The following was emailed to members of council.

Kudos to Councillor Pouget for consistently acknowledging the town’s legal obligation to comply with provincial legislation.

Kudos to Councillor Courtney and Councillor Allaire for recognizing the duty to consider the needs of the whole community and recognize the distinction between public and private interests.

Shame on Deputy Mayor Gibb for speaking not only as a member of council but as a husband, father, son-in-law and businessman. I have little interest in how you and your family spend your time or what activities you participate in. Also, for stating, “I’m proud to say that I did complete the ADOA training that was offered to all members of council and I hope to put what I learned into practice not only in my “municipal life” but also in my personal life.” I hoped so too. I don’t know what the training consisted of since I was advised to file a Freedom of Information request.

Shame on Councillor McArthur for advocating for trails, active transportation, dog parks and consistently championing Open Air. As council’s rep on the Accessibility Advisory committee, you should have advocated for the removal of barriers. Maybe Councillor Pouget should have been appointed?

Shame on Councillor Crain who answered yes, he would remove Open Air barriers during the election campaign but voted to continue Open Air; he was a co-author of Thrive’s Open Air white paper. How would he fulfill the obligation to remove barriers? Answer, in part, ‘follow regulations outlined in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act; always remain available to address concerns any resident faces in the Town of Amherstburg; work closely with Town Administration to establish procedures and measures that ensure those with disabilities have the opportunity to experience all our community has to offer.’ And then, during the March 13 meeting say he’d be completely honest, he didn’t even think Open Air should have been a topic of discussion.

Shame on Mayor Prue for asking Council to find it in their hearts to compromise with the other side. Shouldn’t the human right for equal participation in the community have superseded the desire to seek consensus? Public funds should never be spent on barriers and accessibility should never be compromised.

Finally, THANK YOU for confirming what I have wondered for over three decades – where does accessibility fit in the priorities?