Peter CLARKE, Toronto/Willowdale, a Voice for the People, not a political party

Times Toronto: Toronto Hydro another Potential Political City Scandal Similar to TCHC?

2012-01-28T19:34:00.000-05:00

Times Toronto: Toronto Hydro another Potential Political City Scandal Similar to TCHC?

Times Toronto: Self Anointed Opposition De Facto Groups of the S...

2012-01-08T14:39:00.000-05:00

Times Toronto: Self Anointed Opposition De Facto Groups of the S...: The so called Syrian opposition is made up of armed forces deserters, Syrian exile members of the de facto groups like the S...

Peter CLARKE, Toronto/Willowdale, a Voice for the People, not a political party: Gold Plated Salaries of Elite Toronto Councillors ...

2012-01-08T10:40:00.000-05:00

Peter CLARKE, Toronto/Willowdale, a Voice for the People, not a political party: Gold Plated Salaries of Elite Toronto Councillors ...: Toronto city councillors have an annual salary of $99,619.52 plus an annual tax free expense account of $30,000 on top of t...

Gold Plated Salaries of Elite Toronto Councillors and Politicians Have Left the Average Canadian Footing the Bills.

2012-01-08T10:37:00.002-05:00

Toronto city councillors have an annual salary of $99,619.52 plus an annual tax free expense account of $30,000 on top of their 100% taxpayer paid extended heath and dental coverage, life insurance of 2 times salary, long term disability at 75% of salary, mileage reimbursed @ 52 cents per kilometer, one years full salary and benefits upon leaving office and OMERS pension plan.

Our Ontario members of the legislature recently received a 25% increase which resulted in cabinet minister’s salary rising to $157,633 in addition to benefits and expense accounts.

Canadian federal cabinet members in parliament enjoy an annual salary of $218,500, plus expenses, benefits and lavish pensions.

The elected provincial members of the legislature receive an annual salary of $126,321 plus expenses, benefits and pensions at the same time our federal elected members of parliament are paid an annual salary of $147,700 plus expenses, benefits and pension.

All these politician's salaries, expense accounts, benefits and lavish pensions, of course, are paid for on the backs of Canadians with the average annual salary of a mere $44,366?

Thus it is not just only the top executives but over paid basketball, baseball, hockey, tennis and soccer players etc. along with actors and actresses who ALSO play a significant role in driving the growth in income inequality throughout Ontario, Canada and the world.

Talk about media hypocrisy…

http://www.thestar.com/business/article/1109514--top-canadian-ceos-got-27-per-cent-pay-hike?bn=1

Toronto is in the Midst of its Greatest Domestic Financial Crisis since its Formation

2011-09-26T11:21:00.003-04:00

thanks to Policies of Totalitarian Socialized Liberalism on Borrowed Money, Reckless Spending and Debt.

When reports or journalist make statements that there are no party politics at City hall is absurd and asinine.

This so called politics of consensus, has resulted in the City of Toronto in the midst of a financial operating and budgeting domestic crisis unprecedented since its formation.

Why is it that services and programs that are mandated by the provincial government are NOT being reimbursed at 100% of the total costs for these mandates services?

The Mayor was democratically elected by an overwhelming majority of the people of Toronto mainly because of this financial mess at City hall.

The City’s current $4.7 Billion deficit was caused by councilors who fully and openly support progressive totalitarian socialized liberalism through the redistribution of wealth, nudged on by the backing of the NDP and always supported by the editorial board of the Toronto Star and other main stream media.

These defenders for the status quo at City Hall, be they councilors, citizen of special interest groups, union members or registered lobbyists, have always used children as props to demonize the opponents of their elite cultural institutions along with ever increasing shrill of verbal attacks.

Their unwavering opposition for effective, stable financial policies and fiscal responsibility at City Hall in attempts to stop the reckless spending habits and reversing this notion for finding new revenues and ever increasing property taxes shall never change. You see they are of the political opinion and idea that children when used as props etc. might be a very effective way to broaden their social crusaders base.

Because these totalitarian socialist liberals at City council are attempting to ensure that any councilor or unelected bureaucrat who proposes financial restraint by stopping councils spending and borrowing habits through budget cuts, service reductions, a zero based budgeting process, ending unsustainable subsidized day care, welfare and other property tax payer funded hand out programs, when considering Toronto’s financial budgeting crisis and its debt of $4.7 Billion will be labeled by the main stream media and themselves as conservatives and bad people.

With the assistance of the main stream media by keeping up its muckraking articles and personal character assassination attempts against the Mayor and others, who truly understand the serious financial crisis that the City has been in for the past ten years, these defenders for the unsustainable status quo hope that such propaganda will conveniently continue to feed nicely into their ideology and socialized liberal cultural agenda for keeping the status quo and redistribution of wealth.

As their political culture understand that the costs for such unsustainable programs will not be coming out of their pockets to pay for property taxes but rather on the backs of the next generation of youth and their children.

However under Our Canadian Constitution programs Involving Income Redistribution are the Direct Legal and Constitutional Responsibility of the provincial and or federal Government, NOT the City of Toronto.

But where and when during this year’s ongoing shaky economic downturn has either the provincial or federal government provided Toronto with the necessary financial support tools that has made our City more fiscally sustainable during the past year?

These so called independent minded councilors are nothing more than representatives of their personal political parties as the majority of Torontonians clearly understand.

Most taxpayers acknowledge and agree that Toronto has a financial operating and capital budget crisis cause by spending, borrowing and deficits going back to 13 years after amalgamation. But at the same time,

City staff in 1998 has gone from 45,860 employees to over 53,000 in 2011 and increase of 16%.

As you all know the City budget has skyrocketed 184% from $5 Billion to $9.2 Billion while inflation for the same period increased 25.21% an annualized average of just 2.29208%.

The official census confirms that our population as of 2006 was 2,503,281 or an increase of just 1% from the 2001 census population of 2,481,494. The city’s official confirmed census for the population in 2011 will be known by all in 2012.

The reality is that City government and the City of Toronto Act has to be amended in order for this Mayor or any proceeding Mayor to succeed.

To achieve any success the Metro council urgently requires a number of electoral structural changes prior to the next municipal election in 2014.

The following recommendations, suggestions and amendments to the Municipal and City of Toronto Acts should be consideration by the Provincial Legislature, Mayor, Executive and Council.

Since amalgamation Metro council is more dysfunctional, with its current size of 44 councillors and politically over represented compared to the 23 elected members for the provincial parliament for the same population and geographic areas within the City of Toronto.

1. Metro Toronto council should be realigned to and downsized from 44 councillors to 23 councillors in line with provincial city boundaries as the new wards and further with a 6 board of control members or executive cabinet member elected by the voters from within each of the six former boroughs that made up the original metro council. The mayor of course would be elected by the people, as now, from across the entire City.

2. Amended the appropriate Act to stipulate by a law, similar to the one that municipalities cannot run an operating deficit, that the City of Toronto be restricted to 1.7% of the federal government’s population census for Toronto as the maximum allowable total number of employees, employed by the City at all times and with no exceptions.

3. A combined employee layoff of 8,500 employees through attrition, eligible buyout packages or actual permanent layoffs to take effect January 1, 2012.

4. 70% of the City’s budget is for public transportation within the city borders but continues to be used on a daily basis as a service by hundreds of thousands of non City residents or City taxpayers the City should consider the following options relating to the TTC.

A. An amendment to the appropriate Acts for a One transit authority for the GTHA which encompasses the needs of commuters from Oshawa to Hamilton incorporated and harmonized with the Go Train operations and operated and funded through run by Metrolinx with a Board consisting of elected members from the City of Toronto, Region, provincial and federal governments and out of the control of Metro council. Without a lasting and final political commitment from the province and federal government’s any transit system within the GTHA shall not succeed.

B. An outright privatization of the operations, management and service of the TTC.

C. For 2012 a one fare for adults, seniors and students of $4.00 and a $2.00 child fare which would be $2.00 less than the $6.00 equivalent in a dollar fare currently charged by the more over crowded, cleaner and efficient bus and subway system in the world class city of London.

5. For the current and future capital needs and operating costs of the City’s Toronto Hydro our City should consider that Toronto Hydro secure venture capital by forming a limited partnership, a joint venture, selling 45% of its shares through private placement, self underwriting and or a direct public stock offering to access capital, new management and operating funds.

6. The Toronto Zoo an agency corporation of our City should also consider the possibilities of selling 45% of its shares through private placement, self underwriting etc. and or a direct public stock offering.

7. The City’s retirement defined benefit pension plan must be changed and fully incorporated with the Canada Pension Plan and employee contributions equally matching contributions and not to exceed 4% of salary as a condition of continuing employment with the City for all employees, union, non union, seasonable, part time ,full time, executive and managers alike.

8. The City’s employee benefit package should be changed to be on a 50/50 copayment basis and the maternity leave top up benefit should be reduced to 50% of salary for 25 weeks. The onsite subsidized daycare for preschool aged children should be on a maximum subsidization of 25% being paid by the City and 75% paid by employees. All as a condition of continuing employment with the City for all employees, union, non union, seasonable, part time, full time, executive and managers alike.

9. The council should ask the province to allow the City to amend the Property Tax Rebate Program for Vacant Commercial and Industrial Buildings to stop the current open ended period clause to a maximum lifetime tax relief for such properties of 2 year in total, unless the owner of the property has made an application or has an ongoing application before the proper City departments for a RE Zoning, Re Development or Extensive Renovations.

10. Redeploy 30 officers from the police mounted unit to other community policing duties when preparing the 2012 budget. This would leave the mounted unit with 13 officers and 18 horses from the current 43 officers and 28 horses without reducing the number of actual officers in the force.

11. Through attrition the civilian component of the police services should be reduced by 5 per cent each year for the next 4 years and then caped at that number.

12. The 2012 City budgeting process for all departments, agencies, commissions Boards etc. should be changed from the current outdated historical incremental budgeting system in which the new budget starts with the balance at least equal to the previous year’s total balance or estimate. A Zero base budgeting process commences with the budget development system in which all departments, services and programs within the budget start with a heading of zero and detects inflated budgets and has a greater political control over executives, managers, services and programs. It further assists in channelizing the City’s limited revenues from low priority to high priority areas.

13. Commencing with the 2012 budget process all City tenders and all bid requests for City contracts or work etc. should be open to all contractors and corporations be they employ union or non union employees and the union wage or far wage policy should be rescinded to stop the present discrimination against non unionized contractors and workers to ensure greater transparency, openness, fairness and cost efficiency.

14. The salaries of all senior and top bureaucrats should be frozen for the 2012 budget process and until they manage to come up with some meaningful and enlightened ways and means for the ensuring the long term financial ability for the City to meet its debt and operating and capital budgets obligation. If they cannot do this then the Mayor, his Executive team and Council must find the individuals who can.

15. The City must put aside the dark dystopia of the feminist imagination found in such allegories as Margaret Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale and ensure that the 2012 City Library budget is reduced by at least 15% and that certain library operation where warranted are amalgamated with other library facilities and some closed and the properties offered to developers for the much needed social house units throughout the City. We all must remember that almost every public and high school, university and college within the City also have library facilities.

With warmest regards and respectfully submitted, I remain,

Peter Clarke

Peter CLARKE, Toronto/Willowdale, a Voice for the People, not a political party: James Toronto Star: Story of blacks in U.S. is bathed in sugar and vinegar

2011-09-16T09:54:00.000-04:00

Peter CLARKE, Toronto/Willowdale, a Voice for the People, not a political party: James Toronto Star: Story of blacks in U.S. is bathed in sugar and vinegar

James Toronto Star: Story of blacks in U.S. is bathed in sugar and vinegar

2011-09-16T09:53:00.000-04:00

Obama is biracial and could not have run as a candidate for US President as a black man because his mother is white and father a black Kenyan.

Blacks in the U.S., like all other races around the globe, have to take responsibility for their own actions or lack of same when it comes to education, work ethics, skills and commitment to striving to achieve ones goals within society.

In the US each year one third of all high school students half of all blacks fail to graduate from public high school with their class. Many of these students abandon school with less than two years to complete their high school education.

Is it the white man’s and society's fault that the graduation rate for black college players is less than whites and related to their own lack of commitment education and self discipline?

Is it also society's and the white man’s fault that 56% of blacks with little or no education or skills cannot afford to purchase a home without government assistance and then fail to make the mortgage payments?

Many black and white men and youth do not wish to apply themselves or follow the rules of society as the facts have shown us.

It seems obvious that unfortunately many prefer having a lifelong self inflicted chip on their shoulders against everything in life because of their own lack of self discipline and for far too many seem to prefer taking the easy way whihc usually ends up in criminality activity.

Peter Clarke for One City, Your Taxes, Our Financial Future Together.......

2010-09-29T14:12:00.005-04:00

Toronto’s fiscal Crisis Caused by 23 Year Incumbent Councillors Chronic Spending Habits, Peter Clarke

2010-08-03T11:59:00.005-04:00

Toronto’s fiscal crisis partially caused by the outgoing mayor where definitely NOT caused by what we eat but the out of control chronic spending habits of incumbent councillors promoting such left leaning ideologies for the past 25 years.

However it was fueled by the outgoing Mayors broken promises and his miraculous discovery of a hidden $104.82 Million Dollars of Tax Payers Money, then coupled with Toronto Hydro’s outright deceptive conduct when they voted to deceitfully increase electricity prices so it could hand over fat payments to cash hungry and fiscally inept City of Toronto the people are finally beginning to see red.

In CLARKE'S opinion they neglected their legal individual fiduciary responsibilities and duties to customers by diverting funds needed by the utility for its system reliability by deceitfully increasing unwarranted dividend payments to the city of Toronto, as recently ruled by Ontario's Court of Appeal.

The actions of Toronto Hydro’s Board of directors supported by incumbent councillors of diverting funds from the needs of maintaining the utilities system reliability of aging wires and equipment was in my opinion NOT upholding their fiduciary duties.

Perhaps now with yet another process being a sham our Provinces Attorney General along with the media and others will start demanding an investigation into these recurring shams and neglect of judiciary responsibilities by incumbent councillors and our appointed Toronto hydro board members.

Incumbent Councillors spending for their self given Golden Severance Package at a cost of $5,405,200 MILLION dollars or $122,645.45 per councillor upon their defeat at the polls, which is twice that established for Ontario workers was yet another example of their arrogance and self serving greed which greatly attributed to the city's fiscal crisis.

Further 10 to 25 year incumbent councillors have shown their complete lack of prudence for taxpayer money as witnessed by their increased spending by 60% in ten years while inflation rose only 23% for the same period.

Instead of stopping spending over the years Toronto incumbent councillors wanted to control our lifestyles by dictating what we eat, drink and think under the guise of taking care of us.

Incumbent councillors through their approval of over 200,000 bylaws, regulations for left leaning ideologies of the past 25 years have attempted to micro-managing personal choices and freedoms down to the level of a soft drink, French fry or salt when there are families that aren't eating at all.

Such dictatorial fascism of left leaning ideologies for the masses because some people might lack "Self-control" must not be allowed to replace personal choice and freedoms of rugged individualism by incumbent councillors.

In Toronto as elsewhere when unemployment rises we here a call for government to “do something”.

Doing something refers to more taxpayer money for sporting clubs, community centers, and the never ending and always increasing outreach programs.

Quite frankly these elements are not the domain of government. None of these feel-good measures get at the root of joblessness or out of control spending.

Out of control spending is not helped with the cradle-to-grave subsidies and more taxpayer money for sporting clubs, community centers, and the never ending and always increasing outreach programs.

Protests, riots, civil disobedience or strikes that demand our government send subsidy checks and welfare payments will not solve our fiscal crisis or pay the bills for essential costs required in a free market system or either in a socialist communist one as history has shown.

Individuals must take full responsibility for their own actions and abilities throughout life as there are no guarantees and to think otherwise or that the others owe you one is an unrealistic begging practice sponsored by left leaning ideologies over the past 25 years.

Toronto council can indeed play a role in helping to lower the unemployment but it is not the sole answer.

If we stopped outrageously over regulating, taxing and bullying businesses but rather started encouraging them we would see a dramatic turn of events throughout Toronto.

Incumbents over the past 25 years have like to label themselves as progressive this or that for improving society as everyone would be for this!

However for voters it’s my opinion it depends on what each individual person believes constitutes a better society and at what costs.

Not only in terms of dollars and redistribution of wealth but at what costs to families and individuals in terms of reduced or controlled personal choices and freedoms.

Peter CLARKE is of the opinion that we must introduce Openness, Accountability and Responsibilities into the system and watch people not have as much time on their hands to protest, riot, strike and complain for others to look after them through unsustainable taxpayer handouts.

Peter CLARKE with the enthusiasm, energy of passion for change and determination all with the common sense of the people, has a very detailed campaign mission platform of 10 plus for 2010 which is outlined on his web site @ http://peterclarketoronto.com which if implemented would save Toronto taxpayers over $26 Million dollars in his first year.

“Toronto One City, Your Vote, Our Future Together, Begins on October 25, 2010 with your support throughout the North York Community.”

