Haldimand's "Path's Cross"

It is funny sometimes how our paths will cross with others, and for me this path was not one that I saw coming my way. But it has, and it seems that I have again got myself into very touchy waters.

I won't go into great detail how this happened, but I will tell you why I am involved. As many of you know, I believe that we all have the right to be heard, whether people agree with our opinions or not. So again some on Haldimand County Council will not want to hear what I have to say. So here we go!

I just got off the phone with Mark Vandermaas http://voiceofcanada.wordpress.com from Voice of Canada. He was telling me that last week he had sent an e-mail to the Clerk's Department at Haldimand County requesting that he and Merlyn Kinrade of Caledonia appear as a delegation. I only know that the subject matter was the OPP. OOPS guess that's a "hot issue".

It appears that they were "denied the right to speak before Council". I asked Mark what reason was given for this decision. The Clerk told Mark that the procedure was, that Haldimand County Council votes on who can be heard!! It seems that Haldimand County Council voted and did not want to hear this delegation. This is Absurd!!

The procedure is that you ask to be heard as a delegation, and give some information on what you are going to speak of, and are given 10 minutes to speak. Council "does not vote" on whether you can or cannot speak. The only time that this would happen is if you have not appeared at Council in Committee, and you wish to speak at the Council of the Whole Meeting. Mark had asked to speak as a delegation at 1:00 in the afternoon, which is a Council in Committee Meeting.

I do know from my conversation with Mark that he is involved with Gary Mchale, http://caledoniawakeupcall.com and Caledonia, and this have been a "hot issue" for many Council Members. Council members have publicly stated that they do not want "outsiders" to come in. So is this why they were denied the right to be heard? What about Merlyn Kinrade who is a resident of Haldimand County, what is their excuse for not letting him have his say?

What have we become here in Haldimand, when we are calling people "outsiders"? Where is the respect from our members of Council? How dare these Council Members portray the good people of Haldimand this way.

It looks like again members of Council are letting their personal feelings towards an issue or an individual to cloud their judgement.