Letters – December 2016

Re: Carol Burton-Fripp and no movie rescue for Leaside

Carol Burtin- Fripp says there is no movie rescue for Leaside. I wonder if she saw “Animal House”. Fripp pondered the responsibility of the planners. If planners are professional they have a duty to advise council if density is problematic. They have a duty to give due consideration to parks, schools and infrastructure. They acknowledge it, then ignore it. The current regime in the planning department is more interested in pretty streetscapes. What an appalling situation. Where is the oversight?

The way to stop “Drip, Drip, Drip” is to call a plumber. It is no longer sufficient to just show up at the OMB and expect that provincially-appointed tribunal to override provincial regulations and provincial mandates. Just as a plumber finds a leaking pipe, in order to stop this runaway density it will be necessary to trace it back to its source – 795 Eglinton Ave. East, riding office of your MPP.

As John Belushi said in “Animal House,” ‘Did you say ‘over’? Nothing is over until we decide it is!’” You have an option. It would make headlines across the province if LPOA brought Leasiders together in a formal public meeting on the subject of censuring their MPP, if a large community in the Premier’s own riding meets to consider a censure of their MPP, and holds a fair discussion of their grievances where the MPP has been invited to appear and defend herself. The mere fact the meeting was taking place would send shock waves across the province…and might even change the way politics is done in Ontario.

If the Premier chooses not to show up, a prominent Leasider could be appointed to act as her defender. The Premier created the provincial mandates, she appoints the OMB, she approved the Provincial Policy Statement. A censure would strip away the buffers and make her at last directly accountable to the people she pledged to serve.

Bob Murphy,
Eglinton Ave.