Peter CLARKE in Front of Incumbent Councillors by Outlining a Detailed Campaign Mission Platform for Voters in Toronto North York Willowdale ward 23

2010-08-01T10:59:00.003-04:00

Incumbent councillors to date have FAILED to produce specific campaign platforms for the voters including the incumbent of 25 years for North York Willowdale 23.

Voters must know the election platforms of incumbent councillors and new candidates seeking a seat on metro council prior to the elections on October 25, 2010 if they are to represent the people through openness, transparency and accountability.

With continued out of control chronic spending by incumbent councillors at twice the rate of inflation since 2003 the people are beginning to realize that the left leaning ideologies of the past 25 years by incumbent councillors are NOT sustainable.

A majority of incumbent councillors have had more than 15 years to stop their chronic spending and self serving salary increases, golden severance package of twice that allowed under existing laws for the people and community they claim to represent in addition to lavish pension benefits.

CLARKE already has a very detailed campaign mission platform of 10 plus for 2010 which is outlined on his web site http://peterclarketoronto.com which if implemented would save Toronto taxpayers close to $300 Million dollars.

Peter is the founder, chairman and CEO of Ellis Clarke one of the largest privately held strategy facilitation firms in the world and a leading global consulting facilitator.

Peter CLARKE is a committed, proud and determined INDEPENDENT, NOT an establishment CAREER Politician or supporter of any political party, special interest groups or lobbyists.

Peter is your average citizen candidate for council and once elected answerable only to the people NOT a political party, special interest group or lobbyist.

1. Peter CLARKE proposes a CAP on SPENDING for ALL Departments, PROGRAMS, BUDGETS and TAXES at the annual RATE of INFLATION or below starting with the 2011 budgets.

2. Peter CLARKE proposes ZERO BASED BUDGETING PROCESS for all DEPARTMENTS and PROGRAMS COMMENCING with the 2011 budgets.

3. Peter CLARKE proposes SALARY REDUCTIONS of 25% for councillors and 25% reduction of expense accounts for councilors effective with the 2011 city's budget process. Each year thereafter salaries would be limited to the annual rate of inflation.

This interim salary cut would save the taxpayers $9.5 MILLION DOLLARDS over the current 4 year term of office.

4. Peter CLARKE proposes Spending and Budgets must be PRIORITIZED ON CORE SERVICES and costs trimmed to balance the books. If necessary council must seriously consider UP LOADING MANDATED SERVICES BACK TO PROVINCE.

5. Peter CLARKE proposes that term limits of 8 years should be implemented for the 2014 elections. "Such such term limits would facilitate the refreshing of the makeup of council system and produce fresh ideas and hopefully would help promote wider participation.”
CLARKE is of the opinion that what one cannot do as councillor or mayor in eight years one will not achieve in ten or 25 years.

6. Peter CLARKE is of the opinion and agrees with others that citizens’ of Toronto would be far better off with a 22 member council. A smaller council encompassing the 22 Provincial electoral boundary riding's for Toronto and be in place for the 2014 municipal election. This would make for a more productive, functional and manageable council than the 44 existing council members.

Clarke estimates this reduction from 44 councillors to 22 would save taxpayers $43,384,176 MILLION DOLLARS for the taxpayers over the current 4 year term of office and $12,704,076 the first year.

7. Peter CLARKE proposes LOWERING MILEAGE RATES paid to city employees from .52 cents per km to a flat standard rate of .35 cent per km effective with the 2011 budget process and as a condition of continuing employment with the city.

This would represent a further savings to the city close to $2 MILLION dollars annually based on current charges for usage by employees.

8. Peter CLARKE proposes a RANDOM DRUG TESTING PROGRAM be implemented for all MEEMBERS of COUNCIL, ALL EMPLOYEES union and non union alike including the POLICE, FIRE, EMS and TTC effective JANUARY 1st 2011 as a CONDITION OF CONTINUING EMPLOYMENT with the city.

9. Peter CLARKE proposes that ALL CONTRACTS MUST be TENDERED to STOP the DISCRIMINSTION AGAINST NON UNIONIZED CONTRACTORS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS from bidding on outsourced services and work to ensure transparency, openness fairness and cost efficiency.

10. Peter CLARKE proposes RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAX be LIMITED to RATE of INFLATION or below for any increases on an annually basis in the form of a bylaw which could only be reversed by a public reform. Condos and multi residential properties must be taxed at the same rate as residential properties.

11. Peter CLARKE proposes Business taxes SHOULD BE FROZEN, so we can lower the tax ratio of business to residential TO BE COMPETITIVE with our GTA neighboring municipalities until such time as our business tax is not greater than the residential tax rate. Toronto’s success or failure will hinge on the new councils ability to attract and retain business and investments through lower taxes.

12. Peter CLARKE proposes a NEW FINANCIAL arrangement for TTC and other cities with existing Public Transit Systems. By utilizing 20% of existing gasoline and diesel taxes currently charged federally and provincially.

The formula used for the yearly dollar value transfer to cities would be done on the basses of population and tied to each cities individual population growth.

13. Peter CLARKE proposes CONSULTATIONS with union and non union employees groups within the city to CONSIDER an introduction of a PENSION LEVY or OTHER MEANINGFUL COST SAVING measures and alternatives to help resolve the city’s fiscal problems.

14. Peter CLARKE proposes a RANDOM DRUG TESTING PROGRAM be implemented for all MEEMBERS of COUNCIL, ALL EMPLOYEES union and non union alike including the POLICE, FIRE, EMS and TTC effective JANUARY 1st 2011 as a CONDITION OF CONTINUING EMPLOYMENT with the city.

I, Peter CLARKE believe the following principles for my life and all campaigns:

1. I believe in God as the centre of my life.

2. A united Family is sacred and the ultimate authority, NOT the government.

3. All People are created equal and All are equally imperfect.

4. Governments work for US, We do not answer to them but they must answer to us.

“Toronto One City, Your Vote, Our Future Together, Begins on October 25, 2010 with your support throughout North York ward 23 and across Toronto Communities.”

http://peterclarketoronto.com

John Tory Nice Guy but Another Miller in Sheeps Clothing?

2010-07-29T13:47:00.000-04:00

John Tory is yet another Miller in establishment clothing already being worn by Smitherman. He would be no different than any other establishment or political party candidate as we have seen for the past 25 years.

The only people seeking out Tory to run are the media and political elite in their last ditch attempts to ensure that their powers at the municipal level might stay intact should he entered yet another political race for their benefit and his.

Tory would just continue to support the establishments left leaning ideologies of unsustainable services, programs and outrageous union wages and contracts at the direct expense of the core responsibilities of a municipal government and all carried on the backs of taxpayers who have had to pinch their pennies for such failed policies of the past 25 years.

It was Tory’s political party who transferred the funding responsibility for services and programs to the municipality of Toronto by downloaded services and programs which legally are constitutionally the Province’s legal responsibility, which Peter CLARKE believes was unethical, immoral and illegal.

Clarke a candidate for Toronto’s North York ward 23 is of the opinion the province discriminated against a specific group of property taxpayers without commensurate revenues to offset these new costs and thus was a breach of trust by the Ontario’s constitutional provincial legislative requirements to this specific group of taxpayers.

Further it was an illegal accounting attempt by usurping their responsibilities under both confederation and the constitutional agreement between the federal and provincial governments in order to cut the large provincial deficit by downloading these costs onto the back of property owners which was a discrimination against a specific group of citizens and outside of their jurisdiction.

He might be a nice guy but Torontonians in my opinion can no longer afford another Miller in the form of Tory and failed fiscal policies of Borrow, Spend and Tax.

Toronto voters want Openness, Accountability and Transparency with a New Mayor and Council Members Starting Oct 25, 2010 not more left leaning unsustainable spending supported through higher taxes and borrowing on the backs of our children’s, children.

“Toronto One City, Your Vote, Our Future Together, Begins on October 25, 2010 with your support throughout the North York Community.”

http://peterclarketoronto.com

The People Should Legally Challenge Ontario’s Transfer of Responsibilities by Downloading without Corresponding Revenues, CLARKE Proposes

2010-07-08T13:45:00.000-04:00

When our Ontario government transferred the funding responsibility for services and programs to the sole responsibility of the municipality of Toronto by downloading services and programs which are constitutionally the Province’s legal responsibility without corresponding revenues, Peter CLARKE believes such a move was unethical, immoral and illegal.

Clarke a candidate for Toronto’s North York ward 23 is of the opinion the province discriminated against a specific group of property taxpayers without commensurate revenues to offset these new costs and thus was a breach of trust by the Ontario’s constitutional provincial legislative requirements to this specific group of taxpayers.

Further it was an illegal accounting attempt by usurping their responsibilities under both confederation and the constitutional agreement between the federal and provincial governments in order to cut the large provincial deficit by downloading these costs onto the back of property owners which was a discrimination against a specific group of citizens and outside of their jurisdiction.

The Constitution Act, 1867 established parameters of current federal and provincial relationships with municipalities. Section 92 of the Act sets out the exclusive powers of provincial legislatures, with section 92(8) giving the legislature of each province exclusive responsibility for making laws relating to that province’s municipal institutions.

Other sections of the Constitution Act, 1867 with implications for municipalities, section 92(2) grants the provinces the power to impose direct taxes to carry out provincial responsibilities.

However Clarke is of the opinion that because local governments are legally subordinate to provincial governments, the only sources of authority and revenue available to municipalities are those that are specifically granted by provincial legislation.

With the down load of service and programs to Toronto occurring without commensurate revenues to offset these new costs the provinces usurped its constitutional powers.

By this action the provincial legislature further committed a breach of trust of the provinces legislative requirements to this specific group of taxpayers and directly discriminated against this specific group of citizens by such an illegal accounting method.

Toronto and other municipalities must join together and mount a legal challenge to defeat this outrageous usurping of power by the province and send the government a message that they cannot run roughshod over the rights of people, especially those least able to defend themselves.

Peter CLARKE believes it is time that Torontonians and other municipalities come together and legally challenge the province on this illegal, immoral, unethical and discriminatory issue as this would be a people power that no government can stop.

“Toronto One City, Your Vote, Our Future Together, Begins on October 25, 2010 with your support throughout North York ward 23 and across Toronto Communities.”

http://peterclarketoronto.com

Wishing Everyone a Safe, Active and Healthy CANADA DAY Weekend and 4th of July CELEBRATIONS!

2010-07-02T10:32:00.000-04:00

The Canadian parliament in 1982 changed Dominion Day to Canada Day and now on very July 1st Canadians celebrate the country heritage with parades, picnics, face paintings, barbeque's and fireworks.

For all those that might be interested in knowing, Canada came from the Iroquois and Huron Indian word Kanata which means village.

Canada supplies the world with over 75% of maple syrup and has three million lakes scattered across the country with over 30,000 of our lakes larger than three square kilometers.

In 1945 the Netherlands gave Canada 100,000 tulip bulbs as a thank you gift for keeping the Dutch Royal Family safe during the Second World War as the Nazis occupied the Netherlands until Canadian soldiers liberated their country in 1944/45.

In 1987 our Canadian Lonnie a one dollar coin replaced the one dollar paper bill as the last paper one dollar paper bill was issued two years later in 1989.

The world’s only flying saucer launching pad was built in 1967 in St. Paul Albert Canada.

Canada has the world’s largest indoor mall in Alberta, known as the west Edmonton Mall with over 800 stores, restaurants, 26 movie theaters, a hickey ice arena and an amusement park with the world’s largest indoor lake with four working submarines.

Have a safe, active and healthy Canada Day weekend and enjoy also the July 4Th Celebrations of our USA neighbors.

“Toronto One City, Your Vote, Our Future Together, Begins on October 25, 2010 with your support throughout North York ward 23 and across Toronto Communities.”

Please visit the CLARKE campaign mission platform @ http://peterclarketoronto.com THANKS

Premeditated lawlessness by Masked Malcontent Anarchists Supported by Union Leaders, Cyclists and Bystanders Leave Black Stain on Toronto

2010-06-28T08:53:00.000-04:00

Toronto the good has suddenly in the eyes of the world become a haven for illegal protesters with disregard for law and order and bent on riots of destruction without fear or concern of the consequence for the city.

These so called protesters who marched under the unions banner of people first march clad in black with masked faces and other covering theirs with bandannas to avoid identify had only one thing in mind coming from the previous rallies sponsored by some of Toronto’s union leaders.

Gangs of thugs and anarchists malcontents from within our city and abroad some even housed, aided and abetted by Toronto’s own University and student unions must all in the days and months ahead be fully unmasked and fully disclosed and held responsible and accountable for such involvement of the destruction of our city.

Such Lawless actions by militants, malcontents, anarchists and civic terrorists have no place in our Toronto or any civilized city.

These masked and unmasked foreign or home grown terrorists under the guise as protesters urged on by some of Toronto union leaders must be held accountable, responsible and liable to all Torontonians for their lawlessness and destruction.

Law abiding citizens of Toronto must demand and ensure that such stupidity and disrespect for others never happens again in Toronto be it during or after a political meeting or hockey game.

Toronto has been left with a black mark and forever stained by the ape like behavior of these civic terrorists, malcontent anarchists who have continually shown throughout the world that they have no regard for the world they live in and no regard for mankind or the planet they themselves dubiously claim to represent.

“Toronto One City, Your Vote, Our Future Together, Begins on October 25, 2010 with your support throughout North York ward 23 and across Toronto Communities.”

Toronto’s North York ward 23 and across the city, province and Canada join the campaign to TAKE BACK TORONTO COUNCIL this October 25, 2010.

2010-06-26T11:14:00.000-04:00

Peter CLARKE is asking ward 23 residences along with all Canadians an important question for our future.

He is asking that they join his campaign to TAKE BACK TORONTO from the failed left leaning unsustainable and failed fiscal policies of TAX, SPEND and BORROW by incumbent councillors over the past 15 to 25 years.

Peter CLARKE wants to know if you have had enough of career politicians who have ignored your values when it comes to the Common Sense of the People through Transparency, Openness, Accountability and Prudence with Taxpayers Dollars.

He wants to know if we truly desire a return to common sense principles, smaller governments, less regulations and for elected councillors like CLARKE who are not career politicians and who will represent the will of the people and NOT those of special interest groups, political parties, lobbyists or unions.

Peter CLARKE has a campaign mission platform for all to view and evaluate @ http://peterclarketoronto.com but it alone is not enough in answering all the frustrations the people have had over these past 15 to 30 years.

We all know what has happened over these past years when citizens do not get involved and show up at the polls.

The results have been that our common sense values are attacked and we continue to lose a little more of our freedoms and rights to decide for ourselves. The evidence of this screams at all of us in the daily headlines. In other word, who we elect clearly matters.

So Peter CLARKE is inviting the residents of Toronto’s North York ward 23 and across the city, province and Canada to join his independent campaign to identify with the millions of conservative Christians, Jews, Islam’s, Hindus, Buddhists, and all believers to educate themselves on where each individual candidate stands on fiscal and other critical issues, before they go vote on October 25, 2010 election day.

“Toronto One City, Your Vote, Our Future Together, Begins on October 25, 2010 with your support throughout North York ward 23 and across Toronto Communities.”

Please visit the CLARKE campaign mission platform @ http://peterclarketoronto.com THANKS

Toronto Could Raise MILLIONS by Selling Air Rights For Development Rights at $400 to $600 PSF, Peter CLARKE States

2010-06-24T08:46:00.000-04:00

Throughout many cities in the world unused air rights from existing building that surround future development sites are continually sold eager to developers for increased development rights but not in Toronto?

For example in Manhattan, as long as there are two adjacent properties, the city can sell the air rights to potential developers and has been doing just that for years now, unlike Toronto.

The transfer and then sale of air rights by the city to developers for the right to build to an increased height that would have not normally been allowed has the potential of bringing in MILLIONS of DOLLARS in NEW REVENUES for TORONTO.

Toronto Peter CLARKE believes has huge amounts of air rights that can be sold and as most of the current townhouses, condos and office buildings still have unused air rights that can be transferred and then sold to future developments sites throughout the city.

Our city’s other group of buildings suited to the idea of selling air rights to developers in order to raise funds are Toronto’s houses of worship, churches, synagogues and mosques.

The selling of valuable air rights by our city to developers would be a boon to both Toronto and the houses of worship as both would get more revenues.

Toronto gets new revenues for Transit and the houses of worship for their community outreach and charitable programs while the developers would get to construct taller buildings and have more units to sell.

“Toronto One City, Your Vote, Our Future Together, Begins on October 25, 2010 with your support throughout the North York and all Toronto Communities.”

http://peterclarketoronto.com

Toronto’s $1.2 Billion Dollar Operating and Infrastructure Annual Deficit Result of Failed Policies by Incumbent Councillors over 20 Years

2010-06-23T10:46:00.004-04:00

Toronto accounts for 40% of Ontario’s GDP yet has a fiscal crisis caused by chronic spending increases by 4 times over 6 years to $8.7 Billion Dollars while incumbent councillors gave themselves a 12% salary raise over the next four years.

In addition these same incumbent councillors, a majority of whom have been in office for over 15 years, voted to give themselves a Golden Severance Package of twice that established for Ontario workers when they are defeated at the polls by voters.

Peter CLARKE has proposed that COUNCILLORS 12 MONTH GOLDEN SEVERANCE PACKAGE be RESCINDED as of October 25, 2010 once he is elected.

