Mini-Gord's Border Wars

I just have to do it. Mini-Gord's column the other day and today were so bad, that I had to respond.

Who is rewriting history already? The border plus infrastructure projects plus crushing CUPE must be part of the E-Machine's pre-election campaign for Eddie for a federal run in Windsor West, Brian's riding or, if he chickens out, for his run for Mayor again for a third term.

I will do the July 21 column now and today's column shortly. Today's column was written because the Feds and Eddie really messed up with property valuations. I can only handle so much truth revelation at one time.

Ready, set...time to Fisk!

Border wars near end

By Chris Vander Doelen, The Windsor Star, July 21, 2009 10:38

Monday could easily have been a day of gloating for Mayor Eddie Francis and council for their handling of the international border file over the last six long years.

The announcement that the federal government will pay Windsor $34 million to acquire the former neighbourhood of Brighton Beach for a new bridge plaza site means the city's bitter border battles are finally coming to a close.

[Nothing has changed. The war has barely started with only a few lawsuits commenced so far. Wait until the parties get busy at it. We are looking at 20 years of grief, several years longer than the other FIRA lawsuit that was settled eventually. This time, the region will really suffer with no economic diversification plans around. Or jobs. Citizens for Jobs Now get moving already.]

The site chosen is the same one suggested by the city in 2005, when the federal bureaucrats who were running the show at the time were looking at 15 possible locations.

[No, no, no. This was the Mike Hurst/John Tofflemire site picked a decade ago. Eddie merely inherited what they already planned.]

The price paid for the land more than covers the $6.5 million Francis says city council has spent on lawyers and consultants to take on all comers during The Border Wars.

[Don’t you find it odd, the Feds who I am told did not want to pay for fees when Eddie asked for them directly are now doing so indirectly! Makes a mockery out of anyone thinking that the Governments were really fighting each other. It was a "family feud" to get more but they were all united against Matty Moroun!]

That's what the book should be called if anyone writes one about the Francis reign. For Windsor, bridges and tunnels and links to the U.S. have dominated the post 9-11 era.

[No, it should be entitled: How to fail as a Mayor without really trying and ruin my City at the same time. It could be turned into a musical for Broadway too.]

And it's been a knock-down, drag-'em-out fight the whole way.

[No, it has all been orchestrated, from Day 1]

Under Francis' leadership since 2003, Windsor has battled its surburban neighbours, fought the provincial and federal governments, stared down CP Rail and several gigantic pension funds, and last but far from least, soundly defeated the Ambassador Bridge and its supportive legions of U.S. congressmen, mayors, environmentalists, lawyers, bloggers and other assorted hangers-on.

[Oh Mini, the Ambassador Bridge has not yet started its battle with Eddie. It will be a short fight because Eddie does not want to be cross-examined on his record. As to the other battles, all phony wars.]

Many residents of the region long ago tired of the neverending argument and confrontation -- and the cost of waging a legal war on multiple fronts.

[Something correct. Congratulations]

Windsor's border bills started mounting when it hired David Estrin, the environmental law expert, to fight the Detroit River Tunnel Project. Then New York traffic expert Sam Schwartz got hired to write his famous report on border options for Windsor.

[That is not the only reason why Estrin was hired. Check your facts! The Schwartz Report was a waste other than being used as part of the stall game. The Feds blew it out of the water!]

The bill for the marathon Ontario Municipal Board battle over the DRTP alone topped $1.3 million.

[Who do you think discovered what was really going on that started the OMB matter! It was NOT the Mayor although he and several Councillors played a major role when it was disclosed.]

Say what you will about mayor Francis and his legalistic approach to the city's interests in the long battle over a new crossing, but it's almost over. And it's finally paying major dividends.

[Stop, stop, stop. Mini, you have to stop already. Even Gord did not make me this angry. The money spent has achived little other than helping to stall the economic redevelopment of this area and the creation of jobs. What did the mllions do for Greenlink? Eddie has no choice but to cave over that.]

A long string of dominoes has to fall yet before a new bridge opens to carry traffic from Brighton Beach to Delray, Mich.

The environmental assessment has to be completed (target date: August); the details of a public-private partnership have to be worked out, governance and ownership must be established, financing arranged, a design must be selected, and contracts put out to tender.

Any one of those remaining steps could be delayed by months as unforeseen hurdles come into view -- which is why no official at any level of government will commit to a start date. They just don't know when construction can start.

[Ha, ha ha. Whatever happened to 2013. They cannot commit because there is no truck traffic and no P3 money. Oooops you forgot about a lawsuit or two as well!]

In the meantime, Francis says, the city's return on its $6.5-million legal investment tops 2,667 per cent. So far.

[Oh no. Funny math numbers now to justify the waste of money that could have paid for new hires PRBs for years and not caused this CUPE strike!]

Windsor got $50 million for the Walker Road underpass; $50 million more for the Howard Avenue underpass, which sees a construction start this week; $20 million for a new tunnel plaza; $4 million for the pedestrian walkway over Huron Church Road; $34 million for the bridge plaza.

[That was all part of the $300M BIF money for which the expenditure of legal fees was irrelevant. The money for the Tunnel Improvements was part of Eddie's first agreement years ago and the Improvements have NOT been started since the City has no money to do it. Eddie's Detroit Tunnel deal collapsed with the waste of more legal fees]

Total so far: $158 million. "We didn't have any of that when this started."

[That is wrong. We had the BIF money under Hurst, $300M worth of it!]

The mayor resisted the temptation to say "I told you so" Monday to me or anyone else who has criticized him for the millions spent on legal advice.

[He had to resist. He could not say it!]

The huge outlay was necessary, Francis says, "because the residents have a right to be represented. It's been a long process, but there's a real strategy we're following."

[Funny, the Councillors I have dealt with have no idea what the strategy is unless making it up as you go along is one]

Council's strategy is "maximizing the return" for Windsor taxpayers, the mayor says.

Was it tough to take the criticism, which often bordered on personal abuse? "No. When you believe what you're doing is what is best for the city, the results speak for themselves."

[Res ipsa loquitor would have been more black letter law lawyerly like]

Francis credits the change in power in Ottawa in 2006 for breaking the logjam that characterized border discussions under the Liberal government.

"When you compare this (Conservative) government to the previous government, these guys don't want to just talk about it -- they want to get it done," he said.

[Well of course if you are going to run for the Conservatives against Brian Masse. A nice shot at any possible Liberal candidates too except he forgot some of the nice things Paul Martin said.]

The most helpful person to Windsor, the mayor says, has been Transportation Minister John Baird. "Baird has been great. He's been amazing. He's a hands-on, no-nonsense 'let's-make-it-happen' guy."

[No mention of "A+" Jeff Watson. Poor Jeff and the canal support too. He should know now he was a mere pawn to be used. Except Baird declared war on the Ambassador Bridge and did not follow the well-planned Louis Ranger path to minimize litigation. Under his watch the DRIC Bridge was postpoed for years too.]

What word should we use to describe how Francis has handled the border file? A few spring to mind: determined, combative, stubborn, inspired, lucky.

Maybe all of those adjectives are accurate, plus a few.

[Like [Expletive deleted] and destructive of Windsor]

Does the mayor feel vindicated? "We're not done yet." But he was smiling. Which means yes.

[Oh no, more of the same! I am crying. Councillors HHHHEEEELLLPPPPP!!!!!!!]