BLOGbreakingnews--Council To Give Go-Ahead For DRIC Judicial Review

Imagine how I feel. I develop a cold/flu late in the afternoon a few days ago and go to bed to recover. I wake up the next morning to the news that there might be a swine flu outbreak. Nice!

Now which of my friends have just returned from Mexico!

A short BLOG today. I just do not have the energy to do much more than that. In addition, I just wonder if I am still too feverish so that I do not know if my thoughts are correct or not.

I heard that David Estrin is coming to town today to talk about the MoE's DRIC decision, not as reported, last Monday. I guess Estrin does not have to cross the picket line at City Hall to get to the Council Chambers now. The Mayor also does not have to be attacked at Council for spending money on outside lawyers to fight useless lawsuits rather than using the money for City purposes such as dealing with employees.

Expect that the Mayor and Council will give Estrin the go-ahead to start a lawsuit. But not without a fight. After all, a number of Councillors I hear are upset at what fighting the Sandwich by-laws may cost. That will be ugly. There is also the risk that the Senior Levels could pull out based on a BLOG that Chris Schnurr wrote some time ago.

However, the big concern is that a lawsuit may mean that the City will not have jobs for citizens who need them now. Judicial review could stall the process for years. A year before an election, that is political suicide.

What to do, what to do?

Simple if you are the Mayor (by the way, is it really necessary for the City to run the "garbage" ads so often. That must cost more than a few dollars):

• "Francis pitches 'unprecedented investments' in city projects
  
  Windsor is preparing its own multimillion-dollar jobs stimulus package — with or without grants from senior governments.
  
  City residents can anticipate “unprecedented investments” in municipal infrastructure, Mayor Eddie Francis told The Star Tuesday.
  
  The idea, to be discussed by council as part of next week’s 2009 budget debate, will focus on quickly launching a number of major infrastructure projects listed in the city’s five-year capital plan...
  
  Another big incentive to get things done now is to beat the construction rush for the coming new international bridge and border crossings. Once those megaprojects get underway, possibly by 2011 or 2012, Francis said construction costs for other area projects “could skyrocket” because of peak local demand for labour, materials and services."

You see, dear reader, our Mayor has boxed himself into a corner with the Province. He has no choice but to sue based on his health and quality of life arguments. Otherwise he will be viewed as a "WEAKLING" since he has threatened litigation so often.

Eddie understands the power of CIBPA and what they will achieve if he is not careful (he was around when STOPDRTP was so strong) so he has to buy them off as well as the construction industry who needs work desperately and who has money and people to support campaigns.

How to do it:

• 'unprecedented investments.'

Use taxpayer money just like the Senior Levels are doing for infrastructure projects. It works for them so why not for Eddie. Who would dare argue against it these days? Which Councillor would dare not be on Eddie's team now? He is virtually guaranteeeing himself a third term as Mayor and them re-election.

There Councillors, do not worry. I will create jobs so you can be elected. There Senior Levels, pull out if you dare since I am creating jobs even without your cash. There Windsorites, I will create jobs so "Trust Me" and go along with me as I spend more millions on useless lawsuits. There construction industry, keep your mouths shut or you will get no work at all.

It is all so brilliant except for one small, little thing:

• "Before approaching council, Francis said he wanted administration to “crunch the numbers” and see whether it was feasible...
  
  Council had delayed debating the city’s 2009 capital budget pending word on what might be coming from the senior governments, but Francis said it can’t wait any longer.
  
  “Without a doubt, that stimulus money is a necessary catalyst for projects we’d otherwise not do,” he said, adding whatever the final figure is, it will “just further enhance” what Windsor is now planning on its own."

Don't you get it....it's just another VISION, another headline. Divert attention and promise anything. It is the canal all over again.

It is not that We cannot wait. Eddie cannot! He has a career to protect. As Thatcher's speechwriter said

• "The decisions that really matter to political leaders are those to do with the getting and holding of power. Other decisions may turn out well or ill. They may cost billions of pounds or hundreds of lives, but for enlisted politicians those decisions are secondary. What matters to them is: will I still be here after this?"

As for me, I am going back to bed.