PETER estimates this would save the taxpayers $5,405,200 MILLION dollars or $122,845.45 per councillor upon their defeat at the polls.

In addition to this cost savings measure Peter CLARKE has proposed TEN PLUS basic strategies in his campaign mission platform to date.

One other such proposal by Peter CLARKE is that councillors SALARY and EXPENSES be REDUCED by 25% effective October 25, 2010 and thereafter salaries would be limited to the annual rate of inflation.

This salary cut would immediately save the taxpayers over $9.5 MILLION DOLLARS over the current 4 year term of office.

Another controversial issue supported by CLARKE, as proposed by Rob Ford one of Toronto’s mayoralty candidates, is that citizens’ of Toronto could be better off with a 22 MEMBER COUNCIL.

Peter CLARKE estimates this reduction from 44 councillors to 22 would immediately save the taxpayers over $12.7 MILLION dollars the first year and $43,384,176 MILLION of taxpayers dollars over the current 4 year term of office.

Peter CLARKE strongly believes that the voters of Toronto’s North York ward 23 along with all voters throughout Toronto are demanding for and Accountability, Transparency and Openness with New council members.

“Toronto One City, Your Vote, Our Future Together, Begins on October 25, 2010 with your support throughout the North York Community.”

http://peterclarketoronto.com

Clarke Represents Free Enterprise, Smaller, Less Government Regulations and Individualism.

2010-06-12T13:57:00.002-04:00

Toronto with 200,000 bylaws, regulations and left leaning ideologies of the past 25 years have attempted to micro-managing personal choices and freedoms down to the level of a soft drink, french fry or salt when there are families that aren't eating at all.

Parents do not force their children to eat food they don't want to eat from time to time but Toronto council as a government wants to control our lifestyles by dictating what we eat, drink and think under the guise of taking care of us.

Such dictatorial fascism of left leaning ideologies for the masses because some people might lack "Self-control" must not be allowed to replace personal choice and freedoms of rugged individualism by incumbent councillors.

Toronto has a fiscal crisis which is NOT cause by what we eat but the out of control and chronic spending habits by incumbent councillors promoting such left leaning ideologies for the past 25 years.

No longer should voters allow food as a new political chic and eating as a morality at the direct expense of individualism or family’s freedom of choice.

In Toronto as elsewhere when unemployment rises we here a call for government to “do something”.

Doing something refers to more taxpayer money for sporting clubs, community centers, and the never ending and always increasing outreach programs.

Quite frankly these elements are not the domain of government. None of these feel-good measures get at the root of joblessness.

Such matters are not helped with the cradle-to-grave socialistic subsidies or by protest riots as we have seen in Europe and now witnessing south of the border.

Protests, riots, civil disobedience or strikes that demand our government send subsidy checks and welfare payments will not solve our fiscal crisis or pay the bills for essential costs required in a free market system or a socialist communist one as history has shown.

Individuals must take full responsibility for their own actions and abilities throughout life as there are no guarantees and to think otherwise or that the others owe you one is an unrealistic begging practice.

Peter CLARKE is of the opinion that we must introduce accountability and responsibilities into the system and watch people not have as much time on their hands to protest, riot, strike and complain for others to look after them through unsustainable taxpayer handouts.

Government can indeed play a role in helping to lower the unemployment but it is not the sole answer.

If we stopped outrageously over regulating, taxing and bullying businesses but rather started encouraging them we would see a dramatic turn of events throughout Toronto.

Incumbents like to label themselves as progressive this or that for improving society as everyone would be for this!

However for voters it’s my opinion it depends on what each individual person believes constitutes a better society and at what costs.

Not only in terms of dollars and redistribution of wealth but at what costs to families and individuals in terms of reduced or controlled personal choices and freedoms.

Peter CLARKE with the enthusiasm, energy of passion for change and determination all with the common sense, advice and support of the taxpayers has until September 10 to put his name forward to the voters of Toronto North York ward 23 for a seat on Toronto’s Metro Council for this year’s election on October 25, 2010.

CLARKE already has a very detailed campaign mission platform of 10 plus for 2010 which is outlined on his web site http://peterclarketoronto.com
which if implemented would save Toronto taxpayers close to $300 Million dollars.

Peter believes in the following principles for his life and all campaign:

I. Peter believes in God as the Centre of his life.
II. Families united are sacred and the ultimate authority, NOT governments.
III. Governments work for US, We do not answer to them, as they must always answer to us the people.

Toronto One City, Your Vote, Our Future Together, Begins on October 25, 2010 with your support throughout the North York Community.

www.peterclarketoronto.com

Toronto Voters Want Accountability and Transparency with New Council Members Starting Oct 25, 2010

2010-06-09T09:59:00.003-04:00

Broken promises, miraculous discovery of $104.82 Million Dollars, Toronto Hydro’s deceptive conduct by voting to deceitfully increase electricity prices so it could hand over inflated payments to cash hungry and fiscally inept city of Toronto etc.

With continued chronic spending by incumbent councillors at twice the rate of inflation since 2003 the people are beginning to realize that the left leaning ideologies of the past 25 years by incumbent councillors are just not sustainable.

Fueled by the outgoing Mayors broken promises and his miraculous discovery of a hidden $104.82 Million Dollars of Tax Payers Money, then coupled with Toronto Hydro’s outright deceptive conduct when they voted to deceitfully increase electricity prices so it could hand over fat payments to cash hungry and fiscally inept City of Toronto the people are finally beginning to see red.

A majority of incumbent councillors have had more than 20 years to stop their chronic spending and self serving salary increases, pensions and outrageous severance package of twice that allowed under existing laws for the people and community they claim to represent but have failed to do so.

Peter CLARKE with the enthusiasm, energy of passion for change and determination all with the common sense, advice and support of the taxpayers has until September 10 to put his name forward to the voters of Toronto North York ward 23 for a seat on Toronto’s Metro Council for this year’s election on October 25, 2010.

CLARKE already has a very detailed campaign mission platform of 10 plus for 2010 which is outlined on his web site @ http://peterclarketoronto.com which if implemented would save Toronto taxpayers close to $30 Million dollars.

Peter believes in the following principles for his life and all campaigns:

I. Peter believes in God as the Centre of his life.
II. Families united are sacred and the ultimate authority, NOT governments.
III. Governments work for US, We do not answer to them, as they must always answer to us the people.

Let’s thank Toronto North York’s ward 23 incumbent councillors of 25 years by ELECTING Peter CLARKE on October 25, 2010 and get the common sense of the people back on council after chronic spending and failed fiscal policies for the past 25 years.

Toronto One City, Your Vote, Our Future Together, Begins on October 25, 2010 with your support throughout the North York Community.

www.peterclarketoronto.com

UN, World Leaders and Media Loose What Little Credibility They Claimed by Condemning One Side of the Flotilla Propaganda.

2010-06-07T09:21:00.000-04:00

The United Nations, World Leaders and Media shot themselves in the foot and lost what little credibility they themselves claimed to represent by condemning only one side of the flotilla of bloodshed orchestrated by masked activists armed with steel clubs and knives in efforts to conceal uninspected and so called humanitarian aid.

Every country has the obligation to protect its citizens without worrying about the political propaganda posturing by the UN or biased and slanted reports from the news media.

The only democratic country in the Middle East is Israel and it has an obligation to protect its citizens by inspecting any shipments, truck loads, or tunnelling of supplies headed to its enemies that have declared to annihilate the Jews people from the face of the earth.

Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia or Egypt to name but a few countries surrounding Israel to this day have never supported any form of true democracy.

Theirs is on a feudal system coupled with fascism that discriminates against women, gays and all non Muslim faiths within their strictly controlled dictatorial laws at the direct expense of their own citizens and non citizens alike.

The Palestine people themselves are unfortunately represented by a majority of criminals, thugs, and thieves under the name of Hamas who have as there stated goal the complete destruction of the State of Israel and all Jews from the face of the earth.

Their goal is NOT one of democracy for their women and children citizens but rather of war fuelled by propaganda and outright fighting feed by the humanitarian gifts of steel clubs, bullets, rockets, knives and guns from so called democratic nations wishing to continue a holocaust against an entire people.

Where is the UN or so called world leaders and media condemnation of organizations like Hamas and Iran who orchestrated this flotilla of bloodshed in the first instance?

These so called masked peace activists and anarchist armed with knives, steel clubs in a well planned propaganda news event who stabbed, clubbed and throw over board fellow humans be they Jews, Christians or Muslims will of course unfortunately lead to bloodshed.

For the UN and so called democratic leaders of the world to condemn only one side of the well orchestrated flotilla incident to initiate a violent confrontation was absurd and beyond any realistic realm of reporting or journalism in my humble opinion.

peterclarketoronto.com

Peter Clarke Asks Ontario’s Attorney General and Others for Investigation into Undeclared Conflicts of Interest by Toronto Hydro Board Members

2010-06-03T11:34:00.000-04:00

Peter an unofficial candidate for Toronto North York Ward 23 this October 25 has asked the office of Ontario's Attorney General for an investigation into undeclared conflicts of interest by board members.

In CLARKE'S opinion they neglected their legal individual fiduciary responsibilities and duties to customers by diverting funds needed by the utility for its system reliability by deceitfully increasing unwarranted dividend payments to to the city of Toronto, as recently ruled by Ontario's Court of Appeal.

The actions of Toronto Hydro’s Board of directors of diverting funds from the needs of maintaining the utilities system reliability of aging wires and equipment was in my opinion NOT upholding their fiduciary duties.

Further their attempts at raising rates to customers so that deceptive dividend payments could be deceitfully made to shore up the city of Toronto’s fiscal problems on the back of customers was a least unethical, immoral and worst fraudulent.

When the outgoing Mayor miraculously discovered $104.82 MILLION Dollars of Tax Payers Money Peter CLARKE called for an In-depth External Forensic Audit of City Finances, prior to Elections. That request fell on deaf ears.

Perhaps now with yet another process being a sham our Provinces Attorney General along with the media and others will start demanding an investigation into these recurring shams and neglect of judiciary responsibilities by both councillors and appointed Toronto hydro board members.

Take Back Toronto in 2010 and get the common sense of the people back on council after 28 years of chronic spending and failed fiscal policies.

www.peterclarketoronto.com

Peter CLARKE Proposes that Toronto Councillors Self Given Golden Severance Package Costing in Excess of $5 MILLION Be Rescinded

2010-06-02T08:20:00.003-04:00

Toronto’s incumbent councillors voted themselves a self-serving golden severance package at twice the 26 week maximum requirement under Ontario’s labour laws.

This package on top of the one year salary and lucrative Omers pension benefits they receive once defeated in an election.

The golden severance deal also includes 100% taxpayer paid benefits for extended health, dental, life insurance, LTD and Mileage for one full year after the taxpayers voted them out of office.

There is an exemption under Ontario laws which might exempt the city from having to pay elected officials any severance pay at all.

Once the electorate have voted councillors out of office, this of course would make it impossible and unnecessary for them to perform their previous elected duties and thus the city would be exempt from paying them anything at all under existing labour laws.

This unnecessary self serving golden severance package which incumbent councillors voted themselves represents a liability of $5,405,200. MILLION dollars in total for the 44 incumbents.

CLARKE would reverse this package to a maximum of 26 weeks in accordance with existing laws for all Ontario citizens. He would further seek legal status as to whether or not elected officials are even entitled to a severance package once the voters have turfed them out of office.

Peter CLARKE has proposed a detailed 10 plus for 2010 campaign mission platform outline his proposals to date that would save Toronto taxpayers over $26 MILLION dollars and you can check out the details at http://peterclarketoronto.com

CLARKE would rescind Toronto councillors self serving golden severance package of one full year paid salary and benefits which represents a liability of over $5.4 MILLION dollars after they have been turfed by the voters to a maximum of 26 weeks in accordance with existing laws.

Please visit out site @ www.peterclarketoronto.com

Clarke Proposes One Transit Authority for ALL the Toronto GTA Areas which Represents 25% of Canada’s population.

2010-05-31T08:46:00.000-04:00

With 25% of Canada’s population residing within the GTA, common sense should tell us that we must combine ALL the GTA areas under ONE transit authority.

Peter CLARKE a unofficial candidate for Toronto’s North York ward 23 has proposed the amalgamation of all the GTA area public transit authorities, systems and operations of Go, TTC, Halton, Peel, York, Durham and HSR into one transit authority for the entire region of the GTA areas plus HRS.

At present the boards of the TTC, Metrolinx etc. are all run by purely academic political appointees having little to no actual transportation qualifications in private mass transportation systems from within the world’s private transportation industry.

Ontario’s Transportation Minister himself has stated that the board of Metrolinx is comprised of professional and corporate experience in customer service, planning, law and financing.
But NO mention was made of a CEO and COO having to be a professional with sound hands on experience and qualifications from within the world’s private mass transportation industry.

A one transit authority would replace the existing board of Metrolinx with one elected representative from each region i.e. Halton, Peel, York, Durham and with two elected representatives from Toronto and the federal and provincial governments.

Further this new amalgamated transit authority Provincial Federal GTHA or PFGTHA would be directly responsible for all public transportation operations, systems, financing and be under the control of the above elected board members and direction of both a CEO and COO who actually have professional transportation qualifications from within the world’s private transportation industry who would be hired separately.

All three levels of government, municipal, provincial and federal must completely understand that first the GTA area with its 25% of the population requires a lasting financial commitment to public transit which is NOT on the backs of property taxpayers, renters, condo and homeowners or businesses alike but rather from our province and country as a whole if politicians are seriously committed to public transit systems for the PFGTHA.

Without a combined lasting and final political financial commitment from the province and federal government's any transit system within the PFGTHA areas will NOT succeed.

Second until there are qualified professionals from within the worlds private mass transportation industry at the helm of any PFGTHA mass public transit system as opposed to just political appointees from one political party or the other any public transportation system is doomed to failure and unsustainable by the people.

29 years ago the Toronto's public transit system recognized that the future major transportation needs for the city would be in the downtown core area.

This plan back then was referred to as the DRL or downtown relief line or DRL as it correctly foresaw the congestion problem that now exists within the down town core area of the city.

Until this plan is revised and implemented to relieve the current congestion during rush hour periods the movement of existing citizens using mass transit for work related issues within the downtown area will NOT be solved.

The current system most definitely will NOT be solved by increasing a subway line to the North of Toronto nor by politically offering that our seniors be able to use the system during off hours for FREE.

We the people, seniors and non seniors alike all realize that NOTHING is FREE, especially when proposed by politicians seeking election.

Toronto One City, Your Vote, Our Future Together, for a Better Way Begins on October 25, 2010 with your support throughout the North York Community.

www.peterclarketoronto.com

Peter CLARKE Candidate for Toronto North York 23 Proposes Bike Commuters Share Toronto’s Reserved Bus Lanes & HOV Corridors

2010-05-22T09:32:00.000-04:00

As a start within the city core and so called city suburbs reserved bus lanes and HOV corridors during rush hours should be available and restricted for cyclists, motor assisted bicycles along with scooters and motorcycles as presently exists.

The effects of allowing shared bus lanes with cyclists, scooters and motorcycles commissioned by Transport for London (TfL) apparently has been surprised for political reason but was leaked to and published by telegraph motoring in October.

"The study indicated that on two corridors where bicycles and motorized cycles were allowed in bus lanes, bicyclist crashes were reduced 44%.

Bike-bus lanes have been used in French and German cities. Paris and Bordeaux have shared lane networks of 118 and 40km, respectively. According to the German Cycling Federation [3], the Federal Ministry of Transportation reports bicycles are safer using bus lanes, and bus operations are not negatively affected by this arrangement.

The Ministry states that, where traffic speeds exceed 30 mph, the width of the lane should be at least 4 meters (13 feet) to allow bicyclists to overtake a bus without entering an adjacent lane. Narrower widths, typically 3.0 meters (10.5 - 11.5 feet) are acceptable in lower speed environments (20mph or less). By contrast, the City of Madison, Wisconsin, prefers a width of 16 feet, but may allow widths of 14 feet or even less when necessary. "

CLARKE further believes that any safe sharing of bike-bus lanes during rush hours greatly depends on education of our TTC bus drivers and the fact that cyclists would have to be licensed the same as scooters and motorcycles are to ensure that the rules of the road are fully afforded to them and they also must follow to the letter.

Toronto One City, Your Vote, Our Future Together, for a Better Way Begins on October 25, 2010 with your support throughout the North York Community.

www.peterclarketoronto.com

Toronto’s Substance Abuse Problems Require Testing Policy for Councillors, Police, EMS, Fire and TTC

2010-05-15T09:59:00.000-04:00

With continued frequent incidences of substance abuse by employees of the city such problems will not be solved by any advisory panel appointed by councillors or others.

The time has come for a city wide policy of substance abuse testing for Councillors along with all employees including Police, Fire, EMS and TTC.

Over a year and a half ago the city’s TTC has had a program for only alcohol testing but close to two years later TTC bureaucrats have NOT finalized the procedures for training supervisors or communicating the policy to staff, according to Nadia Pazzano of the TTC.

Such delays are unacceptable and completely unwarranted and begs the question who if anyone is in control at the T.T.C.?

