Floreat Grimsby In Medio Horti
It appears that the OPP has cleared the NPCA of any “criminal” wrongdoing after investigating allegations of such, but that doesn’t mean the storm has passed for the agency that seems to have little trouble attracting controversy.
Judges gavel and law books stacked behind
Despite the apparent attempts to keep costs under wraps, it looks like the now-dismissed lawsuit by the NPCA against Ed Smith ran up a legal bill of over $140,000.
We came across an interesting digital “dust-up” between readers of the Facebook group “A Better Niagara” and Grimsby’s Regional Councillor (and NPCA member) Tony Quirk over a recent newspaper article about the NPCA.
The Council agenda was pretty bare again this week with just a few crumbs thrown in for good measure … here’s the agenda and our notes:
Here is a recent article from the St. Catharine’s Standard’s “Opinion Column” by Doug Herod which gives a quick overview and a great “take” on the whole NPCA v. Ed Smith SLAPP case.
Photo Credit: St. Catharine’s Standard
As we reported a few weeks ago (here), the Courts dismissed the NPCA’s defamation case against Ed Smith, an outspoken advocate for transparency and good governance. At the time, there had been no ruling in Mr. Smith’s counterclaim against the NPCA and affiliated parties.
Hot on the heels of Ed Smith’s win over the NPCA in the courts, Welland NDP MPP Cindy Forster and St. Catharines Liberal MPP Jim Bradley have been bringing forth citizen’s concerns on the floor of the legislature.
You can read the full text of their comments here: http://www.iheartradio.ca/610cktb/news/local/two-local-mpp-s-continue-to-raise-niagara-issues-of-concern-at-queens-park-1.3487822
The Auditor General says the pending audit of the NPCA should be finished by summer. More details are available at: http://www.iheartradio.ca/610cktb/news/local/auditor-general-says-audit-of-npca-should-be-out-by-the-summer-1.3487825
It was a packed an almost empty house at Council this past Monday, on both sides of the podium. For those who weren’t there, as usual we have the notes.
The full agenda is viewable at: https://grimsby.civicweb.net/filepro/documents?expanded=543,79798&preview=89068
With Mayor Bentley absent for Council, Alderman Joanne Johnston took the reins as Deputy Mayor chairing the meeting. The agenda was light, but the energy perked up when the Public Works meeting minutes were put forward for approval.
In what might be called a “victory for free speech” and public interest, an Ontario court dismissed the two cases of defamation launched by the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority and a marketing firm against Ed Smith on November 23rd.
It seems there is a question of integrity even within members of the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority Board of Directors.
Full read available here on the NPCA website: https://npca.ca/news/npca-cancels-rfp-process-board-member-interference
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