Mayor and deputy mayor candidates address county issues

As the dispute surrounding the Site 41 landfill reached a critical stage during the summer of 2009, a number of questions emerged about the manner in which decisions were being made -and by whom -at the County of Simcoe.

Some of the 32 women and men entrusted to govern the half billion dollar corporation were, according to one councillor: "left in the dark."

While their actions impact the lives and pocketbooks of everyone in Simcoe County, county councillors are not directly accountable to county residents. They hold office solely because they are elected as mayors and deputy mayors in their own municipality.
(In a democratic society that, in and of itself, is worthy of a whole set of questions.)

...

George Cornell: FOI legislation is there to protect the rights of the public to have access to information under the control of institutions, while at the same time protecting the privacy of individuals. There are very specific rules under which the Act is governed. As a member of County Council, I would work to ensure that County Council and staff are fully compliant with the FOI requirements and work to improve the public's engagement in County matters through public meetings and advisory committees.

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