Peter CLARKE a candidate for Toronto council from North York ward 23 has proposed that a city wide policy for random substance abuse testing be mandatory for councillors along with a condition of continuing employment for all city employees with no exceptions effective January 1st 2011.

All Toronto employees and councillors should reasonably expect to be randomly contacted for alcohol and substance testing on any day/night time during their normal scheduled shift or meetings.

The purpose of such a new policy would be to establish the city’s expectations for appropriate on the job behavior.

The city would also provide a means, through the public health department, for supporting councillors, staff and employees who might be dealing with current or emerging drug and alcohol problems.

Peter CLARKE believes Toronto must be committed to the health, safety and wellness of all city employees, welfare recipients, its elected representatives and the public.

On the other hand city employees have the responsibility to report to work capable of performing their tasks productively and safely.

The use of alcohol, illegal drugs and medications can and do have serious adverse impacts in the workplace as we unfortunately continue to witness.

Let’s thank Toronto North York’s ward 23 incumbent by ELECTING Peter CLARKE on October 25, 2010 and get the common sense of the people back on council after 28 years of chronic spending and failed fiscal policies.

http://peterclarketoronto.com

Toronto Studies Cheaper Crosswalks While Proposing NO Competitive Tendering Contract for Friends

2010-05-12T13:21:00.000-04:00

With Toronto in the midst of a fiscal crisis brought about by the continued chronic spending habits of incumbent councillors, they march on with their left leaning ideologies and attitudes of they are right and to heck with the taxpayers.

Now Incumbent councillors of the past 28 years or more are prepared to forgo, at the direct expense of the people they were elected to prudently represent, the basics of openness and transparency of public office.

It appears they are all poised to hand out another untendered and non competitive contract, which will cost the taxpayers $1 MILLION $600 HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS by extending a food, drink monopoly located on our eastern beaches.

Fiscal Crisis or not Incumbent Councillors Propose NO Tendering, Rent Reductions and Monopoly for Friends of the Family in an immoral, unethical and most likely illegal non competitive tendering process.

Toronto has a serious fiscal problem and yet considers allowing sweet heart deals that cost the taxpayers $1 Million $600 hundred thousand dollars.

The holder of this untendered contract has continually failed to pay taxes and has serious tax arrears owing to the city.

We all know that when any contract is not tendered out in a competitive bidding process as legally required someone is most likely being paid off at the direct expense of taxpayers.

The Toronto beaches and areas are for the people and NOT for the exclusive business use of anyone corporation or individual.

When it involves public funds, transparency and openness must prevail.

If incumbent councillors approve this shady deal on their nonsensical sole search approach which is fiscally irresponsible and undemocratic in this day and age, they deserve to be kicked out of office as such actions is not consistent with open and honest public service.

Toronto One City, Your Vote, Our Future Together, for a Better Way Begins on October 25, 2010 with your support throughout the North York Community.

www.peterclarketoronto.com

Clarke Seeks Support from Toronto’s 50 MPPs and MPs for Percentage of Gas Taxes for Public Transit

2010-05-10T09:11:00.000-04:00

Peter CLARKE is seeking the support from Toronto’s current sitting members from all parties in the provincial and federal government to make a lasting commitment to Toronto’s 3 plus Million citizens for public transit financing.

CLARKE is of the opinion that these same politicians who eagerly allocated $13 BILLION of taxpayers’ money to bailing out -Chrysler-GM in a futile attempt to indefinitely save some 18,000 jobs in 2009, then assisting over 3 MILLION job earners in Toronto by making a lasting commitment to public transit in all cities should be a no brain-err for politicians from all political parties.

Peter CLARKE believes that Toronto’s 50 plus federal and provincial members of the public, honestly wish to get themselves reelected, then they should immediately be demanding assistance for the 3 MILLION citizens in Toronto, they claim to represent, by immediately announcing an annual allocation of 20% from EXISTING GASOLINE AND DIESEL TAXES, to cities with existing public transit systems throughout Canada.

If these 50 career politician from all parties cannot support the 3 MIILLION plus citizens, they were elected to represent, by immediately demanding a permanent and lasting financial arrangement for Toronto and other cities for public transit by allocating a percentage of existing gasoline and diesel taxes based on population to the city the supposedly represent Torontonians should be mad as heck at them and let them know it through the ballot box come the next provincial and federal elections.

Peter CLARKE is NOT a CAREER Politician rather your average INDEPENDENT CITIZEN answerable only to the people, NOT a political party, special interest groups, or lobbyists.

Peter believes in the following principles for his life and all campaigns.

1. In God as the Center of his life.

2. Family is sacred and the ultimate authority, not the government.

3. Governments work for US. We do not answer to them, they answer to us, the people.

Toronto One City, Your Vote, Our Future Together, for a Better Way Begins on October 25, 2010 with your support throughout the North York Community.

www.peterclarketoronto.com

CLARKE, Proud, Strong, Determined with Common Sense of the People Finds $283 Million in Savings & Funding for Public Transit

2010-05-08T08:43:00.002-04:00

All Torontonians know that our TTC does NOT need a new office building but URGENTLY needs a New Chairman, a New Board, New revised Transit City Plan and a firm commitment from the federal and provincial governments to assist cities with existing public transit systems by immediately giving all cities a percentage of the existing gasoline and diesel taxes based on population.

Our provincial and federal government allocated $13 BILLION of taxpayers’ money bailing out -Chrysler-GM in their futile attempt to indefinitely save some 18,000 jobs in 2009.

Then assisting over 3 MILLION job earners in Toronto by making a lasting commitment to public transit in all cities should be a no brain-er for politicians from all political parties.

Toronto’s 50 plus federal and provincial sitting elected members of the public, if they wish to get themselves reelected, should immediately be demanding assistance for the 3 MILLION citizens in Toronto they claim to represent, by immediately announcing an annual allocation of 20% from EXISTING GASOLING AND DIESEL TAXES, to cities with existing public transit systems.

Peter CLARKE who is your average independent non career politician is seeking a seat on Toronto council from North York Ward 23 against”an existing incumbent councillor who turned public service into a 28 year employment opportunity”, Peter states.

For a complete and detailed outline of Peter Clarke's proposes $26 MILLION in savings to taxpayers, just visit his web site www.peterclarketoronto.com and click Clarke Campaign Mission.

Toronto is OUR CITY, YOUR VOTE and OUR FUTURE TOGETHER begins with your victory on October 25, 2010, for our North York Community and Toronto as one united city.

www.peterclarketoronto.com

Our Toronto's Gay Mayoralty Candidate Attempts Character Assassination against Rival as Campaign Platform

2010-05-07T10:20:00.001-04:00

The left leaning gay Toronto mayoralty candidate lacking a campaign platform to date of any substance is now barking out attempts of character assassination against his main rival Rob Ford.

With a gutter like attempt at criticizing his rival Mr. Fords opposition to the city’s AIDS funding in 2006, this former provincial legislature as Health minister was directly responsible and accountable when eHealth’s predecessor, dispensed millions of dollars in untendered contracts.

Ford opposed $1 million in aids grants yet his rival who as health minister had the greatest responsibility of anyone to implement appropriate measures to get SSHA off the ground but allowed no planning and wasted MILLIONS of taxpayer’s DOLLARS under his steward ship.

Toronto’s voters must ask themselves today how many MRI machines could all that money have bought? How about putting that money towards AIDS research, cancer or heart disease?

This mayoralty candidate and former health minister was shuffled to another position when the SSHA or E health scandal surfaced thus setting the stage for his so called clean entry into Toronto’s municipal politics.

For Smitherman the Gay candidate to attack Ford the Straight one, says quite a bit about his own character or lack of, do you not think?

When politicians, especially so called career ones, find it necessary to lower themselves to attempts at character assassination and personal attacks against their rival, it is obvious they have NO other platform to offer the voters.

Perhaps George has forgotten his direct involvement and mishandling of SSHA which resulted in the E Health care mess and scandal in excess of ONE BILLION DOLLARS.

Voters will not elect anyone who attempts personal and character assassinations against rivals be they gay or straight.

Toronto is OUR CITY, YOUR VOTE and OUR FUTURE TOGETHER begins with your victory on October 25, 2010, for our North York Community and Toronto as one united city.

PETERCLARKETORONTO.COM

Peter CLARKE has proposed $28.3 Million Dollars in Savings plus Solution for Toronto’s TTC Funding

2010-05-05T07:05:00.002-04:00

Peter Clarke your average citizen independent candidate, seeking a seat for North York Community Ward 23 on Toronto city council this October 25/10 has to date come up with saving of over $26 Million dollars.

For a complete breakdown of Clarke's campaign mission platform visit his web site @ www.peterclarketoronto.com

Peter perhaps has also found one solution which would take a majority of the tax burden off the backs of renters, condo owners, homeowners and businesses when it comes to funding for the TTC.

Clarke is not beholding to special interest groups, lobbyists or any political party and is seeking the assistance of both the provincial and federal government, which consists of two different political parties holding power at this time.

What is needed he insists is for the provincial and federal governments to get off their respective CULOS and make a lasting commitment to Public Transit now.

With over 26 provincial and federal sitting members coming from the Toronto area alone the support for Toronto and other cities with Public Transit systems should obviously be there from all parties if they wish to get themselves reelected.

All that is required is to allocate to cities, with existing public transit systems based on populations, a per cent age of the billions of dollars collect annually from both federal and provincial existing gasoline and diesel taxes TODAY, for Public Transit once and for all.

With 6 months left before the elections on October 25/10 Peter is confident that he can come up $32.5 MILLION dollars in proposed savings for Toronto and North York Ward 23 for 2010 and beyond.

It seems Peter CLARKE is well on his way to achieving that goal for his future constituents with the help of a New Mayor and councillors that have the common sense of the people.
On October 25/10 Torontonians have a decision to make before voting.

Either keep incumbent councillors on council or CHANGE them for the common sense of the people.

As voters footing the bill do you wish to continue reelecting career politicians who have turned public service into a 28 year employment opportunity backed by their lobbyists and special interest groups or take a chance on the future with new ideas and solutions for Toronto’s fiscal problems?

Toronto is OUR CITY, YOUR VOTE and OUR FUTURE TOGETHER begins with your victory on October 25, 2010, for our North York Community and Toronto as one united city.

www.peterclarketoronto.com

Politicians & Political Parties Question the Meaning of Transparency and Openness by Hiding Half Billion Dollars of Their Expenses From Taxpayers.

2010-05-03T08:30:00.002-04:00

It seems the Supreme Court in Canada also drags its feet and does little while career politicians supported by their respective parties, special interest groups and lobbyists continue to hide over half a billion dollars of their expenses from the taxpayers and media.

This half a billion dollars is not just small change to the taxpayers who paid for these undocumented expenses which remain closely guarded by politicians and our Supreme Court from the public who paid for such expenses in the first place.

The question that must be immediately answered is why after a full year is Sheila Fraser still waiting to review all these and other expenses paid for by Canadian taxpayers that are career politicians continue hiding from the people while our Supreme Court drags its feet on this issue of transparency and openness in parliament?

Canada’s former auditor general Ken Dye has stated, “She would be annoyed. She would say the same things I'm saying: ‘I've got an audit act that I'm responsible for executing and these guys are thwarting my duties.”

He further stated “You wonder why they're resisting. What are they trying to hide? I think that in a time of accountability I have no trouble at all having the country's auditor general examine any bit of public money.”

Liberal MP Shawn Murphy, chair of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, elected by the people of Canada to represent them, NOT her or her fellow elected members of their respective political party, obviously DOES NOT know the meaning of transparency.

Her lame excuse for not revealing these public paid for expense by herself and other members of the House and I quote is “There is an issue of transparency,” as “There should be a discussion about whether or not that (KPMG audit) should be made public.”

Well the public also paid for the audit done by KPMG so it all boils down to the politician’s interpretation of what transparency is.

Sort of like the Bill Clinton fiasco of what the interpretation of is, IS.

Politicians from all parties had better quickly realize and understand the meaning of openness and transparency.

They immediately must ensure that ALL expenses paid for by taxpayers are released and made available to ever Canadian and NO LONGER SHIELDED from a PUBLIC AUDIT PROCESS.

The time has come for the introduction of legislation at all levels of government, municipal, provincial and federal which clearly defines TRANSPARECNCY for these career politicians from all political parties who fail to understand the meaning of openness and transparency in Public Service.

All Politicians answer to the people just as Toronto is OUR CITY, YOUR VOTE and OUR FUTURE TOGETHER begins with your victory on October 25, 2010, for our North York Community and Toronto as one united city within a united country.

http://torontopolitics2010.blogspot.com/

Another issue facing Toronto Voters is the Lack of Campaign Platforms by Incumbent Councillors seeking Reelection for Their Failed Policies.

2010-05-01T11:57:00.002-04:00

Aside from the continued chronic spending disease illustrated by incumbent councillors the other main issue seems to be the lack of campaign platforms by those seeking the outgoing Mayor's job and from incumbent councillors seeking reelection based on their past chronic spending habits.

Torontonians are united from downtown to the suburbs, that incumbent councillors chronic spending in support of left leaning unsustainable ideologies for transit or other core and non-core services must stop in 2010.

For the past 7 years and longer Toronto’s incumbent life long career councillors have had NO REGARD for PRUDENCE when it came to spending tax payer dollars.

They have failed the city outrageously with their inability to manage the affairs of the city in a fiscally responsible manner.

You do not have to take my word for it as the city’s top bureaucrats have finally come clean this election year and admitted that Toronto has a serious crisis because of chronic spending, borrowing and taxing, yet they just continue to seek new ways of taxing Toronto residents and businesses even further as they discuss the 2010 budget.

Councillors’ outrageous practice of increasing spending at an average rate of 5.21% annually since 2003 over revenues represents a 1.9% ABOVE INFLATION RATES because of their chronic ingratiating appetite to spend our money.

The people however, have a different view and that is the unsustainable and chronic spending by incumbent councillors for the past 13 to 30 years has to come to an end in 2010.

Concerning Transit financing, well it can be solved once and for all if the provincial and federal governments got off their respective CULOS and made a lasting commitment to Public Transit.

All these politicians at both levels of government have to do in supporting cities with existing public transit is to allocate, a per cent age of the billions of dollars collect annually through existing gasoline and diesel taxes, based on populations to each city.

Toronto is OUR CITY, YOUR VOTE and OUR FUTURE TOGETHER begins with your victory on October 25, 2010, for our North York Community and Toronto as one united city.

www.peterclarketoronto.com

Outgoing Mayor and Incumbent Councillors Have Left Toronto with an Astronomical Debt Because of Their Chronic Spending Habits

2010-04-30T09:08:00.003-04:00

This outgoing Mayors administration of left leaning ideologies supported by incumbent councillors and their chronic uncontrollable appetite of outrageous spending habits and disregard for prudence with regard to taxpayers money has nearly bankrupt this city.

Overburdened taxpayers, be they renters, condo or homeowners and businesses alike, do not want new taxes in the form of road tolls, as a new hidden tax discussed as toll tax for the Don Valley and Gardner.

That would amount to a $50.tax per week tax or $2,600 per year taken out of our salaries in addition to gas taxes etc.

Nor do they want to be forcing home builders to pay for annual metro passes of $1,308 per unit as an additional cost of buying your new condo home.

Spending six hundred thousand dollars $600,000 of taxpayer’s hard earned income as a Guarantor to gain votes or support from Toronto Cyclists Union and bank roll a private corporation is NOT being fiscally responsible at any time.

Torontonians are united from downtown to the suburbs, that incumbent councillors chronic spending in support of left leaning unsustainable ideologies for transit or other core and non-core services must be stop in 2010.

Any modern era for the Toronto and TTC will start with the departure of the outgoing Mayor and his personal appointee chairman for the TTC.

Personally I hope that Ford along with other Mayoralty support and promote Toronto's urgent need of the past 35 years now, for either a rail or subway link to the International airport.

This would also help the residents in the Weston area along with the immediate construction of the down town relief line DRL he will have the blessing of Torontonians along with the North York Community and other such communities throughout our great city.

Metrolinx, if it understands Toronto's internal transportation requirements will reverse the outgoing Mayors Transit City Plan by ensuring that the two top priorities for Toronto's transit links are the construction of the DRL proposed back in the 1980s and a rail or subway link to Person International Airport ASAP.

If the DRL is not started immediately, there is no sense whatsoever in any extension north to bring people into an already transit system which is overloaded in the down town core areas.

In my humble opinion, the DRL is a must and urgently needed for the city along with a rail or subway link to the International Airport.

Now if Ford, can support my position by getting provincial and federal governments off their respective CULOS to make a lasting commitment to Public Transit in supporting cities with existing public transit by allocating a per cent age of the billions of dollars collect annually through existing gasoline and diesel taxes and have the commitment based on populations of each city, Transit financing can be solved once and for all for Toronto and other Canadian cities.

Toronto is OUR CITY, YOUR VOTE and OUR FUTURE TOGETHER begins with your victory on October 25, 2010.

PETERCLARKETORONTO.COM

Has A Toronto with Heart Become a B City of Gangs, Thugs and Punks?

2010-04-28T07:44:00.003-04:00

First for the police to attempt to lay blame on those who for whatever reason did not intervene reportedly against two black thug punks in their teens or twenties is a little disingenuous.

