MISSISSAUGA COUNCILLOR CAROLYN PARRISH, "THIS ISN'T A SECRET SOCIETY"

FROM: The good folks at The Mississauga News, this Toronto Star article:

"You can fight (at) city hall

Councillor Carolyn Parrish wasn't keeping her comments to herself yesterday as tensions between her and Mayor Hazel McCallion erupted over who should maintain the city's streetlights.
EMAIL PRINT

By: Torstar Network

June 21, 2007 - Simmering tensions between Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion and newbie Councillor Carolyn Parrish erupted at council yesterday over who should maintain the city's streetlights.
For 30 minutes, business ground to a halt and city staff appeared captivated by the exchange, sometimes dripping with sarcasm, that flew between the veteran politicians -- one the longtime mayor of the GTA's second-largest city, the other a former MP rumoured to have ambitions for her seat.
After a series of pointed questions by Parrish -- on questions she'd submitted earlier that became the subject of a staff report -- the mayor decided she'd had enough.
McCallion told Parrish that just wasn't the way business was done at Mississauga City Hall, where tradition is that councillors ask staff questions about reports before council meetings, not during.
"Let me advise you, Councillor Parrish, there's a process around here that we follow," McCallion lectured, describing how at 8 a.m. that very morning she had met with senior staff about the report on the city's hydro utility, Enersource.
"I got the answers, therefore I don't have to ask them at council," McCallion said.
Parrish responded that she wanted fellow councillors to understand the issues, which brought a retort that they could do their own homework.
That drew a muted response from Parrish at first, but 25 minutes later, after she'd had ample time to mull over the mayor's rebuke, she let rip with her own.
"We represent the city, we don't represent ourselves," Parrish said.
"So if I ask questions in open session on (cable) television, I have a right to do so," she said, noting that having worked at various levels of government, she was used to asking questions in various forums.
"And if I don't like the answers (given privately), I will ask them again in public. Even if I do like the answers, I will ask them again in public. This isn't a secret society."
That ratcheted things up a notch. McCallion suggested Parrish was trying to take credit for a proposed review of Enersource when it was actually a staff idea, and accused her of grandstanding.
"If you agree with the answers (in private), let's not go through an exercise of making you look good in the eyes of the public because you ask questions and you got the right answer from staff," McCallion said.
She told Parrish she should only question staff in council about issues she disagreed with.
"Madam Mayor, I thank you very much for the civics lesson," Parrish responded. "I have been in government for 20 years at various levels. I always asked questions and I will continue to ask questions.
"If we have a system around here whereby I have to check with you before I ask questions, I will do that quite delightfully," said Parrish.
And so it went for seven more minutes before another councillor finally piped up, saying: "Let's move on."
That was when the vote asking staff to begin the process of getting multiple bids for the streetlight maintenance contract was called.
The motion passed unanimously."

Category:

News & Politics

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• PARRISH
• HAZEL
• MCCALLION
• GOVERNMENT
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[jplumads]

"Damn Americans, I hate those bastards."

Classy politician you have there.

[MISSISSAUGAWATCH]

Oh hey, if you like Parrish, you should see our mayor, or our Ward 7 councillor, talk about class. They're happy to **** on anyone and any other city.

And oh my, you should get a load of our city manager!

In defense of Parrish, I suspect her "Damn Americans, I hate those bastards." referred to the Floridians who wiggled-and-jiggled those butterfly-ballots in George Bush's favour in 2000.

[MISSISSAUGAWATCH]

Yeah, but will she continue to, or will she be eventually "assimilated" by the Mississauga Secret Society Borg?

At the last meeting I attended I saw my first worrisome hint that McCallion's bullying and humiliation tactics are having an "effect".

We'll see.

[MrYpres]

im voting for parrish

[MrYpres]

interesting stuff. hope you post more vids

[Fayclis]

While I did not agree with Ms. Parrish's statement on Bush and told her and did NOT want her to win the last election I will humbly say I WAS WRONG. I now admire and trust this woman to tell it like it is even if it is not popular. She is not just another wishy washy politician that goes with the most recent popular whim. She will not take things at face value and digs for the truth. Parrish has true integrity and forsight. Mississauga is lucky to have someone like HER working for them.

[MISSISSAUGAWATCH]

Easy for you to say, you're American. Try propaganda from Canada when you're INSIDE Canada and have to swallow the constant stream of turds.

The worst, (believe me) is to hear "This isn't a secret society" from Carolyn Parrish when you're not only the victim OF that secret society but you have three dozen Freedom of Information results to prove they ARE a secret society.

(Long way of sayin' friend, we're likely on the same side...)

[simplyhappyfat]

Good for you Councillor Parrish it is nice to see that someone is looking out for the consitutents!!!!