Category Archives: Accountability

New Enhanced Accessible Parking Permit (APP) and Enforcement-Related Supports

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Commentary by Linda Saxon

All Chiefs of Police, Ontario’s municipalities, and the Municipal Law Enforcement Officers Association have been advised about the new enhanced Accessible Parking Permit (APP) and enforcement-related supports.

Enforcement of accessible parking infractions in Amherstburg in the past, verified by former Police Chief Roger Hollingworth, was minimal; he confirmed that Amherstburg did not have new tickets for bylaw enforcement until January 30, 2009.

In 2009, the Amherstburg Police Service issued one accessible parking infraction and one more by the spring of 2010; Hollingworth advised the town By-Law Officer may also have issued some but he did not have that information or specific information relative to the number that were contested and/or proceeded to trial and/or convictions, if any.

Since the Town of Amherstburg 2015 Public Events Manual contains outdated terminology, for example, “disabled persons parking spaces and Designated Disabled Parking spaces;” it needs to be updated to reflect the fact that the Accessible Parking Permit (APP) was renamed years ago.

And, although the manual mentions barrier free, there is no reference regarding what barrier free standard, if any, is to be implemented.

Not one member of the current council responded to my suggestions to improve and update the town’s Public Events Manual.

Taxpayers Pay For Private Firms To Obtain Public Input

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Last fall, the Wynne Government announced a controversial decision to hire the Deloitte firm for $415,000. to consult the public on the Government’s problem-ridden idea of a private accessibility certification process being established. The AODA Alliance reports that the Government is not having its own Accessibility Directorate conduct this consultation.

Amherstburg has hired MDB Insight to create a community based strategic plan for just over $36,000. According to MDB Insight’s website, ‘We have grown into Canada’s largest specialist economic development consultancy and continue to evolve to meet the needs of our clients.’

In its January 31, 2016 article, the River Town Times reported that ‘Miceli said the matter has not yet gone to the town’s economic development committee, and told town council it is in the preliminary stages. The next step will be how to engage stakeholders such as the economic development committee and the community as a whole.’

Maybe council should put the unused money budgeted for the strategic plan consultant toward hiring an expert accessible web designer to ensure, finally, that the town of Amherstburg website is accessible.

Commentary by Linda Saxon

Privacy Concerns Regarding Downtown Survey Founded

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In a December 20, 2015 post, I mentioned privacy concerns about the study given that the town and Amherstburg police have breached my personal information.

I emailed members of council that I would participate as long as the collection was in compliance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). There should have been a notice pursuant to Act that addressed the collection, use, access and disclosure of personal information by the town.

Not one elected official responded to my privacy concerns.

Following a formal complaint, the Information and Privacy Commissioner Ontario confirmed that the Town of Amherstburg’s advertisement regarding the downtown use survey did not satisfy all of the notice requirements in section 29(2) of the Act.

Specifically, it did not notify residents of the legal authority for the collection of their personal information or provide information about whom to contact with any questions about the collection.

The Information and Privacy Commission advised that town clerk Paula Parker acknowledged that, in this case, the town did not use its usual personal information collection disclaimer and that the advertisement and online survey was not vetted through the Clerk’s department before publication. Ms. Parker confirmed that the Town will put a procedure in place that requires the Clerk’s department to vet the collection of personal information before publication.

I subsequently emailed Ms. Parker, copied to council, to notify her that an address was missing from the strategic plan survey notice per the Act.

Commentary by Linda Saxon

Amherstburg Website Added To Barriers In The Burg

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The Town of Amherstburg website has been added to the new barriers in the burg page, created in conjunction with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance Action Kit “Picture Our Barriers” Action Kit.

Below is a screen shot of the town website taken today:

screen shot of the town of amherstburg websiteDespite my officially requesting an accessible website for the Town of Amherstburg since September 2002, changes are still needed today, March 4, 2016. There were promises to change but a real commitment has not materialized in all these years and for some strange reason, some people believe it will require funding.

I believe the well paid IT staff should be competent enough to address all the accessibility issues.

And, I wish someone would explain how a town the size of Amherstburg can afford body cameras for its police officers when larger municipalities can’t.

Considering all the financial requests council considers, money doesn’t always seem to be an issue; is it a question of priorities?

Commentary by Linda Saxon

#AODAfail

Barriers In The Burg

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A new page has been added to the burg watch: barriers in the burg will contain pictures of barriers to persons with disabilities in Amherstburg in conjunction with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance Action Kit “Picture Our Barriers” Action Kit.

As the AODA Alliance points out, “the Ontario Government’s effort to make Ontario fully accessible to over 1.8 million people with disabilities has slowed to a crawl, mired in lethargy and bureaucracy. A widely-respected Independent Review that the Ontario Government appointed reported, over a year ago, that Ontario lags behind schedule for full accessibility for people with disabilities and that, after ten years on the books, Ontario’s accessibility law has not made a significant difference in the lives of people with disabilities.”

For over two decades, I’ve raised awareness about the barriers in Amherstburg, at times having to resort to the human rights complaints system to ensure my equal access rights.

Yet barriers continue to exclude the full and equal participation of persons with disabilities in this community; pictures will clearly depict what those barriers are.

Commentary by Linda Saxon

#AODAfail

What Do Amherstburg And LaSalle Have In Common?

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Commentary by Linda Saxon

In yesterday’s Windsor Star, Columnist Anne Jarvis promoted the benefits of regional government and proposed, “How about one regional police force, cutting administration costs and providing all special services, from tactical team to canine unit, within minutes.”

Jarvis didn’t mention any studies that show there were no benefits from amalgamation nor the Auditor General’s Report documenting the cost savings to OPP policed communities.

Jarvis critiqued “politicians like LaSalle Mayor Ken Antaya, who snarled recently, “What do we have in common with the City of Windsor? We share a border. That’s about it.”

What Do Amherstburg And LaSalle Have In Common? Besides sharing a border, both Amherstburg and LaSalle Police Services Boards were sued by one of their own police officers.

Ian Russell was a defendant in Praskey v. Toronto Police Services Board, retired from Toronto Police in 1995, then resigned from the Ontario Parole Board to become Chief of LaSalle Police Service in April, 1997.

Russell was a defendant in Renaud vs. LaSalle Police Services Board; he retired in 2000 amid controversy.

In Saxon vs. Wilfred Fryer and Amherstburg Police Services Board, the local news reported that Fryer was named as chief and that the motion was rescinded.

Policing options are contentious in any community and debate is sometimes clouded by the perpetuation of myths, fear mongering and misinformation.

Edmonton Police Body Cameras On Hold Due To Lack Of Funding

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On January 23, 2016, CBC News reported, “The project is by no means a cheap one. With an initial hardware and software cost of $412,000 and an operating cost of $425,000, the program would run just shy of costing a million dollars.”

Amherstburg Police began its body camera pilot program for 30 days in April 2013 when the River Town Times reported police aren’t sure how big of a server will be required to store the data so it is unknown how much the entire project will cost if brought on board on a permanent basis. The article quoted Amherstburg Police Chief Tim Berthiuame, “At the end of the 30 days we will see how big of a server we will need and if it’s a good fit for the Amherstburg Police.”

The Amherstburg Police project was scheduled to conclude its study by the end of 2014, but in 2015, Amherstburg chief wanted all front-line police to wear body cameras.