Cops are always telling citizens not to get involved yet now criticize them for doing what they suggested we should not attempt to do at any time. What gives?

Do police now want Torontonians to arm themselves, like the people in USA cities do, to protect ourselves against such thugs and punks that continually ride and harass people on public transit throughout our good city with heart?

With today’s technologies why does the TTC not have voice active alarms and cameras on our public transit systems? We sure as heck cannot afford armed police on every subway car or bus. Will this be used during budget debates as an example why the police cannot reduce their spending and must increase the number of uniformed officers on the force?

Secondly snatch and grabs of iPods, cell phones etc. fairly common daily occurrences on the TTC, according to transit officials, should NOT be acceptable to Torontonians. Police who have continued to ignore the fact that there is also a gang problem within and throughout Toronto should admit that like Detroit and other USA cities, Toronto has a more serious criminal element which they are unwilling or unable to address properly.

Violent crime by census tract here is a top 20 list:
1 Carlton/Dundas/Jarvis/Parliament
2 SE of Jane/Finch
3 Queen/Dundas/Jarvis/Parliament
4 NE of Jane/Finch
5 Off Kipling N of Lake Shore
6 Queen/Dundas/Spadina/Bathurst
7 Danforth W of Victoria Park to Main
8 SW Parkdale
9 Martin Grove/Albion Road/Kipling/West Humber
10 SE of Driftwood/Finch
11 Sheppard/Highbury/Jane/401
12 DVP/Eastern/Carlaw/Queen
13 Gerrard/DVP/Dundas/Parliament
14 NE of Jane/Eglinton
15 Along Kingston Rd SE of Lawrence
16 SW of Jane/Finch
17 NE of Danforth/Victoria Park
18 Bain/Pape/DVP/Gerrard (includes Don Jail)
19 NW of Bloor/Dufferin
20 SW of Midland/Kingston Rd

-Pockets of Scarborough are bad particularly Midland and Lawrence. A lot of Punjabi gangs around there it would seem.
-Tuxedo court located at Eglington and Markham road. Lots of Indians/Muslims it would appear as we do not wish to have racial profiling in any way and apparently lots of stabbings between Muslims gangs also but this has quieted down over the past couple years though we are told.

Toronto areas to be on your guard in:
-rexdale
-chalkfarm
-driftwood
-jane and finch
-cataraqui park
-Chester Le
-Midland n' Lawrence
-Shoreham
-areas of jarvis
-areas of sherbourne
-regent park

Toronto must as a city clean up these gangs of thug, punks and legally yet quickly get them off the streets, out of the public transit systems by whatever means necessary. Those found to be under age go after their parents for non parenting skills and when these so called juveniles commit violent crimes through the book at them.

However our current system of justice is also partially to blame for its continued handing out of far too many lenient sentences, slaps on the wrists and five year sentencing for murder to these juvenile punk thugs who know all too that they have nothing to lose when it comes to beating up or stealing from any defenseless citizen. Just go to the courts on any day a see how uncivilized and disregard for the respect of society and the law they can display.

Finally the police themselves have to understand and realistically acknowledge to the people of Toronto that it is never too late for them to come clean with the law abiding citizens within the city. Unfortunately as yet they seem unable to do the job they were hired to do, serve and protect. Partially because of the justice system and their hand continually being tied by the bleeding heart members of the current Police Service Board.

Career politicians and week kneed judges along with our criminal justice system have allowed Toronto to go from A city with Heart to become what lately appears to be the Bad and Ugly city without heart or sole.

For North York Community, Toronto is Our City, Your Vote and Together Our Future On October 25, 2010.

PETERCLARKETORONTO.COM

Wind Farms for Toronto Island but Not Scarborough Bluffs

2010-04-27T06:35:00.004-04:00

In keeping with their tradition the outgoing Mayors Executive Committee along with incumbent councillors all ignored Scientific Evidence of 'Wind Turbine Syndrome' and other health problems related to wind farms.

Wind farms, such as the one proposed for Scarborough Bluffs create “Low frequency noise can induce feelings of discomfort and nausea, not unlike seasickness. Like seasickness, the sensitivity of different individuals varies enormously, some being immediately sensitive, while others can barely detect anything” according to the renowned US Scientist Malcolm A. Swinbanks, PhD.

He points out further “It is important to emphasize that there does not yet appear to be a full understanding of how to assess low-frequency wind-turbine noise.”

“So it is difficult to understand how it can be argued emphatically that there is no problem, when it is clearly reported that significant ambiguity still remains in assessing these effects.”

“The purpose of this email is to make clear that a comprehensive understanding of wind-turbine noise and its effects was established by thorough NASA research, over 20 years ago. Contrary to suggestion, this is not new science.”

“The combination of wind-gradient amplification by up to 15dB, and the lowered (more sensitive) threshold of hearing for wind-turbine noise, substantially exacerbates the adverse effects of wind-farms placed too close to habitations. In this respect, problems such as those from the wind-farm recently established at Ubly [Michigan], are not unexpected."

The information available on the following sites examines the health impact on families when developers build wind turbines too close to their homes. There are several items available to download.

http://www.windturbinenoisehealthhumanrights.com/

The papers consider the effects of wind turbine acoustics on health, e.g., sleep deprivation and related adverse effects. Evidence from research papers confirms that noise radiation delivered with specific character and dosage can trigger serious health problems. Please click on the links to download the papers:

Wind Turbines: Noise and Health
by Dr A Harry
This paper, which examines the issue of possible adverse effects of wind turbines on health, presents the results of a preliminary community survey.

Noise Radiation from Wind Turbines Installed near Homes: Effects on Health
by BJ Frey, MA and PJ Hadden, BSc, FRICS
This paper not only reviews the acoustics of wind turbines and the adverse impact of noise on health, but also includes a discussion of human rights issues. In relation to the adverse health effects, the paper considers the basic violation of human rights, if Government puts more importance on achieving an ideological goal than safeguarding the basic human rights of its People.

Wind Turbine Syndrome: Important Clinical Research Report Dr Nina Pierpont's research details adverse health effects of wind turbine noise on those people who live near industrial wind turbines. Read excerpts from Dr Pierpont's book, soon to be released, and peer reviews of her research using these links: www.windturbinesyndrome.com (excerpts) and

My position that being of Peter CLARKE is wind farms should NEVER be installed along the Scarborough bluffs and we definitely need a more detailed and comprehensive science based study on all the known adverse health effects so we then can logically evaluate in a complete manner.

Incumbent councillor Baeremaeker it seems knows little about scientific evidence when he wrongfully stated that people’s fears "are simply wrong."

If these incumbent councillors with their left leaning ideologies truly wish to proceed with taxpayers funding for wind farms by pledging council "to promote and nurture" offshore windmills, then let’s put all such wind farms on the back side of Toronto Island where there is plenty of wind and no people.

Time Toronto Hydro also study whether there is enough wind to warrant placing wind turbines on Toronto Island which make a heck of a lot more sense than placing them along the Scarborough bluffs.

Just ask the people or better yet wait until October 25, 2010 to get the answer incumbent councillors.

Folks our incumbent councillors have been out of touch with common sense and scientific findings for the past 13 to 30 years.

Let’s just CHANGE them on October 25, 2010 for our continued good health and the common sense of the people.

Remember, Toronto is OUR CITY, YOUR VOTE and OUR FUTURE TOGETHER begins with your victory on October 25, 2010.

PETERCLARKETORONTO.COM

Media Have It Wrong Again, It’s Not Transit but Chronic Spending is The Most Pressing Issue Facing Toronto.

2010-04-26T06:28:00.000-04:00

It seems once again the left leaning media elite in Toronto are attempting to make transit the number one issue facing the voters.

The people however, have a different view and that is the unsustainable and chronic spending by incumbent councillors for the past 13 to 30 years has to come to an end in 2010.

Transit financing can be solved once and for all if the provincial and federal governments got off their respective CULOS and made a lasting commitment to Public Transit.

All these politicians at both levels of government have to do in supporting cities with existing public transit is to allocate, a per cent age of the billions of dollars collect annually through existing gasoline and diesel taxes, based on populations to each city.

The overburdened taxpayers, be they renters, condo or homeowners and businesses alike, do not want new taxes in the form of road tolls,as a new hidden tax discussed as toll tax for the Don Valley and Gardner.

That would amount to a $50.tax per week tax or $2,600 per year taken out of our salaries in addition to gas taxes etc.

Nor do we want to be forcing home builders to pay for annual metro passes of $1,308 per unit as an additional cost of buying your new condo home.

Spending six hundred thousand dollars $600,000 of taxpayers hard earned income as a Guarantor to gain votes or support from Toronto Cyclists Union and bank roll a private corporation is NOT being fiscally responsible at any time.

Torontonians are united from downtown to the suburbs, that incumbent councillors chronic spending in support of left leaning unsustainable ideologies for transit or other core and non-core services must stop.

For the past 7 years and longer Toronto’s incumbent life long career councillors have had NO REGARD for PRUDENCE when it came to spending tax payer dollars.

They have failed the city outrageously with their inability to manage the affairs of the city in a fiscally responsible manner.

You do not have to take my word for it as the city’s top bureaucrats have finally come clean this election year and admitted that Toronto has a serious crisis because of chronic spending, borrowing and taxing, yet they just continue to seek new ways of taxing Toronto residents and businesses even further as they discuss the 2010 budget.

Councillors’ outrageous practice of increasing spending at an average rate of 5.21% annually since 2003 over revenues represents a 1.9% ABOVE INFLATION RATES because of their chronic ingratiating appetite to spend our money.

Each 2% increase in tax rates since 2003 has siphoned over $22 MILLION DOLLARS from Toronto Renters, Condo, Single Family Homeowners and Businesses alike.

If these same councillors who supported the outgoing Mayor with his promise to live within the rate of inflation when they last sought your vote, Toronto would not be in such a fiscal mess, left for a new slate of councillors to take care of in a common sense manner.

Let us all not forget that since amalgamation incumbent councillors have approved budgeted spending by 64.23%.

The clear result being that their spending on non-priority items, services, programs have increased taxes on average at TWICE the ANNUAL RATE of INFLATION for the corresponding period of time.

Such failed budgeting policies of borrow, spend, tax and always continuing to grasp for more taxing powers supported by this outgoing Mayor and his majority of left leaning ideologies of incumbent councillors over the past 13 to 30 years or longer have proven to be fiscally irresponsible.

You see taxpayers who have had to foot the bills because of incumbent councillors out of control chronic spending habits, have another issue on October 25, 2010.

Only in the minds of the media, is transit the most pressing issue.

Time for meaningful change within the community and at city hall by the people on October 25, 2010.

PETERCLARKETORONTO.COM

Toronto is OUR CITY, YOUR VOTE and OUR FUTURE TOGETHER begins with your victory on October 25, 2010.

Toronto Without a Rail or Subway Connection to International Airport, Not a World Class City.

2010-04-24T16:52:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately for the past 35 years incumbent politicians have mismanaged the city’s transportation system because they failed to hire top notch professional and qualified transportation experts at the helm.

But instead have relied on novice politicians with literally no expertise in the transportation industry whatsoever to take control of one of the city’s most important issues for the past 50 years.

It seems that for these past many years the left leaning ideologies of councillors with their draconian attempts to force the motoring public, be they tourists, commuters, or commercial vehicles from entering and getting around the city by car by attempts to make all travel by public transit, which is not ever going to happened in his city or any other one.

In 2006 for example a comprehensive study of balancing the demand for limited road space was available to the TTC and others pertaining to the efficiency and effect of public transport priority schemes on public roads.

This paper describes a methodology developed to assist the road management authority to evaluate trade-offs in the use of its limited road-space for new bus and street car priority projects.

The major finding was that despite a more comprehensive approach to measuring the benefits of bus and street car priority, road-space reallocation is difficult to economically justify in road networks where public transport usage is low and car usage high.

Guess they missed that one or just ignored it because politically they did not like the facts presented against such usage of our main street within the city or elsewhere.

In my limited knowledge of public transportation, the core of the issues was to move vast numbers of people within a city and around the city.

As such why anyone is even considering a northern expansion of the subway line when there exists a severe problem in the movement of inner city commuters is beyond transportation logic 101.

Back in the mid 1980s prior to amalgamation there was a plan referred to as the Down Town Relief Line or DRL which 30 years ago correctly foresaw the congestion problem that now exists within the down town core area for Torontonians.

But also in the later part of the 80s after the opening of the Kipling and Kennedy extensions to the Bloor-Danforth subway, for political reason our TTC reported that these would be the last subway extensions Toronto would see for some time.

The Downtown line DRL was criticized for "focusing development pressure on the core (which) would violate Metro's strategy of decentralizing office growth and throw a wrench into North York's plan for a satellite downtown of office towers and high-rise housing in the Yonge Street-Sheppard Avenue Area" which of course pitted the downtown area against the suburbs for purely political reasons again.

One can only surmise but perhaps if the then conservative government had remained in power for another year or so, the DRL plan might have become reality. Ever since the opening of the Yonge Subway in 1954, Conservative governments of the day had provided strong support to the TTC and its major capital projects. However, the release of Network 2011 coincided with the defeat of the Conservatives and the formation of the first Liberal government in 42 years.

The Liberals, wary of the $5 billion price tag attached to Network 2011, put the plan under review. Infuriatingly, it was at this time that Highway 407 received provincial funds and took the first steps towards construction, just to be sold years later, which has caused Toronto and GTA motorists nothing but financial grief ever since.

In my humble opinion, Toronto urgently needs as it did 35 years ago either a rail or subway link to the International airport, which would also help the residents in the Weston area along with the immediate construction of the down town relief line DRL yesterday.

PETERCLARKETORONTO.COM

Leadership in Public Service is NOT Reminding the Community what one has Done, but What One Will Do.

2010-04-23T09:18:00.000-04:00

Torontonians all should realize when incumbent councillors of 20 to 30 years with their hands in the public trough have to continue using taxpayer funds to once again hoodwink the public with their attempts to tell us what they feel has been done for the community TIME for CHANGE is at hand through the ballot box on October 25, 2010.

Incumbent councillors of the past 13 to 30 who have managed to make a career employment position for themselves by ensuring that taxpayer funded newsletters during this election years are allowed. Also once defeated at the polls by the voters the think they will receive a one years severance pay, but that will NOT Be Allowed to HAPPEN with the peoples new slate of councillors.

All paid for courtesy of the taxpayers out of their annual $53,100 tax free expense accounts so that they can attempt to convince the voters to keep them in office for another term.

Talk about a real legal conflict of interest on their part. Yet we hear nothing from the city’s solicitor about this glaring abuse of power and outright conflict of interest.

Remember folks this is your money and it is over and above their annual salary of $99,154.

During an election year these former school teacher, journalists with left leaning ideologies of course make no apologies for such arrogance by taking the position that they have earned it!

Such asinine logic of stating “Incumbents have had four years to work on behalf of their constituents and ingratiate themselves with their constituents” when in fact this particular incumbent has been at the public trough for 35 years with his ingratiating appetite for left leaning ideologies supported by his NDP political party.

Hopefully after 35 years Torontonians will on October 25 of this year head the advice offered up by these career politicians by their continued defiance of their failed fiscal policies for the city and “throw them out of office in 2010.”

The latest policy by these same incumbent politicians in their quest for new hidden taxes in support of the TTC and offered up as “ a carrot ” to demand people use public transit is even more alarming in a democratic society.

Not content with the free market system that hangs by the thread in Toronto because of such left leaning ideologies from incumbent councillors of 20 to 35 years they have proposes a new city policy which forces CONDO builders to include a year’s supply of Metro passes in each new unit sold.

You can thank these same incumbent councillors for this $1,308 additional cost of buying your Condo home.

Our City, Your Vote, Our Future Together begins on October 25, 2010.

PETERCLARKETORONTO.COM

Works Committee Ignores 97% of Commuters, Spends $600,000. As a Guarantor, for 3% Commuting Support of Toronto Cyclists Union.

2010-04-21T10:33:00.000-04:00

It seems that Denzil Minnan Wong hit the nail on the head when he asked if his fellow incumbent councillors had completely gone insane by supporting a staff report by the city’s works committee to go ahead with bike lanes on one of the busiest internal arterial roadways in the down town core.

As much as we all love to ride bikes and some less than 2% for the entire city use a bicycle as a means of commuting to and from putting a bike lane or a pedestrian lane in the middle of University Avenues is the nuttiest transportation idea yet to come from our left leaning incumbent councillors and city staff.

Existing stats show that a majority 96.7% of workers residing in or around University Avenue in the down town areas either drive, walk, take public transit daily to get to work within that area and 3% at tops cycle to work.

The taxpaying citizens of Toronto should now realize that the only transportation systems being pushed by staff and incumbent councillors both of whom we pay for are ones that will continue to further add traffic congestion in the already chronically congested city core area.

These incumbent councillors and their staff must all give their heads a long hard reality shake and get to work on realistic solutions for solving Toronto’s serious financial problems and looming bankruptcy partially caused by such lunatic ideas for this moment in time.

Toronto’s chronic traffic congestion problems in the down town area will only further be aggravated and increase by continuing with such asinine proposals and draconian measures to further restrict car or truck vehicle access and usage for commercial or other reasons in our city’s core area.

