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- Thread starter animatronic
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DSC
Superstar
Well, there's a huge surprise!
DSC
Superstar
Also from CBC
There's fresh scrutiny of how Premier Doug Ford's government issued dozens of fast-track approvals to rezone select properties, some of them owned by developers who also stood to benefit from Greenbelt land swaps.
Minister's zoning orders (MZOs) are a powerful tool the province can use to expedite development on a specific parcel of land. At the stroke of a pen, a cabinet minister overrides local planning rules, avoids public consultation and changes what can be built on the property.
The Ford government has handed out MZOs at an unprecedented pace: at least 110 of them since 2019. By contrast, previous Liberal governments issued just 18 between 2003 and 2018.
A tally by the Ontario NDP finds that just four guests at a Ford family wedding reception benefited from as many MZOs as previous Liberal governments issued in total over the course of their 15 years in power.
For years, the Ford government has defended its use of MZOs as a way to spur housing construction or to clear away red tape from urgent provincial projects such as long-term care facilities.
But now, after investigations by Ontario's integrity commissioner and auditor general found the government improperly furthered the private interests of certain developers by approving their Greenbelt properties for housing, there are questions about whether the government's use of MZOs bears any similarities.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-doug-ford-mzos-land-zoning-orders-greenbelt-1.7010332
There's fresh scrutiny of how Premier Doug Ford's government issued dozens of fast-track approvals to rezone select properties, some of them owned by developers who also stood to benefit from Greenbelt land swaps.
Minister's zoning orders (MZOs) are a powerful tool the province can use to expedite development on a specific parcel of land. At the stroke of a pen, a cabinet minister overrides local planning rules, avoids public consultation and changes what can be built on the property.
The Ford government has handed out MZOs at an unprecedented pace: at least 110 of them since 2019. By contrast, previous Liberal governments issued just 18 between 2003 and 2018.
A tally by the Ontario NDP finds that just four guests at a Ford family wedding reception benefited from as many MZOs as previous Liberal governments issued in total over the course of their 15 years in power.
For years, the Ford government has defended its use of MZOs as a way to spur housing construction or to clear away red tape from urgent provincial projects such as long-term care facilities.
But now, after investigations by Ontario's integrity commissioner and auditor general found the government improperly furthered the private interests of certain developers by approving their Greenbelt properties for housing, there are questions about whether the government's use of MZOs bears any similarities.
Admiral Beez
Superstar
I wonder what the RCMP's Sensitive and International Investigations (SII) Unit makes of this?
tiffer24
Senior Member
Ontario Premier Doug Ford met face to face with Hamilton developer Sergio Manchia about removing his land from the Greenbelt in 2021, documents reveal.
The documents contradict what Ford has previously said about his involvement in the controversy, including he has "no recollection" of meeting Manchia, nor did he know about the proposed changes before 2022.
The meeting took place more than a year before Ford's government publicly announced its plan to allow select developers to build on the protected Greenbelt, according to an email released Monday among thousands of pages of documents obtained by Environmental Defence through a Freedom of Information request.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss opening up Manchia's Greenbelt land at Barton Street and Fifty Road for development, according to an email to Ford's executive assistant from Scott Beedie, a planner at Manchia's company UrbanSolutions.
Also at the Sept. 20, 2021, meeting was then Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger, PC MPP Donna Skelly and LiUNA vice-president Joseph Mancinelli, according to the email.
LiUNA spokesperson Victoria Mancinelli said her father never attended such a "private meeting" and has no involvement in this land.
Ford's spokesperson, Caitlin Clark, said changes to the Greenbelt were considered only after the 2022 provincial election.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/ford-email-greenbelt-meeting-1.7012980
The documents contradict what Ford has previously said about his involvement in the controversy, including he has "no recollection" of meeting Manchia, nor did he know about the proposed changes before 2022.
The meeting took place more than a year before Ford's government publicly announced its plan to allow select developers to build on the protected Greenbelt, according to an email released Monday among thousands of pages of documents obtained by Environmental Defence through a Freedom of Information request.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss opening up Manchia's Greenbelt land at Barton Street and Fifty Road for development, according to an email to Ford's executive assistant from Scott Beedie, a planner at Manchia's company UrbanSolutions.
Also at the Sept. 20, 2021, meeting was then Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger, PC MPP Donna Skelly and LiUNA vice-president Joseph Mancinelli, according to the email.
LiUNA spokesperson Victoria Mancinelli said her father never attended such a "private meeting" and has no involvement in this land.
Ford's spokesperson, Caitlin Clark, said changes to the Greenbelt were considered only after the 2022 provincial election.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/ford-email-greenbelt-meeting-1.7012980
Richard White
Senior Member
Who needs Genco Puro Olive Oil when you have KyKys cookies!
DSC
Superstar
Drip....drip.....drip
www.thestar.com
Documents reveal stress behind the scenes as Ford government ignored experts to change municipal boundaries
Thousands of internal government documents linked to Premier Doug Ford’s $8.28-billion Greenbelt land swap scandal reveal political staff directed bureaucrats on municipal boundary changes — often ignoring expert advice.
www.thestar.com
DSC
Superstar
and now the knives are out for those who question Doug...
www.thestar.com
Doug Ford fires PC veteran from Metrolinx board after she criticizes him
Ford appears to be moving to crush any dissension in the Progressive Conservative ranks over his Greenbelt scandal.
www.thestar.com
Jonny5
Senior Member
Completely unrelated to the content of that article, I found it amusing The Star had to go all the way back to 1999 to find a photo of her?!?and now the knives are out for those who question Doug...
Doug Ford fires PC veteran from Metrolinx board after she criticizes him
Ford appears to be moving to crush any dissension in the Progressive Conservative ranks over his Greenbelt scandal.
lenaitch
Senior Member
One of the most honest quotes in that Star article:
"You’re a political appointee, so be political",
And one of the funniest, for the speaker not getting the contradiction:
“I don’t know why we leak so much — there’s just no discipline,” said a third exasperated insider, who also spoke on condition that they not be named.
"You’re a political appointee, so be political",
And one of the funniest, for the speaker not getting the contradiction:
“I don’t know why we leak so much — there’s just no discipline,” said a third exasperated insider, who also spoke on condition that they not be named.
Towered
Senior Member
Has this insider ever heard of the words accountability and transparency?
Whatever happened to "respect for the taxpayers", Doug?
smably
Senior Member
I wonder whether the leaker in this case was Doug himself, or someone instructed by Doug to talk to the media. If he's sending a message with this firing, he'll want to make the message crystal clear, thus the "anonymous" leaks to the press.
Northern Light
Superstar
She's been a regular on TVO's 'The Agenda' since her time in cabinet. Of course, with TVO staff on strike, might not be anybody to give permission to use their footage.
DSC
Superstar
Doug Ford insists he ‘had nothing to do’ with Greenbelt changes now being probed by the RCMP
At a Tuesday morning press conference, the premier insists he was in the dark about many of the questionable calls his government made in the scandal now being investigated by the RCMP.
www.thestar.com
Richard White
Senior Member
Doug Ford held a media availability today.
Mike Crawley of the CBC posted a transcript (sort of) on twitter from the Q&A. It could not be any more evident that he is avoiding answering questions.
The answers read as if he knows he is in trouble and trying to avoid causing more.
See here:
Mike Crawley of the CBC posted a transcript (sort of) on twitter from the Q&A. It could not be any more evident that he is avoiding answering questions.
The answers read as if he knows he is in trouble and trying to avoid causing more.
See here: