Letter to the Editor
Editor,
Bravo to Dave Long for taking a stand on this code of conduct. If section ‘e’ (in 5.3.1 of the Advisory Committee and Volunteer Code of Conduct) is allowed to stand, then anyone who voices disagreement with any Council or senior staff action or decision will not be considered Meaford volunteer material. The editor of TMI for instance, could not do political journalism accurately and be a Meaford volunteer.
If you are a volunteer and point out how incompetent it is that Meaford has twice tried to tender snow clearing in some Sydenham routes and received NO BIDS, you will be terminated.
If you are a volunteer and point out that the Mayor, speaking for Council and senior staff, issued a letter warning citizens not to compare Meaford to the more efficient Grey Highlands and laced the letter with falsehoods and omissions, you will be terminated.
This bylaw, by lumping all of these social justice/politically correct hot buttons together does disservice to us all. Now, honest public criticism is equated to bullying, intimidation, discrimination, harassment, and work place violence.
You know that at one time we used to have an independent Integrity Commissioner who could deal with all citizen complaints and concerns devoid of political interference. Many municipalities have independent Integrity Commissioners but Meaford has done away with theirs because a previous Council couldn’t stand the heat. As far as I know, we are required to have an Integrity Commissioner, and guess who it is, the Mayor!
Ray McHugh, Meaford
Editor’s Note: There is no requirement for municipalities in Ontario to appoint an Integrity Commissioner.