These proposed lane restrictions for bicycles will continue to adversely affect existing levels of access and egress along with the transportation equity within the city core.

The entire city deserves a realistic and affordable transportation plan which encompasses the blending of highways, internal arterial roads, public transit, and pedestrians but not solely at the direct expense of the city’s, visitors or commercial motoring public.

These additional draconian plans to get citizens to use bicycles for commuting purposes by insisting on putting bike lanes on University Avenue is asinine and not the answer to the city’s existing transportation commuter nightmare or the continued fiscal failures of these incumbents.

peterclarketoronto.com

Toronto’s Police Budget Needs Realistic Spending Cuts, Zero Based Budgeting in 2011.

2010-04-20T07:00:00.003-04:00

Incumbent councillors will not debate the police budget for 2010 but just give lip service for the need to reduce spending as they have for the past seven years with no meaningful long term results.

Their chronic spending habits will continue until they are soundly defeated at the polls on October 25, 2010.

I, Peter CLARKE propose the following for implementation prior to the 2011 Police Service Boards Budget process by a new council.

Considering that over 90% of The Police budget goes for salaries and benefits for 5, 510 police personnel and 2,000 civilian employees, we must start by having all benefits on a co-payment basis and NOT paid 100% by the city. Perhaps on a 70% to 30% benefit cost sharing plan.

Policing is only one of the core services of Toronto and a fundamental one but like all budget components of the city it must be based on realistic costing beginning in 2011 with a zero based budgeting process.

I strongly believe that a new council, in order to maintain the public’s trust and confidence for a safe city, must prioritize the existing services and programs of the Police department on a line by line basis by also reducing the civilian component of the force by 10% to 15% in 2011.

We further must reduce and redeploy 30 officers from the mounted unit along with a reduction of the present number of 28 horses to 18. Thus leaving the mounted unit with 13 officers, which is similar to the number for mounted units in other cities.

The current TTC special transit police should be retired and not absorbed by the Toronto police force. The TTC could offer them other positions within the TTC and if they refuse then unfortunately they would have to be laid off.

The parking enforcement unit should be taken completely out of the hand of the Police Services Board and come under the bylaw control department on a self sustaining operating basis that must produce a profit on an annual basis.

Eliminate the time and half paid for these employees to attend court as this is just part of their job. With cameras at intersection for speeders and stopping infractions this revenue will cover the cost for the time these officers would not be issuing tickets because of court appearances.

The pay for court time for police officers should be uploaded to the province and included in the provinces justice ministers budget as that is where it belongs.

All awards issued by provincial arbitrators that are above the annual rate of inflation must be uploaded back to the province as they mandated such salary increase.

Police officers retention pay must be eliminated and based solely on job preference, education and ability to handle the position. This also must apply to all promotions from within the force to ensure that all promotions are based on education, ability and special skills not on gender or other issues.

Eliminate the two officers in a patrol car that was an arbitration wards by the province. This would free up hundreds of our officers for other more pressing duties as driving around the city two per car.

With today’s GPS technology etc, an officer can always call for immediate back up when necessary. Further upload these costs for a two officer patrol unit back to the province as it was their arbitration award in the first place.

In no way would any of these proposals adversely affect “the delivery of effective and adequate policing” for the citizens of Toronto.

If the current Chief and his senior staff cannot manage within these types of frame work then perhaps the time has come to consider other cost reducing measures along with a new chief of Police together with a new Police Service Board.

For a new council in 2011 not implement some or all of these proposals would be irresponsible and reprehensible considering the current fiscal problems facing Toronto Renters, Condo, Homeowners and Businesses alike and all thanks to incumbent councillors and the outgoing Mayors left leaning ideologies of the past seven years.

peterclarketoronto.com

Toronto’s Board of Trade Fabricated Gridlock Allegation Statistical Sham?

2010-04-19T06:43:00.000-04:00

According to Stats Can “commuters who use public transit to work, spend an average of 41 minutes more on their daily commute than those using an automobile.”

People like Terry Corcoran and Rob Roberts have factually pointed out that the Toronto congestion fantasy is one of myth and statistical illusion and theory put out by the outgoing mayor with support from city and provincial and federal officials.

Talk about a con game by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris, no less, as they DID NO RESEARCH to back up its statement that a 80 minute commute is a $5 Billion annual burden to the Canadian economy?

They relied solely on information supplied to them by our outgoing Mayor and other supporters of left leaning ideologies.

Yet the Toronto Board of Trade and others immediately called for “increased investment in public transit and policies that encourage Torontonians to leave their cars behind” with NO factual study having been done by this organization itself.

The indisputable facts continue to show that cities like Seattle, Los Angeles, Dallas and Toronto all cities having the least volume of public transit use are the cities with the fastest commute times!

With the exception of Toronto could it be that’s because they build more and better roads instead of massive public transit operations that are costly to build, expensive to operate and slow?

In my humble opinion the time has come to stop listening to these so called prominent Torontonians when it comes to common sense and the reality of issues facing Toronto Renters, Condo and Homeowners and Businesses alike in 2010 and beyond.

Toronto should not continue to propose Draconian measures to restrict car use as this has and will continue to adversely affect the levels of access and equity provided by Toronto’s existing or expanded transportation systems.

Torontonians deserve and realistically require a transportation plan that includes the blending of highways, roads and public transit together. Anything less will not work on this day and age or in the future as both are here to stay and must operate in harmony.

Nor should Toronto propose to limit future road capacity where new roads are needed to accommodate growth. Growing areas need roads and upgraded roads in harmony with other opportunities to improve public transport cycling or other forms in these areas.

Remember the restrictive height bylaws in Toronto city core and the disaster that proved to be over time?

When Toronto is developed with higher densities around centers of activity and transport nodes and supports increased high-density residential developments within key areas along existing transport corridors in close proximity to employment centers then a large percentage of Toronto’s growth will be met.

Further through these sustainable modes in the city core they will ensure that a substantial percentage of growth in travel demand would be met that encourages greater use of walking, cycling and public transportation.

Peter CLARKE believes that any long term transportation plan for Toronto must recognize that while improvements to public transport, walking and cycling opportunities are crucial, their cost must be evaluated in the context of affordability and the community’s willingness to pay.

TORONTO is OUR CITY, YOUR VOTE, OUR FUTURE and TOGETHER leads to your victory on October 25, 2010 by restoring the people’s common sense back on Toronto council.

Legacy of Incumbent Councillors is Borrowing $436 Million for a Grant of $240 Million and to Sell a $600 Million Note to Pay Down Debt!

2010-04-16T14:51:00.001-04:00

All this and remortgaging from 10 years to 35 years just to secure $235 million in grants and based on the logic that interest rates have never been this low.

This is what the outgoing Mayor and his lefts leaning incumbent councillors refer to as “good balance" between the tax increases and investing in services.

This restructuring of tax payer’s debts “to match assets to funding in a much better way helped us deal with that pressure by smoothing out the financing costs” stated the outgoing Mayor.

In reality all he and his merry gang of incumbent councillors have achieved is to extend interest and debt payments for a longer period of time and pass these interest and principle repayment cost to our next generation of young people and their future families by burdening them with this debt.

However the outgoing Mayor and incumbent councillors are of the opinion that tax payers should not question such financial gimmicks and just pay for their self-serving legacies for the next 50 to 100 years!
The outgoing Mayor and his top bureaucrats assume it will meet council’s guideline of keeping debt service charges to 15% of the property tax base by the these financial makeovers.

Yet in doing so they will have borrowed $4.7 BILLION dollars over a factious 10 year period by attempting to leave a new council with a $3.2 BILLION DEBT at the end of this factious period of time and further lock in a new council to such asinine logic of financial gimmickry.

The City’s 2010 Capital Budget and 10-year (2010-2019) capital plan was passed at Toronto City Council and paves the way for implementation of hundreds of major capital infrastructure projects with an attempt to lock in future councils to such left leaning ideologies of the outgoing Mayor and incumbent councillors without any regard for the already overburdened tax payers of this generation not to mention that of future ones.

Further what moral, ethical or even legal authority does this outgoing Mayor and incumbent councillors have in passing a 10 year Capital Budget in an attempt to burden a the new incoming council with over $ 23.3 BILLION dollars for capital spending over 8 years past their current term of office?

Torontonians can no longer afford such chronic spending habits displayed by this outgoing Mayor and his incumbent councillors. For the

For the past 7 years Toronto's incumbent career councilors have had no regard for prudence when it came to spending our tax dollars.

Their outrageous practice of increasing spending at an average rate of 5.21% annually since 2003 over revenues has continually been 1.9% ABOVE INFLATION RATES MUST COME TO AN END IN 2010.

This has siphoned over $22 MILLION Dollars from Renters, Condo and Homeowners and Businesses alike for each 2% increase in tax rates since 2003.

If councillors had lived within the rate of inflation, as the outgoing Mayor and his merry gang of councilors promised, Renters, Condo and Homeowners and Businesses all would have had this money in their pockets to create more jobs for Torontonians.

I, Peter CLARKE agree with the common sense position of the people that “this same old process of borrowing, spending and taxing year after year must end in 2010.”

More Lies or Promises that Toronto’s Out Going Mayor and Incumbent Councillors Will Not Be Around To See?

2010-04-15T21:40:00.001-04:00

With councils first crack at this year’s 2010 operating budget the outgoing Mayor now states that "Toronto resident will never face a 12% tax hike."

Really, he and hopefully the majority of his left leaning fellow incumbent councillors will not be around to prepare the 2011 budgets, which will have to be based on the outrageous spending that they continue to accumulate for 2010. So what an outrageous statement for him to make.

Now that the city’s top bureaucrats have finally come clean and admitted Toronto has a serious financial crisis thanks to the last seven years of chronic spending, borrowing and taxing, even their top bureaucrat Mr. Cam Weldon is not that arrogant as the outgoing Mayor and his incumbent councillors.

He very carefully says to the outgoing mayor and councillors "I can't give you a prediction, councillor."

Let’s not forget that in 2003 and again in 2006 when this outgoing Mayor and his incumbent councillors were seeking your votes, they promised that their spending and our taxes would NOT be increased above the annual rate of inflation. This sure as heck did not materialize these past 7 years.

Another promise unkept or an outright political lie? You decide.

Also while one considers these facts, think about what moral, ethical or even legal authority this outgoing Mayor and incumbent councillors had in passing a 10 year Capital Budget in an attempt to burden a the new incoming council with over $ 23.3 BILLION dollars for capital spending over 8 years past their current term of office? I will talk about this unprecedented procedure and questionable financial maneuver in another article.

The City’s 2010 Capital Budget and 10-year (2010-2019) capital plan was passed at Toronto City Council and paves the way for implementation of hundreds of major capital infrastructure projects.

Finally an outgoing mayor along with hopefully the majority of his fellow incumbent councillors are not in any position to state or promise the people of Toronto anything as their term comes to an end October 26, 2010 thank goodness.

I Peter CLARKE strongly believe that TORONTO is OUR CITY, YOUR VOTE, OUR FUTURE TOGETHER. So VOTE, Do It on October 25, 2010, You Will Like It.

Not A Case Against Toll Roads, They Just Are Not the Right Solution for Toronto, The GTA. Motorists, Businesses or Overburdened Taxpayers.

2010-04-12T12:07:00.001-04:00

If I recall correctly, the GST tax or a portion of it was to have been allocated by the federal government to pay down and off our ever increasing national debt?

In my humble opinion, I do not believe this has been achieved yet.

Unfortunately toll roads as a new form of taxation for public transit would also not achieve any-one's desired or hoped for results.

In 2008 Scotland abolished all toll roads and in the already bankrupt state of California its toll roads system is dysfunctional and is causing further traffic snarls, delays etc.

Toll roads are not the answer for Toronto.

Insisting that our federal and provincial governments annually commit 20% of the billions of dollars collected currently through gasoline and diesel taxes must be allocated by law to cities with existing Public Transit Systems is ONE SOLUTION and a move in the RIGHT direction for motorist, businesses, Condo and Homeowners alike.

First and foremost Toronto’s new council has to get spending under control, which for the past 8 years and more has itself sped out of control causing more borrowing, interest payments, salaries increases and higher taxes at twice the rate of inflation.

Elected officials at all levels must live within the revenues they collect, just like all taxpayers do on a monthly basis. Our incumbent councillors and the outgoing Mayor have failed Torontonians in this regard over the years.

To get our city back on track will of course not happen overnight and it WILL NOT happen at all if we continue to elect these same incumbent councilors for a further term with their hands in our pocket books.

But it can happen and there are proposal out their including some of my own, which is a step in the right direction if we are indeed going to remain a first glass world city in the future.

TORONTO is OUR CITY, YOUR VOTE, OUR FUTURE TOGETHER. So VOTE, Do It on October 25, 2010, You Will Like It.

CLARKE Proposes Solution for Toronto's TTC Annual Funding Using Existing Taxes

2010-04-10T08:36:00.001-04:00

For 8 years now The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has rightfully insisted with the target for 50% of gas and diesel taxes collected are spent on our roads and highways for motorists.

This amount now has reached and exceed with a 52% mark. The CTF should be congratulated for ensuring that at least 50% of our gasoline and diesel taxes paid for roads, highways and infrastructure have finally been met by the federal government as they called for over many years.

With Torontonians, Ontarians and all Canadian motorists and businesses continually pay billions in existing gasoline and diesel taxes etc. and now with 52% going directly back into infrastructure for our roads and highways, that leaves 48% NOT being used for TRANSIT purposes.

I propose that a minimum of .05 cents per liter or .10 cents per litre of the current taxes for gasoline and diesel be annually allocated for all cities Public Transit operating budgets up to a maximum of 20% of the 48% balance of existing gasoline and diesel taxes that remain for transportation purposes.

Hopefully the CTF could now amend it position in asking Ottawa to cut existing gas taxes and support my proposal that these funds go to funding Toronto’s TTC and other cities Public Transit Budgets on an annual basis.

My Proposal and my opinion is that instead of proceeding with the CTF other demand for “eliminating the 1.5 cent/litre “deficit elimination tax” and stop taxing taxes by removing the GST (and HST where applicable) presently charged on federal and provincial gas levies,” that this existing established tax of 5 cents a litre, be directly applied to Toronto’s TTC and other cities Public Transportation Operating Budgets.

The formula used for the actual yearly dollar value transfer to cities would be done on the basses of population and tied to each cities individual population growth.

This would be in addition to the announce GTF and further ensure that our larger Cities with Public Transit systems would have a permanent federal program and commitment to our cities for Public Transportation and help remove this ever increasing expenditure off the backs of our over burdened property and business tax basis.

Further this would get all our Canadian cities Public Transit systems to remain on track and eliminate this chronic desire of outgoing mayor Miller and his incumbent career politicians referred to as councillors to stop seeking increases in taxes, new taxes or taxing motorists, who are employees and businesses, through toll roads.

Toll roads along the 401 in express lanes or elsewhere would NOT LESSEN traffic on the 401 in any way shape or form.

For your information and your incumbent councillors of the past 13 plus years Mr.outgoing Mayor highway 401 is and has been over capacity for the past ten years or more.

Canadian CITIES as TORONTO are OUR CITIES, YOUR VOTE and OUR FUTURE TOGETHER. So VOTE, Do It on October 25, 2010, You Will Like It.

Have Torontonians Gone Insane or Is It The Water We Are Drinking?

2010-04-09T10:05:00.003-04:00

Seems these days all politicians, including the grand old lady Hazel McCallion, have only new revenues on their mind and NO ideas or suggestions about curtailing their chronic spending habits for services Renters, Condo, Homeowners and Businesses never asked for or voted for in the first place!

I readily agree with Hazel that nothing is free, but Toronto has been providing services far below their actual costs and duplicating services already offered by other levels of government.

They have been increasing taxes at twice the annual rate of inflation since 2003!

Torontonians along with their fellow GTA residents combined with the rest of Ontario’s population ALREADY have to pay a gas tax of 14.7 cents per liter at the pumps, plus a further federal gas tax of 30.1 cents per liter.

All these taxes were implemented for the provincial transportation systems so where has the money been spent and why not some of this for the TTC?

Now proposing road tolls an indirect tax and toll road tolls system would NOT bring Toronto or Mississauga closer to other would-be world-class cities. It would cost employees $200. per month from their salaries or $2,600 per year! However it would most likely encourage urban sprawl. Out of the ten top world class cities in the world NONE have an internal road toll system.

We do not need new sources of revenue folks, it’s a fool’s game and just prolongs the day of bankruptcy because of our politician’s failure to reduce spending and live within revenues currently collected through the overburdened property tax system.

Now you want to consider giving these proven fiscally irresponsible incumbent councilors of the past 13 years more revenues so they can continue such outrageous spending for left leaning ideologies of their respective political parties, special interest groups and lobbyists?

Why do we continue to pay 100% of the costs for our Toronto’s employee’s benefits when our top bureaucrats tell us we have a financial problem?

I am sure we had this financial problem during the 2009 and 2002 union contract negotiations!

Employee benefits as a condition for continuing employment should be on a 75% to 25% basis as a start in getting our fiscal problems in order. Especially when we consider that over 50% of Toronto’s expenditures go for paying salaries and benefits!

