sessions will be vital in shaping our policing priorities and lay the foundation for ongoing engagement with the community.
We thank you in advance for your participation in this important process. For more information on the process, please contact the Windsor Police Service at info@windsorpolice.ca.
Our 2020-2022 strategic plan is available on the WPS website.
the burg watch questionnaire – Diane Pouget
“I would stop the secret dinners with staff and council. I would lobby for a decrease regarding in-camera meetings. A council may go in-camera for certain things, but they don’t have to. They are only obligated to go in-camera for personnel matters, litigation or possible litigation, sale or purchase of land and security.” Continue reading Candidate Diane Pouget’s answers.
1 Month to Municipal Elections 2022
“Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other.” Oscar Ameringer
VOTE on Monday, October 24, 2022.
am800 interviews All Amherstburg Mayoral Candidates
am800 THE SHIFT WITH PATTY HANDYSIDES’ interviews:
Listen to Frank Cerasa interview from
Listen to Michael Prue interview from Wednesday, September 21, 2022 – 3:37 pm
Listen to Joe Laframboise interview from Thursday, September 22, 2022 – 3:43 pm
CBC: Municipal election candidates need to make accessibility part of their platforms
In this CBC News Opinion, Kevin McShan writes, The city of Windsor is at an inflection point, and there’s one fundamental question left for the candidates to answer in the upcoming municipal election: who’ll make accessibility a cornerstone of their platform?
The burgwatch’s candidate questionnaire included, what does accessible mean to you?Of the twenty five Amherstburg candidates, two answered.
If ‘those’ campaigning to represent everyone will be responsible for preventing and removing barriers but will not commit to doing so, no votes from me.
35 Days To Election Day
Are you getting to know the candidates? Patterns are emerging.
Now Six Months Awaiting Answers From Councillor Simone
It’s been 6 months! While I still wait for answers, Simone is campaigning, making appearances, and posting pledges like, “I will continue to speak with residents to understand their concerns.”
She also is not answering questions to the candidates from the burg watch. No obligation, of course, but what will people conclude?
Councillor Patricia Simone promised to answer questions when she campaigned in 2018, and she registered to run for re-election in 2022 but she still not answered questions from March 16; on March 28, she said she would review the questions and respond as soon as possible about Simone’s Notice of Motion To Redefine Town Name.
Councillor Simone promised ‘to be available to answer any questions you may have’ during her 2018 campaign to become a councillor, repeated in A Look Back – Candidate Patricia Simone.
As mentioned in Mayor DiCarlo Responds for Councillor Simone, questions were not answered.
Buying A Bus Pass
Patricia Simone’s video buying a bus pass at Amherstburg town hall.
This week’s River Town Times ad referring to ‘mobile device.’
Several emails were sent to Transit Windsor and the City of Windsor trying to obtain clarification. The closest answer was, “I am not exactly sure what you are asking me. If you are referring to what type of mobility devices are allowed on the bus, than that is an easy question to answer.”
Maybe more training is needed to prevent town employees from using outdated language like ‘handicap accessible’ and generating information that should inform people, not confuse them.
Welcome Back
After some much needed maintenance, I’m back online.
the burg watch questionnaire – Lori Wightman
“I would increase communication between administration and the public and council and the public. I find much of the dissatisfaction from residents stems from misinformation or no information. Council/Administration need to let residents know what is being decided and why, how and when.” Continue reading Candidate Lori Wightman’s answers.
the burg watch 