Bambi 2: What If They Do Not Defer

I see that the fight over Bambi is coming to Council again. You remember, the City wanted to sell Superior Park for a French High School. [Blog August 08, 2006 Who Is Killing Bambi]

This time, however, Administration is seeking a 90 day deferral so that the neighbourhood can be consulted, including a public meeting. Of course, the first time this matter was in front of Council a quick decision was required by Administration---there was even a deadline by which the deal had to be done or else. Now Administration wants to have a "proper and thorough consultation" when before they did not want any. Amazing what a few residents and a BLOG can do.

I was shocked by the turnabout and got to wondering what if this is just a setup. Here the poor Community is being lulled into a false sense of security thinking that the matter will be deferred. As was said by Administration: "It is always Council's decision on whether or not to defer, taking into consideration the administrative report. Normally Council does approve the deferral especially when it is being requested for the purpose of further public input."

What if this is not a "normally" situation---whammo, the community is not heard, the park is sold and a high school is built without one public hearing whatsoever and with no consultation as is required.

The Community is counting on their Ward 1 Councillor, Councillor Brister, to protect them. And why not? After all, according to Gord Henderson, isn't Councillor Brister the hero of the day who would fight to ensure that the park is not sold.

Well Gord's column troubled me a lot. The whole reason the issue got to Council in the first place is because a Resolution was passed in secret in an in camera session. Guess who moved that motion instead of killing it---Gord's hero, Councillor Brister.

So the Councillor has to scramble hard. Gord wants the park saved, the residents want the park saved and it's an election year. The Councillor's advice to residents "I would still suggest that you prepare for the 5th as a precaution" to me is very suspicious. It's as if he is giving them a warning without telling them that. He better get it deferred.

If the park is sold before the election, he could be in big trouble politically. But wait, there may be an answer. The Councillor should thank Gord and the ex-Mayor for it. Why Councillor Brister tried to save the park didn't he as we read in Gord's column? "I warned the residents to prepare. It's not my fault," Councillor Brister will fume in another Henderson column. "The other Councillors did it. They wanted to sell-out the residents, not I. What could I do? I am just one Councillor out of ten. I have no authority, I have no clout."