Why did our incumbent councilors agree to a wage increase of 1.75% and back dated for salaries in 2009 when the actual cost of inflation was only .2989%. Thus giving employees a 1.45% increase above the rate of inflation?

This rate increase also applied to shift bonuses each year and for the registered nurses in charge.

The logic used to give employees an additional paid holiday, Family Day, was based on the argument that the provincial employment standards act already requires this holiday for recreation workers?

Since this is a mandated requirement from the province these costs should be reimbursed at 100% to the city along with all other mandated programs or services by the province to the city.

Time for a new council with new councillors to start uploading costs back to the province or take the province to court for the reimbursement of costs for their mandated programs.

Another irresponsible fiscal agreement agreed to with the union was to increase wage protection for workers.

With our city’s financial problems incumbent councilors voted to increased to this benefit by 40%. Allowing for a 35 months benefit period from the previous 25 months and based on the argument this would avoid claims of age discrimination/human rights issues.

Again human rights issues are mandated by the province so they should have to pay the cost for such at 100% not on the backs of property or business taxes, which also further increases the cost of renting.

TORONTO is OUR CITY, YOUR VOTE, OUR FUTURE TOGETHER. So VOTE, Do It on October 25, 2010, You Will Like It.

It is Official Toronto Has a Financial Problem Caused by Over Spending, Costs of Labor and Benefits, All Thanks to Incumbent Councilors of The Past 13 Years.

2010-04-08T08:34:00.005-04:00

However, common sense would remind all of us that to put a slice of the sales tax revenues in the hands of this council left leaning ideologies would NOT solve the problem of their chronic spending habits.

Instead of blindly stating that “we will require monetization of city assets“, Weldon, one of our Toronto’s supposedly top bureaucrats did not offer any other means and ways of rectifying this spending problem by incumbent councilors and the outgoing Mayor.

I wonder why? Could it be because it is an election year?

Now one begins to doubt not only about the fiscal irresponsibility of incumbent councilors but also that of these so called top bureaucrats operating within our city halls.

Perhaps they also have been around city hall to long with their own left leaning social ideologies that are slowly yet quickly bankrupting our city over these past 13 years.

It has become quite evident that Torontonians urgently need change at many levels within city hall from Councillors on up.

Please take another long look at my campaign mission proposal to date and you will see the difference in thinking for the people or for prolong the status quo at city hall.

I, Peter CLARKE have already proposed.

1. ZERO BASED BUDGETING PROCESS for all departments and programs COMMENCING with the 2011 budgets.
2. CAP SPENDING for ALL Departments, PROGRAMS, BUDGETS and TAXES to the annual rate of inflation or below starting with the 2011 budgets.
3. SALARY REDUCTIONS of 25% for councillors and 25% reduction of expense accounts for councilors effective with the 2011 city's budget process. Each year thereafter salaries would be limited to the annual rate of inflation.
4. A SALARY FREEZE on ALL SENIOR and TOP Bureaucrats until they can manage to come up with some meaningful and enlightened ways and means for fiscal responsibility other than proposing to sell off assets, seek more taxing powers and going hat in hand to other levels of government to solve their own problems.
5. CONSULTATIONS with non-union and union civil servant groups within the city to CONSIDER an introduction of a PENSION LEVY for all Toronto’s public service workers as an alternative to pay cuts in order to help resolve the city’s fiscal problems.
6. RANDOM DRUG TESTING PROGRAM be implemented for all MEEMBERS of COUNCIL, ALL EMPLOYEES union and non union alike including the POLICE, FIRE, EMS and TTC effective JANUARY 1st 2011 as a CONDITION OF CONTINUING EMPLOYMENT with the city.
7. Business taxes SHOULD BE FROZEN, so we can lower the tax ratio of business to residential TO BE COMPETITIVE with our GTA neighboring municipalities.
8. Budgets, must be PRIORITIZED ON CORE SERVICES and costs trimmed to balance the books. UP LOADING MANDATED SERVICES BACK TO PROVINCE IF NECESSARY.
9. REMOVE, AS MANY COSTS AS POSSIBLE, from our property tax base, by replacing these costs WITH REVENUE NEUTRAL USER FEES in the areas of the TTC and other services.
10. STOP DISCRIMINSTION AGAINST NON UNIONIZED CONTRACTORS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS for outsourced services, to ensure fairness and cost effectivity.

TORONTO is OUR CITY, YOUR VOTE, OUR FUTURE TOGETHER. So VOTE, Do It on October 25, 2010, You Will Like It.

Has an Environment of Left Leaning Ideologies of Political Correctness, Fuelled by Greed of Self Serving Councillors and A Vocal Minority of Union and Non Union Civic Employees and Public, For More Benefits With Less Productivity Morally Bankrupt Toronto?

2010-04-07T06:03:00.001-04:00

It would appear that say 15% to 20% of both private and public sector employees unfortunately do the bare minimum when it comes to their individual work ethics and responsibility to employers.

In the case of municipal employees the people witnessed through the last strike agreement that unfortunately there is no realistic separation between management and unions on Toronto council since 2003.

Only a very few councillors seem to understand that Toronto has a fiscal problem yet they are continually shouted down by fellow councillors with little or no backing or support coming from our not so neutral Toronto media outlets.

It seems Torontonians have for the past 13 or more years been schooled and institutionalized to believe that no longer do they have to truly work to make ends meet.

They have been lead like lambs to accept the premise that they are entitled to demand a pension guarantee, their children’s care paid for by others, welfare, unemployment benefits extended because they did not pay enough into the plan in the first place perhaps, cheap and unrealistic public transpiration expectations and more paid days off and holidays.A society of want, want, want, and NOT DO while others pick up the tab.

You see politicians through some Robin Hood scheme referred to as a redistribution of wealth, which is an ongoing and elaborate policy of taking from the rich and poor alike through higher rents, taxes, or toll roads etc. to give to politicians and their political parties, special interest groups or lobbyists.

It seems the province has come to slowly realize that their unsustainable appetite for services which the taxpayers can no longer afford to pay for has come home to roust in the form of salary freezes, salary reductions etc. with more likely to come.

It is still not too late, but time is fast running out for Toronto’s civic employees, from top to bottom, union and non union alike.

They should offer up through their own ideas, initiatives and proposals for meaningful cost reductions, work related duplication of services and waste eliminations, improved work habits etc. in helping to ensure fiscal responsibility and by self helping to preserve their jobs.

Our municipal workers and management by offering up new cost saving procedures that could assist them to compete with private contractors should the city decide to outsource certain activities and services in the future.

In the coming days I, Peter CLARKE will be introducing further ideas and proposals in addition to the ones already outline in my campaign mission platform to date.

Lets here from the 85% to 90% of dedicated civic employees at all levels even if you only work for but not live in the city, TORONTO is OUR CITY, YOUR VOTE, OUR FUTURE TOGETHER.

First Common Sense in 2010 or More of the Same Community Unsustainable Borrowing, Spending and Taxing by Incumbent Councillors of 13 Years or More?

2010-04-06T06:28:00.004-04:00

On October 25, 2010 Renters, Condo and Homeowners and Businesses alike throughout Toronto with its many diverse multicultural communities, such as in North York’s Avondale, Willowdale, Newtonbrook and Lansing to name only a few, have a decision to make this coming fall.

Toronto residents throughout the city in all communities will have the choice between out of control spending, borrowing and taxing at twice the rate of inflation on an annual basis since 2003 by re-electing a 13 year incumbent councillor OR ELECTING Peter CLARKE and other non career politicians that have clearly defined campaign mission platforms which are based on the peoples common sense for affordable and sustainable core services for the community and our great city of Toronto.

“ I, Peter CLARKE am an INDEPENDENT NOT a CAREER Politician or supporter of any political party, special interest groups or lobbyists. Just your average citizen candidate for council and once elected answerable only to the people NOT a political party, special interest group or lobbyist.”

Since amalgamation councillors approved budgeted spending has increased 64.28% and the capital budget has increased a whopping 300% in 13 year.

The clear result being that councillors spending on non-priority items and expenditures have increased taxes on average at TWICE the ANNUAL RATE of INFLATION.

These failed budgeting policies of borrow, spend, tax and always grasping for more taxing powers and hand outs from the province of our outgoing mayor supported by the majority of incumbent councillors over the past 13 years or longer have proven to be fiscally irresponsible. Time for Meaningful Change within the Community and at City Hall by the people.

Tell me Toronto Renters, Condo and Homeowners and Business people has your income increased 64.28% or even increased annually by twice the rate of inflation since 2003?

TORONTO is OUR CITY, YOUR VOTE, OUR FUTURE TOGETHER. So VOTE, Do It on October 25, 2010, You Will Like It,

THANKS Peter CLARKE!

Fact Sources: Financial Post, Globe and Mail, Star and City of Toronto

Toronto Council, The TTC, Management, Unions Out of Touch With Reality With little Regard for The Public

2010-04-03T06:36:00.001-04:00

For the past 7 years and longer Toronto's incumbent career councilors have had no regard for prudence when it came to spending our tax dollars.

Their outrageous practice of increasing spending at an average rate of 5.21% annually since 2003 over revenues which has continually been 1.9% ABOVE INFLATION RATES MUST COME TO AN END IN 2010.

This has siphoned over $22 MILLION Dollars from Renters, Condo and Homeowners and Businesses alike for each 2% increase in tax rates since 2003.

If councillors had lived within the rate of inflation, as the outgoing Mayor and his merry gang of councilors promised, Renters, Condo and Homeowners and Businesses all would have had this money in their pockets to create more jobs for Torontonians.

I, Peter CLARKE agree with the common sense position of the people that “this same old process of borrowing, spending and taxing year after year must end in 2010.”

With the TTC chair continually being a person with NO business experience or expertise in corporate transportation management or qualifications for same it is past the time that the Chair and operations for the TTC be taken out of council’s control.

Now we hear from Mr. Kinnear a union member of the TTC that because he or some other representative of the TTC union was not invited to participate on the transit commission’s service advisory panel “his organization has some concern that this panel may be somewhat politically motivated and we want to stay away from that.”

As of yet Kinnear who alludes to be speaking for the majority of his organizations membership, has failed to elaborate on just what these concerns are? Lets see if the media follows up and gets to the bottom of just what these concerns are, so we all an be enlightened about such concerns.

He then goes on to emphatically state to his merry band of left leaning socialist ideology media reports for all to hear and absorb that his proposed union backed and sponsored town hall meetings will “NOT be politically motivated as they want to stay away from that.”

It seems Mr. Kinnear and this band of media reports would like all citizens to believe that his motives are not based on any political content whatsoever? When will they stop thinking that Torontonians are completely stupid?

Let’s have a report on just what his organizations concerns are as we all understand and know what the public's concerns are with his TTC union members along with the day to day operations of the TTC itself.

I, Peter CLARKE strongly believe that TORONTO is OUR CITY, YOUR VOTE, OUR FUTURE and TOGETHER leads to your victory on October 25, 2010 by restoring the people’s common sense back on Toronto council.

Happy Passover, Peaceful Good Friday and Healthy Holiday to All Who Celebrate Same In Their Personal or Family Ways.

2010-04-01T06:40:00.001-04:00

With Passover (Pesach) lasting a total of eight days and Good Friday tomorrow followed by Easter Monday many Jewish, Christian, Muslim and other People will spend these religious, special days or just holidays with family members or close friends.

My wife Tatiana and I will be spending these next few days with her family and friends in Venezuela her native country, while we continue the seemingly endless wait for her immigration papers to be finalized for Canada.

Out of respect for these and other religious celebrations there will be no new posting to the blog on either Good Friday April 2nd or Easter Monday April 5th but I will post on Saturday April 3rd followed by Tuesday April 6th and thereafter as usual on Mondays to Saturdays.

So I Peter CLARKE take this opportunity to wish everyone a healthy, save and peaceful Passover, Good Friday, Easter Monday and a rest full deserved holiday over this long weekend.

Toronto’s Future Transportation Plans must be evaluated in the Context of Affordability and the Community’s Willingness to Pay

2010-03-31T06:16:00.006-04:00

Under outgoing Mayor Miller, with his supportive merry gang of incumbent councillors of 12 to 20 years with their outrageous spending at twice the annual rate of inflation since 2003 for unsustainable “left leaning socialist ideologies”, the one transit policy that has become certain for all to learn from is Future Streetcar corridors on Toronto’s main internal arterial roads like St Clair are a disaster and NOT the way to go for any new transit projects.

As far back as 2006 a comprehensive study was available to the TTC and others pertaining to the efficiency and effect of public transportation priority schemes on public roads. Guess they missed that one!

One of the major findings was “that despite a more comprehensive approach to measuring the benefits of bus and streetcar priority, road-space reallocation is difficult to economically justify in road networks where public transport usage is low and car usage high.”

Peter CLARKE believes that any long term transportation plan for Toronto must recognize that while improvements to public transport, walking and cycling opportunities are crucial, their cost must be evaluated in the context of affordability and the community’s willingness to pay.

Toronto or elsewhere should not continue to propose Draconian measures to restrict car use — this has and will continue to adversely affect the levels of access and equity provided by Toronto’s existing or expanded transport system.

Nor should Toronto propose to limit future road capacity where new roads are needed to accommodate growth. Growing areas need roads. New and upgraded roads also provide opportunities to improve public transport and cycling in these areas.

Remember the restrictive height bylaws in Toronto city core and the disaster that proved to be over time?

When Toronto is developed with higher densities around centers of activity and transport nodes and supports increased high-density residential developments within key areas along existing transport corridors in close proximity to employment centers then a large percentage of Toronto’s growth will be met.

Further through these sustainable modes in the city a core they will ensure that a substantial percentage of growth in travel demand would be met that encourages greater use of walking, cycling and public transportation.

TORONTO is OUR CITY, YOUR VOTE, OUR FUTURE and TOGETHER leads to your victory on October 25, 2010 by restoring the people’s common sense back on Toronto council.

Time for Mandatory Voting and Internet Voting In Toronto Elections

2010-03-30T06:26:00.001-04:00

Perhaps it is NOT too late for the current Toronto council to get into the 21st century and ensure that for the October 25, 2010 election residents will have the right to cast a vote, by Internet, as is the case in Markham for advance polling dates.

However, with continued low voter turnout across Toronto, 34% in 2006, the right to vote must be complemented with a legal duty making compulsory attendance at an electoral booth on election days mandatory, if we are at all serious about increasing voter turnout.

Voting should be legally declared a "civic duty" or an affirmative citizen obligation like in Australia. Voting is another democratic obligation the people have a requirement to do like jury duty, compulsory schooling, driver’s licenses and paying our taxes.

Peter CLARKE is of the opinion, held by many others, that there is more wisdom in the common sense of the people than in government. As individuals we have already consented to laws that are more onerous, time consuming and intrusive than a citizen’s occasional mandatory trip to a polling station.

Failure to attend at a polling booth on election days should result not in fines or taxes, but rather the denial of government services and benefits, such as affordable housing, welfare, unemployment or the ability to obtain a driver’s licenses, pass ports and health cards.

Also compulsory voting laws have shown to be very effective in raising levels of voter turnout, interest and participation in elections. A higher turnout would definitely increase the legitimacy of governments with only a 30% to 40 % participation rate.

That is the case today in Toronto. It also would force the silent majority to think about elections and the costs of unsustainable services and councils out of control spending at twice the rate of inflation since 2003!

CLARKE an INDEPENDENT is NOT a CAREER Politician or supporter of any political party, special interest group or lobbyists. PETER is your average citizen candidate for council and once elected answerable only to the people NOT a political party, special interest group or lobbyist.

TORONTO is OUR CITY, YOUR VOTE, OUR FUTURE and TOGETHER leads to your victory on October 25, 2010 by restoring the people’s common sense back on Toronto council.

A Toronto City Policy for Substance Abuse Testing For All Employees Including Police, EMS, Fire and TTC.

2010-03-29T05:48:00.001-04:00

A campaign proposal by Peter CLARKE to introduce a city wide policy for substance abuse testing for councilors and all employees including the Police, Fire, EMS and TTC workers would take effective January 2011.

Apparently as of march 2010, according to Nadia Pazzano of the TTC their program for alcoholic testing has not been put into effect since its passing a year and a half ago because the TTC is still finalizing its procedures, training supervisors and communicating the policy to staff?

Who is in control at the TTC prey tells? The union, management or our incumbent councilors with their “left leaning socialist ideology” of the past 12 to 29 years.

Peter CLARKE proposes a random drug testing program be implemented for all members of council, all civic employees union and non union employees alike including the TTC and Police effective January 1st 2011 as a condition of continuing employment with the city.

All employees should reasonably expect to be contacted for random Alcohol and/or Controlled Substance test on any day/time during their normal scheduled shift. The program would also be required for all people receiving welfare payments from the city.

The purpose of this policy would be to establish the city's expectations for appropriate behaviour, by councillors and all civic employees. Based on the TTC program, not yet in effect, the city would immediately establish the consequences for non-compliance and provide consistent guidelines for all employees. The city would also provide a means for supporting our employees who might be dealing with current or emerging drug and alcohol problems.

