Is Niagara Ontario’s rotten borough — and is Doug Ford letting this happen?
A former Toronto Star journalist and current resident of Niagara-on-the-Lake, David Israelson penned an editorial piece in the Star today saying that Toronto isn’t the only place in Ontario getting kicked around by Premier Doug Ford.
Israelson, who is running for school board trustee points out that Toronto city council is not the only place impacted by Ford's legislation.
He says Niagara was also included in a "murky" move to cancel the election for Niagara's Regional Chair.
This October WOULD have marked the first time voters in Niagara elected a Chair and the position was not appointed.
That all changed in July when Ford announced the controversial legislation and even used a never before move (the notwithstanding clause) to get it back before Queen's Park even when a judge ruled it was unconstitutional.
Bill 31 is expected to pass by Thursday.
Israelson says the cancellation leaves unanswered questions about the way Niagara Region is administered and the way its elected regional council functions.
He asks: Is Niagara Region Ontario’s rotten borough?
Israelson details Niagara's messy history starting with Regional Council's move to seize a reporter's equipment, controversial Councillor Andy Petrowski, the NPCA, and the CAO hiring and contract mess.
The journalist points out that just after Grant LaFleche's St.Catharines Standard story broke about how the CAO received "help” getting the job, Ford cancelled the regional election.