Editorial — Hope residents keep that input coming

July 6, 2015 · 0 Comments

It has been encouraging over the last couple of weeks to see various representatives of the community stand up and speak their mind over the strange activities that have been coming out of the Peel Regional Council Chambers.
It looked for a while like Your Voice for Bolton had a monopoly on public input on these matters. Such, it has been clearly demonstrated, has not been the case.
“There is more than one voice that speaks for the citizens of Caledon,” Bolton resident Skid Crease, representing Our Caledon Our Choice, told Regional councillors last Thursday, and it seems municipal politicians in Brampton and Mississauga are getting the word that there is very little public support in town for a Provincial facilitator to help deal with land-use planning issues in Caledon.
Indeed the matter was discussed last Tuesday at a hastily called meeting of Town council. Despite the short notice, just about every seat in the Council Chambers was occupied, and there were members of the public who have spoken in favour of facilitation on hand, yet they did not speak. That same situation was pretty much repeated last Thursday at Regional council.
The good news is a couple of Brampton councillors, namely John Sprovieri and Gael Miles, spoke up for their Caledon colleagues.
Last Thursday saw Regional councillors vote to have the Region participate in facilitation regarding Regional Official Plan Amendment (ROPA) 28, dealing with the Bolton Employment Expansion Area. But provisions that would try to impose financial sanctions against Caledon were withdrawn. Caledon will not be taking part.
If you’re wondering what was accomplished last week at the Region, and are having trouble figuring it out, we suspect you’re in very good company.
The Region will be represented at facilitation, but not the Town. Town councillors earlier last week voted unanimously not to take part in that process, maintaining a position they have held throughout these debates. That came after a number of residents spoke and urged them to hold their ground against what some at the Region are trying to do.
So the Region plans to take part in a process involving Caledon that Caledon is not going to be involved in.
Is anything going to be accomplished? We doubt it.
The only thing that’s been accomplished is Caledon representatives have clearly indicated they are not prepared to be pushed around, and they have a vocal and growing movement among residents urging them to hold their ground.
We submit that grass-roots support is the best thing that could have happened during these discussions.
Keep it coming.