Fastbreaking News

Here are some interesting issues that I think that you will want to take a look at over the next few weeks as the stories develop:

1) Watch for the demand for an investigation to find the person who leaked to the media the CAO memo attacking Councillors Halberstadt and Marra and also who leaked the issue with respect to the 3% pay amount. Once those persons are identified then we will be able to understand the reason behind the leaking.

2) Expect the Mayor to drop the word "cheap" when talking about the DRIC road. In fact, you may hear little about the DRIC road and Greenlink in the future since it is a loser for the Mayor. He knows that the Province will not go along with him. Instead, the new word will be "delay" as in why is DRIC delaying in moving this file forward. The last paragraph in the Star Editorial the other day followed up on the Mayor's comment with respect to delay

• "The DRIC team should strive to end the uncertainty surrounding this issue and announce a final crossing location and access route as soon as possible."

Speaking of delay, whatever happened to the formal City report to DRIC that was due in mid-November. Has the City ever hit a deadline yet on this file?

How many books could have been purchased for the Library system for the cost of the Greenlink ad blitz?

3) Why has there been a change in the City's approach? Does it mean that the survey I've talked about recently was in fact undertaken by the City who discovered that the word "cheap" was not resonating anymore with voters? Expect that if a Councillor does not soon ask for information about the poll, other appropriate action will be started.

How many books could have been purchased by the Windsor Library system if the money for the poll had been given to the Library?

4) If there is no specific sum mentioned in the Ontario Budget by the Minister of Finance, Dwight Duncan, then understand that the war between the Province and the Federal Government is still on. The Province does not want to reveal a number until it is finished negotiating with the Federal Government about how much the Feds will actually put into Windsor and other projects in the Province.

Again, if there are only platitudes spoken about Windsor in the Budget and no specific sums, as there probably cannot be since the Gong Show boys said that money would not be available until after 2010, then do expect that the true "cheap" solution will finally be imposed on Windsor. That will be the legacy of our Mayor who had the opportunity to achieve more.

5) It is highly unlikely that the Federal Government will increase by a significant amount its contribution to the DRIC project. Expect that the vast majority of infrastructure funds will be spent in British Columbia to build up the Asia Gateway and also now in the Maritimes, especially in the Nova Scotia.

The Nova Scotia Premier delivered a speech recently in which he

• "has given a broad outline of the potential infrastructure projects that will help transform Nova Scotia into the Atlantic Gateway of North America."

After all, there are 11 seats to be won in Nova Scotia if an election is called.

6) How many books will the Windsor Library System not buy this year because they will be forced to pay for an audit demanded by the Mayor and Council.

7) Does anyone know the answer to the question that is being asked around the City Audit Department:

• How many audits can the Audit Department audit if the Audit Department can audit audits?

8) The various political parties have what they call Candidate Schools to help out their party nominees to run election campaigns to become winners. Is it true now that Canadian political parties have opened up a School for Scandal since it appears that Governments in this country do not run on their records but get elected or defeated on what the latest big scandal is.

It looks like we may have the Mulroney affair behind us as the Obama NAFTA issue rises to be followed by......?

9) How many people in Sandwich will be able to work with Councillor Postma now? According to the BLOG of Chris Schnurr, Norm Wilson, the Sandwich man who wanted to build a new garage was told

• "The Building Department will not be processing Mr. Wilson’s exemption request or others until the completion of the Council Report recommending the evaluation criteria for exemptions," wrote Lee Anne Doyle, Manager of Development for the City of Windsor."

Poor Norm , stuck again! Is this another way that the City has decided to try to stall off the Bridge Company?

Notwithstanding that there were no criteria prepared for the last Council meeting respecting Maryvale, and this was mentioned several times by Councillors, an exemption was granted for that project. Has the City just made it a slam dunk for the Bridge Company lawyers to prove bad faith on the part of the City? How many Sandwich residents will now understand how the Bridge Company feels and be more been sympathetic to their position?

How many books could have been purchased for the Windsor Library System instead of being used to pay for lawyers to defend the City and to pay damages?

10) Look for more Economic Development Groups in Southwestern Ontario to start scrapbooks with all of the negative stories about Windsor to show potential investors who want to open up plants in this part of the country. The Windsor Star "file photo of union leader Ken Lewenza" shown on the online story "CAW issues ultimatum 'The TRW strike strengthens our resolve'" sure scared me and I live here.