Seems like some people were left out of the process

Mayor Heather Jackson couldn’t have picked a better time to get out of town. The Battle of Barwick is heating up with no sign of abating any time soon.
In an interview with the Times-Journal a week ago, Jackson insisted there were no closed meetings to discuss who would fill the vacant seat on council and confirmed she called former mayor Cliff Barwick to sound him out.
She continued, “I had that same discussion with other people whose names had come up.”
Let’s put that claim to the test.
Linda Stevenson, the former school board trustee and top runner-up in the 2010 municipal vote, would be a logical choice, based on past practice when dealing with a vacant seat in the council chamber.
So, Linda, did the mayor call you?
“No,” is the response we got this week.

Thoughts on the potential for economic development between St. Thomas and First Nations of Ontario

The following was forwarded to City Scope by St. Thomas resident Bev Walpole and illustrates the “outside-of-the-box” thinking so sorely lacking today. It’s a case of addressing a large-scale national issue with a made-in-St.Thomas solution.Please take a few moments to read Bev’s paper and feel free to comment. This is certainly far removed from the initiatives currently being floated by local politicians and business development groups . . .

From 1978-1985 I was a public health inspector working for the federal department then known as Health and Welfare Canada, Medical Services Branch. My duties included advising Inuit and First Nations communities about sanitation and environmental issues. My work took me throughout the Northwest Territories, part of what is now Nunavut, Northern Saskatchewan and the province of Manitoba. During those years I encountered problems in those communities such as inadequate housing, inadequate and improper disposal of sewage, unsafe water supplies and the myriad of social issues endured by the citizens of those communities.

Throughout those years, I did my best to advocate for more and better housing, clean, safe water supplies and safe disposal of sewage and household wastes. I approached my own department as well as the Department of Indian affairs on behalf of the communities. I encouraged the leaders of the community to work towards improvement of conditions on their reserves and villages. The response from the community leaders was to ask where the money would come from to improve their situation. The Federal government departments for whom I worked and to whom I advocated on behalf of the communities responded with excuses such as “there is no money; resources are limited; and they’ll only wreck it anyway.” It was frustrating to visit these isolated communities, each time reporting on conditions and submitting recommendations for improvement and realizing that probably nothing would be done to make the situation better. I recall mentioning to a friend that if the temperature was to increase in the northern communities, disease would spread like wildfire because of the improper disposal of human waste, and the consumption of untreated or improperly treated water supplies.

New affordable housing officially opened today in St. Thomas

ST. THOMAS, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – June 11, 2010) – The Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, and the City of St. Thomas celebrated the official opening of 12 affordable rental units. The two six-unit affordable housing projects are supported by $924,000 in funding through the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program.

Joe Preston, Member of Parliament for Elgin-Middlesex-London, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), and Steve Peters, Member of Provincial Parliament for Elgin-Middlesex-London, along with Acting Mayor Tom Johnston, on behalf of St.Thomas Mayor Cliff Barwick made the announcement.

“Locally, this achievement gives a hand-up to individuals and families who need safe, affordable housing that meets their needs,” said MP Preston. “Our government is investing in this project to get the economy moving, creating immediate jobs and economic stimulus for the community.”

“These new homes are changing the lives of a dozen families in St. Thomas,” said MPP Peters. “By building more affordable rental units, we are ensuring people in need have a safe place to call their own.”

Full story

A dozen affordable rental housing units announced for St. Thomas

ST. THOMAS, ON, Nov. 20 /CNW/ – The Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, and the City of St.Thomas celebrated the start of construction of 12 affordable rental units in two housing developments. The developments are supported by over $924,000 in funding through the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program.

Joe Preston, Member of Parliament for Elgin-Middlesex-London, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), and Steve Peters, Member of Provincial Parliament for Elgin-Middlesex-London on behalf of the Government of Ontario; along with Cliff Barwick, Mayor of St.Thomas, made the announcement.