"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Saturday, January 19, 2013

What We Know Can't Hurt Us

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Supreme Court Can Quash a Municipal Bylaw.":

Won't work. You cannot legislate against stupidity or cupidity.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Supreme Court Can Quash a Municipal Bylaw.":

The operative word here is " can ". The Supremes can just decline such a case as it has not national interest. They need to give no response at all. This is strictly small potatoes, a local issue. The OMB might work. And the crucial word there is ' might '.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Supreme Court Can Quash a Municipal Bylaw.":
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Supreme Court Can Quash a Municipal Bylaw.": OMG !
Give us some time to catch up !

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If nothing else, it's an interesting topic of conversation. 
I am told anyone an make an application to quash a bylaw. 
By-laws are municipal. If there's an  opportunity to make application ,there must surely be an opportunity to be heard. 
I may have misunderstood which level of Supreme.
There's no cost to mak an application  if one is willing to  go it alone.
Given the history, I think I can make an argument.
The report recommending a schedule of workshops over twelve months for public input into a decision that does not  involve  a  legal commitment of  financial support  beyond this Council''s mandate, would be a good start. 
Obviously, homework  needs to be done  and  questions answered. 

When Reeve Jim Murray filed his appeal with the O.M.B against the railway museum in 1967,Council opted not to argue.  .
Would this Council proceed on  a course that didn't provide    opportunity for public input
Did they listen only to the  clamour for public funds  to satisfy  cultural aspirations of a few?
Would they direct a solicitor, at public cost,  to defend their decision?
Or would they allow a court to rule on whether or not  Council  acted in good faith and the Bylaw be allowed to stand? 
Council's  decision is yet to be made but we know what's  intended. 
 I believe the administration exercised  influence beyond  their authority  for this decision  to come down as it has. 
Even if the option to file an application to quash the bylaw is not  ours to access,  I think the subject needs to be explored and precise and factual information  needs to be obtained.
Information is key.