A letter to my Toronto City Representative on the Rob Ford Case: Do We Need to use a Taser on an already Powerless Person?

Greetings David (Shiner):  Thank you for your email below and your desire to receive some input from some of your constituents on Monday's important vote .  Here goes:

First, I understand that you may or may not see things as I do, and also that you have to satisfy the majority of your constituents, not just me.  So, please note I do not expect you to vote on this one in support of the way I see it, especially since there are many aspects to the issue at hand.  Clearly, this is only input and you need to feel free to use your God-given logic in addition to the input to direct you in how to cast your vote.

Second, I want you to know that I spend a good part of Saturday morning reading both the Toronto Star's and the National Post's perspectives on the issue and especially the upcoming vote.  So, this is not just a gut reaction.

Now, for my input:

Generally speaking, I would ask that you consider taking the higher and more difficult route of NOT voting in favour of stripping Mr. Ford of his budget and the related items as outlined in the motion being voted on this Monday.  I noticed you, at least along with Norm Kelly, were not part of the undersigned supporting the motion.  I also noticed that five of those that did sign to support the motion have difficulty following simple instructions themselves -- like "print" your name on the left, sign on the "right".   Is this the calibre of leadership we have at City Hall?   I know it's petty but their approach to this whole thing including standing with their back to the mayor when he speaks, and pretending to be smoking pot while he speaks, is totally childish.  I am ashamed of the majority of our Council.

And now my rationale:

First, there is doubt that this motion would stand legally (as compared to the two motions of this past week).
Second, if Mr. Ford does pursue legal action, this will further bring the whole City down in the eyes of the world.
Third, a motion like this is vindictive rather than necessary (the Council has already taken the necessary actions to protect itself and the City from harm).  A motion like this simply says "we the Council are incapable of dealing with a difficult in-house situation ourselves."  So, we cut the man off at the knees, and if that won't do it, we get the Premier to do it for us.

I do not in any way support Mr. Ford's actions.  However, no one has had the courage to charge the Mayor formally with any criminal act so far.  The people elected the Mayor, the people should have the right to fire him.   Until he is charged and perhaps found guilty, only the people can take away his ability to perform Mayoralty duties and responsibilities as this motion would do.  Otherwise, where do we stop with the next Mayor we don't like?  As one article said today, "What if the next Mayor had religious beliefs we do not like?"   Can the council strip him of his/her responsibilities?  I hope not.

I would also caution against Mr. Kelly receiving some much "convenient trust" from all the councillors all at once without really proving himself.  Laying one's hands on someone like that to take over so quickly often comes back to haunt people. 

I hope you find this helpful.  I will be following the events from Regina on Monday where I will be working with one of my clients.   All the best.

To summarize, "Do we really need to 'tase' this man who clearly has personal problems?"  

Sincerely,

Ken Godevenos, Toronto

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Oh Please . . . Ever Wonder Why Some Are Being Spied On?

"Oh, p u l l e a s e!!!" Take a look at the article. Their letter to the NYC Mayor can also be read from the article itself (you really should take a look at that too and you read this, and the attached link). And here's my comment on the letter: "Oh, cry me a river."

There are good reasons why police departments keep a close eye on people. I know all Muslims are not terrorists. But the fact remains that almost all terrorists are Muslims. The police have no real choice but to use this approach.

As an immigrant from Europe living in Canada now for close to sixty years, I know that if Greeks were the ones who were being caught and found guilty of terrorist acts in Canada or the U.S., I would expect the police to keep a close eye on me. No questions asked.  And I'd continue to keep my nose clean.

Why? Because they care about protecting the community and the country as a whole -- and that my dear Muslim friends, who seem to be complaining so much, includes those of you who are being watched, but are innocent.

So please take a page out of the approach that some Muslims have and start going to events like the mayor's -- and stop whining. Think of what so many other faiths go through around the world in countries run by Islamic groups. Be thankful you're where you are and welcome to America.

[Are you looking for a speaker at your church, your club, school, or organization? Ken is available to preach, teach, challenge, and/or motivate. Please contact us.]

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BBC News - Muslims boycott Mayor Bloomberg's interfaith breakfast

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What Union-Management Negotiations Are Really Like and How To View the City of Toronto - CUPE 416 Negotiations

I love reading about labor relations in the media. The linked article is a good example. In it Daniel Dale reports that the City of Toronto has asked for a Provincial Conciliator to join its negotiations with CUPE Local 416 (numbered after the city's original area code). And CUPE maintains the Mayor wants a lockout. The Mayor says he wants an agreement.

Based on my 35 years of being involved in union-management negotiations, let me share with you what is really going on here.

Union negotiating committees are usually made up of one business agent representative from the union local business office -- usually a non-employee of the organization or company whose collective agreement is being negotiated.  The rest are employees who have likely negotiated years earlier that their wages and benefits are covered while they negotiate a collective agreement.  Now think of that for a moment.  Management is paying for a whole team of union members to sit across the table and negotiate against them.  Meanwhile, in critical situations, they have to arrange for back-fill for some of these positions, pay over-time, change schedules, etc.  And that often includes "union team's planning meetings".

Clearly, it is to the union negotiating team member's advantage to take their sweet time in negotiations.  Short days, many days, free meals, as long as some minimum progress can be said to be made.

Most collective agreements though have a clause that says all this paying for union time stops when either a conciliator or mediator joins the process.  I'm not sure of what this collective agreement says, but if it's like most, one can now see why management wants the conciliator there -- it is saving the taxpayers money and will do so until the an agreement is reached.  If the union wants to take their sweet time about things, they can, but they're now paying for all the union members' time.  At worse, the paying for meetings policy stops once there's a clearance to proceed to a strike or lockout.

It is true that once a conciliator gets involved, if either side feels that no progress is made, it can ask for a "no board" report which basically says "there is currently no hope of a settlement, so there's no point of appointing a board to hear and try to settle the matter -- the parties need to cool off and if necessary they can do it soon with a lockout or a strike."   So to get that report does not mean that either a strike or a lockout must occur, but it gives the parties those options should it be necessary to use one of them.

Unions like to think that they are the only ones that can exercise a decision to call for a conciliator and its not fair game if management does it.  But the reality is that what is good for the goose, is good for the gander.  I experienced that recently with one of my clients during negotiations -- we, management, called for conciliation after just a few meetings where we believed the union was dragging its feet and we stopped paying for union members' negotiating time.  They got royally riled.  But we stuck by our guns.  A strike followed (not a lockout) to pay us back,  And the union finally settled after four bitter months of being out while supervisors proved they could run the plant as well.  No gains to speak of were made as a result of the strike.   The next agreement after that was settled very quickly.  Management had set a precedent that it wasn't afraid to use again.

So now you know the rest of the story.  Yes, Mr. Ford, is trying to save my tax dollars, and if you live in Toronto, yours too.  Many other municipalities should take note.

Toronto News: Ford-CUPE war of words escalates - thestar.com

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Toronto's Municipal TaxiCab Driver College Muslims Get Islamic Prayer Room

Attention Torontonians: This is your city, your dollars -- so take a look what you're paying for -- taxes, utilities, security, etc.

I have already contacted the Mayor's office and they tell me they were totally broadsided by this early this morning. I have also written to them and told them I am a fan of the mayor's and have supported his decisions. But I need assurance that not one penny of tax dollars is going to this any longer and that not one moment of a city employee's time is spent providing this accommodation.

Please join me. Please see the video and pass it on to all your friends in Toronto and beyond.

The City Of Toronto's Kaliphate Kabbie Kollege Of Islamic Knowledge - YouTube

[Are you looking for a speaker at your church, your club, school, or organization? Ken is available to preach, teach, challenge, and/or motivate. Please contact us.]

Thanks for dropping by. Sign up to receive free updates. We bring you relevant information from all sorts of sources. Subscribe for free to this blog or follow us by clicking on the appropriate link in the right side bar. And please share this blog with your friends. Ken Godevenos, Church and Management Consultant, Accord Consulting. 

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.