CLARKE believes Toronto should be committed to the health, safety and wellness of all city employees, welfare recipients’ and the public. Our city as the employer must recognize and accept the responsibility to provide its employees with a safe, healthy and productive work environment.

Peter CLARKE believes both councillors and Toronto employees have the responsibility to report to work capable of performing their tasks productively and safely. The use of illegal drugs and the inappropriate use of alcohol and medications can have serious adverse impacts in the workplace.

A Calibrated Version of What is “UN-CANADIAN “

2010-03-27T06:43:00.002-04:00

Career politicians of 12 to 25 years who continue voting for unsustainable left leaning socialist ideologies which have saddled this generation of young people and their future children with unnecessary long term debts.

Career politicians who continually take no individual responsibility or fiscal responsibility and represent party policies in place those of the people who voted them into office.

Career politicians who spend taxpayer’s money as if it were their own and without taking any responsibility for their failures in fiscal matters yet continue to seek re-election year after year.

Career politicians who personally misuse our tax dollars for their personal use during election campaigns and do not pay their fare share of taxes.

Political party policies that have divided Canada and pit brother against sister not for the best interest of the people but solely for the self serving interest of a political party.

Unelected and unaccountable special interest groups and lobbyists that direct and influence policies from behind closed door meetings and dealings with career politicians who put political party ideologies ahead of the voters who elected them.

The unelected voice of the news media’s that sometimes reports biased and slanted articles by columnists and journalists in support of their personal political party policies and fail to remain neutral on issues as that profession should demand of them.

Peter CLARKE is of the opinion that Canadians in every Province have had it with these daily and calibrated UN-Canadian activities that go on in Toronto, Ottawa and in each province and city across Canada by career politicians at all levels of government.

CLARKE an INDEPENDENT is NOT a CAREER Politician or supporter of any political party, special interest group or lobbyists. PETER is your average citizen candidate and once elected answerable only to the people NOT a political party, special interest group or lobbyist.

TORONTO is OUR CITY, YOUR VOTE, OUR FUTURE and TOGETHER leads to your victory on October 25, 2010 by restoring the people’s common sense back on Toronto council.

Spreading Toronto’s $1.9 Billion Dollars of Debt From 10 to 35 Years and Depleting Reserve Funds Is Not Fiscally Responsible.

2010-03-26T03:22:00.006-04:00

Peter CLARKE proposes a consultation with non-union and union civil servant groups within the city to consider an introduction of a pension levy for all Toronto’s public service workers as an alternative to pay cuts in order to help resolve the city’s fiscal problems.

Peter CLARKE proposes a CAP on SPENDING for ALL Departments, PROGRAMS, BUDGETS and TAXES to the annual rate of inflation or below starting with the 2011 budgets.

Peter CLARKE proposes ZERO BASED BUDGETING PROCESS for all departments and programs COMMENCING with the 2011 budgets.

Peter Clarke proposes a salary reduction of 25% for councillors and 25% reduction of expense accounts for councilors effective with the 2011 city's budget process. Each year thereafter salaries would be limited to the annual rate of inflation.

CLARKE estimates this interim salary cut would immediately save the taxpayers over $2.3 MILLION DOLLARDS per year and $9.5 MILLION DOLLARS over the 4 year term of office.

Peter CLARKE proposes that Councils DISCRIMINATORY Bylaw which prohibits non unionized contractors or providers from bidding on city contracts for outsourced services and work is Discrimination against non unionized contractors and workers. It must be stopped and immediately taken off the books to ensure fairness, transparency, accountability and cost efficiency.

Peter CLARKE is of the opinion that citizens’ of Toronto would be far better off with a 22 member council. A smaller council encompassing the 22 Provincial boundary riding's for Toronto and be in place for the 2014 municipal election would be more productive, functional and manageable than the 44 existing council members of the past 12 years.

Clarke estimates this reduction from 44 councillors to 22 would save taxpayers $43.3 MILLION DOLLARS for the taxpayers over the current 4 year term of office.

CLARKE an INDEPENDENT is NOT a CAREER Politician or supporter of any political party, special interest group or lobbyists. PETER is your average citizen candidate and answerable only to the people NOT a political party, special interest group or lobbyist.

If you wish to help keep the dream alive please DONATE to ensuring that on October 25, 2010 Voters in Toronto, North York, Scarborough, York, East York and Etobicoke elect a NEW slate of common sense councilors for our metro council.

Toronto’s Police Board Considering Fencing Law Abiding Citizens’ Rights for Law Breakers.

2010-03-25T06:22:00.000-04:00

Apparently in 2007 the Toronto Police or PSB agreed to a three year human rights and anti-racism project for policing activities.

Now the Provinces appointed chair of the Police Services Board Mr. Alok Mukherjee not satisfied with the rights of Sikh RCMP officers to wear the ceremonial head gear, now wants our Police Chief Bill Blair to draft procedures to “formalize procedures that protect human rights and ensure reasonable accommodation within and by the force.”

He further wants procedures that will spell out how to deal with requests for accommodation. His argument such as the rights of those charged with an offense to be permitted to bring a Sikh ceremonial dagger into a courtroom? How should religious dietary restrictions be handled for someone in custody? Can a witness demand to be interviewed by a different officer?

We already have an Ontario human Rights Code, which the Province has mandated by law that Toronto’s Police must adhere to, yet Mr. Mukherjee as chair of the Toronto PSB wants to establish duplication and unnecessary bureaucratic regulations of rules and procedures in Policing that CREATE a BARRIER to the existing rule of law.

We need more common sense, NOT MORE DUPLICATION of POLICIES or Codes.

Peter CLARKE asks that we all remember, TORONTO, IS OUR C ITY, YOUR VOTE, OUR FUTURE and TOGETHER will lead to your victory on October 25, 2010 by electing NEW COUNCILLORS to RESTORE THE PEOPLE’S COMMON SENSE IN POLITICS.

Help keep the dream alive through your DONATIONS to ensuring that on October 25, 2010 North York elects a NEW slate of common sense councilors.

THANKS.

How Many Toronto Councillors Do the People Need 44 or 22? The Ontario Legislature Requires Only 22 MPP To Represent Toronto. Can We Continue to Afford 44?

2010-03-24T02:22:00.002-04:00

Since amalgamation back in 1998 Toronto has had 44 metro councillors. This is 22 politicians more than our counter parts in the provincial legislature require to represent the interest of the people within Toronto.

Peter CLARKE is of the opinion that citizens’ of Toronto would be far better off with a 22 member council. A smaller council encompassing the provincial ward boundaries would be far more productive, functional and manageable than the existing 44 members of city’s council for the past 12 years.

The savings to Toronto’s taxpayers in salaries and benefits would be in excess of $40.0 MILLION DOLLARS over their current 4 year term. This figure does not include other freebies and goodies the people fund out of tax dollars.

CLARKE has also proposed that a ZERO BASED BUDGETING process be implemented for all departments and services by the new council for the city’s 2011 budgets.

Peter CLARKE strongly believes that councillors have to manage city hall NOT be led by city hall and these are the types of spending cuts the people are looking for from a new common sense councillor in 2010.

PETER CLARKE asks that we all remember, TORONTO, IS OUR C ITY, YOUR VOTE, OUR FUTURE and TOGETHER will lead to your victory on October 25, 2010 by electing NEW COUNCILLORS to RESTORE THE PEOPLE’S COMMON SENSE IN POLITICS.

Please donate and keep the dream alive and THANKS.....

A New Relationship for The People Starts With New Metro Toronto Council Members Come October 25, 2010.

2010-03-23T06:51:00.001-04:00

Peter CLARKE has the enthusiasm, energy of passion, determination all with the common sense, advice and support of the taxpayers will put his name forwarded to the voters for a seat on Toronto’s Metro Council from one of the city’s North York wards.

CLARKE an INDEPENDENT is NOT a CAREER Politician or supporter of any political party, special interest group or lobbyists. PETER CLARKE is your average citizen candidate and answerable only to the people and NOT any political party, special interest groups or lobbyists.

Peter CLARKE agrees with the voters that incumbent councillors of 12 to 20 years have failed the people of Toronto, North York, Scarborough, York, East York and Etobicoke by their mismanagement of continuing to spend more than they takes in by double the average annual rate of inflation since 2003. Their answer has solely been to increase taxes on homeowners, renters and business alike year after year.

PETER CLARKE believes in the following principles for his life and all campaigns.

1. I believe in God as the Center of my life.

2. Family is sacred and the ultimate authority, not the government.

3. Governments work for US. We do not answer to them, they answer
to us, the people.

Let’s all remember Toronto is Our City, Your Vote, Our Future and Together that will lead to your victory on October 25, 2010.

Toronto’s City Employees, TTC and Police Salaries All Continue To Grow Out of Control, Thanks To Incumbent Councillors.

2010-03-22T06:29:00.004-04:00

Toronto’s city wages increased 19% between 2000 and 2004 alone, while the inflation rate on average was only 2.4%! Annual spending over revenues continues to increase at a rate of 5.21%, which is above the average inflation rate by 1.9%.

Incumbent councillors of 12 to 20 years have failed the people of this city by their mismanagement of continuing to spend more than they takes in and then increase taxes on homeowners, renters and business alike year after year.

These councillors with their “left leaning socialist ideology” being driven by the outgoing mayor who is in the pocket of the unions have shown by their budgets that they remain opposed to exploring ways to reduce costs. Councillors have left its residents with an accumulated debt today of close to $2 BILLION DOLLARS and now propose to pass it on to our children over the next 35 years!

Let’s take the recent practices of the Police Board when they said ‘nay’ when asked to disclose the cost of their horses? The people have the legal right to know what services are costing including all services of the Police department and TTC etc.

Police employee demands of $65. per hour to our business and construction work sites is outrageous. A maximum of $40 per hour for such services would be more than adequate and reasonable.

Such costs do affect our economy and people of Toronto through increased prices in the condo housing market and rental markets. These fees of $65. per hour for off duty officers should have been greatly reduced and stopped by incumbent councillors.

Maybe the time has arrived for the Toronto Police Board with its political oversight by council and its operations to be taken completely out of the hands of metro council.

Consideration might even be given to the amalgamation of this force with either the OPP or the RCMP. The OPP already have a presence here in the city at the Provincial legislature and further work with other agencies, including the Ministry of Transportation and Ministry of Natural Resources to enforce highway safety and conservation regulations.

Since they are responsible for providing policing services throughout the province in areas lacking local police forces and soon Toronto will not be in the financial position to pay for a separate police force an amalgamation of the city’s police force into the OPP force might have more positive than negative results

Also this way Toronto could upload these costs to the Province and Federal governments where they belong.

Do we really require a duplication of police forces at today’s costs solely on the homeowners, renters and business only within our city?

CLARKE, as yet an unofficial candidate, appreciates your support in any way in ensuring that on October 25, 2010 North York elects a NEW slate of common sense councillors for our city.

Remember it is Our City, Your Vote and Our Future Together that will lead to your victory on October 25, 2010.

Peter CLARKE, Proud, Strong, Determined Believes Together Anything Is Possible and The Future Is Ours. Peter’s Partial Mission Platform Engulfs the Common Sense of the People.

2010-03-20T00:02:00.005-04:00

Good morning Toronto together let’s keep the dreams alive! I do not have, nor when elected would I take $53,000 dollars of taxpayer’s money like the incumbent councillors do to keep themselves in office. But I do have the common sense and advice and support of the taxpayers.

Peter greatly appreciates your donations, all which come with a receipt for tax purposes. To WIN this election for CHANGE in Restoring the people’s common sense, please continue with your ideas, comments, solutions and donations. Just click on the donate image and again THANKS.

Remember it is Our City, Your Vote and Our Future Together that will lead to your victory on October 25, 2010. Please keep up the great work for all new Candidates.

Peter CLARKE is NOT a CAREER Politician rather your average INDEPENDENT CITIZEN answerable only to the people, NOT a political party, special interest groups, or lobbyists.

Peter CLARKE believes in the following principles for his life and all campaigns.

1. I believe in God as the Center of my life.

2. Family is sacred and the ultimate authority, not the government.

3. Governments work for US. We do not answer to them, they answer
to us, the people.

Peters Partial Mission Platform to Date.

Clarke proposes a reduction of 25% in councillors salaries and 25% in councilors expense accounts to take effect with the 2011 city's budget process. In addition Clarke proposes that councillors salaries each year thereafter be limited to the annual rate of inflation.

CLARKE proposes that Toronto's budget process be on an annual ZERO BASED BUDGETING PROCESS for all departments and programs COMMENCING with the 2011 budgets.

Peter CLARKE, proposes a CAP for ALL Departments on SPENDING, BUDGETS, PROGRAMS and TAXES at the annual rate of inflation or below starting with the 2011 budgets.

CLARKE, believes that Metro and the Province seriously consider reducing the size of our council in time for the 2014 municipal election or before. The reduction would be from 44 to 22 and would fall in line with the provincial boundary riding's for Toronto.

Such a reduction would produce a more productive if not manageable council. Not to mention the enormous cost savings to the taxpayers. More on this to follow.

Peter CLARKE, proposes that Councils DISCRIMINATORY Bylaw which prohibits non unionized contractors or providers to bid on outsourced services and work is Discrimination against non unionized contractors and workers. It must be stopped and immediately taken off the books to ensure fairness, transparency, accountability and cost efficiency.

This discriminatory political decision by incumbent councillors has burdened taxpayers with unnecessarily high wages. Union only contracts have results such as $17.45 an hour for cutting grass in public parks as opposed to non union workers at $10.00 per hour or lower.

Clarke, as yet an unofficial candidate, appreciates your support in any way in ensuring that on October 25, 2010 North York elects a NEW slate of common sense councillors for our city.

Toronto's Growth and Free Enterprise Stymied By Incumbent Councillors of 12 to 20 Years of Red Tape, Triple Regulations, Bylaws and Duplication of Services.

2010-03-19T08:17:00.003-04:00

With over 200,000 bylaws and three government levels of regulations for building codes, fire codes, public health matters, Toronto is awash in red tape and top heavy government control.

It is not only our fiscal problem and $1.9 Billion Dollars of accumulated debt which require a bold strategy overhaul for the short and long term but also the layers of government regulations by The Federal Government, Provincial Government and Metro Government for the same services.

The size of our Toronto civic government has grown out of control because of these problems along with the mismanagement by incumbent councillors of continued spending, taxing and borrowing at annual increases of double the rate of inflation for far too many years.

Toronto must re-examine how many people it needs to run its affairs. At present the city has over 46,000 on its payroll and 50% of annual spending, goes to salaries and benefits, excluding pay to police and employees of municipal agencies and commissions.

The city must both reduce the number of employees and negotiate reasonable salaries with unionized workers that are in line with those of the private sector. If fair salaries cannot be negotiated, then the city should outsource services to the private sector in a competitive bidding process.

In this regard Clarke has proposed a zero based budgeting process. For example, if councillors used ZBB, each city department and program would have to justify its funding every year. That is, funding would have a starting base at zero. A department would have to show why its funding and programs efficiently helps the city toward its goals.

All spending, must be prioritized on core services and costs trimmed to balance the books. Transparency and Accountability: Provincially mandated programs such as schools, social services and public health should be funded and operated entirely by provinces. The Province mandates these services so they must fund them at 100%. Toronto's homeowners, renters and businesses should not be taxed for these programs.

Peter Clarke has proposed a CAP on spending, and taxes at the rate of inflation commencing with the 2011 budget process. A property Tax Cap puts ratepayers in control, and not these so called career politicians, who have been unable and reluctant to stop their BS and A approach with our tax dollars. BS and A stands for their failed twenty year policy of Borrowing, Spending and Taxing.

Peter Clarke is of the opinion that council’s present bylaw which prohibits non unionized contractors or providers to bid on outsourced services and work is Discrimination against non unionized contractors and workers. This discriminatory political decision by incumbent councillors has burden taxpayers with unnecessarily high wages. It results in absurdly high rates of pay, such as $17.45 an hour for cutting grass in public parks.

Clarke proposes that this discriminatory bylaw be reversed and the process must be stopped, to ensure fairness and cost efficiency.
These are a few of peter Clarke’s common sense approach to governing and he thanks all ratepayers, renters, homeowners and business's alike for their continued support. However, peter does not have the $53,000 dollars of taxpayer’s money like the incumbent councillors have to keep themselves in office.

Clarke, as yet an unofficial candidate, appreciates your donation in any amount to ensure that on October 25, 2010 North York has a slate of common sense councillors for our city.

10 Year Road Tolls Are Not The Answer but Would Make Businesses Consider Leaving Toronto.

2010-03-18T06:26:00.005-04:00

Toronto’s lack of a complete subway system is not a reason to have Monday to Friday tolls on the Gardner or Don Valley.

This additional tax in the form of a road tolls system would NOT bring Toronto closer to other would-be world-class cities. However it would most likely encourage urban sprawl. Out of the ten top world class cities in the world NONE have an internal road toll system.

What are the costs associated with tolls, construction, environmental costs,human costs,traffic congestion and rerouting during construction etc and and staffing of same. Would taxpayers have to spend say one hundred million for this proposed ten year project?

Today 50% of our current taxes revenues are going for labour costs benefits and salaries. Yet such a proposal requires even more staffing and bigger government with this proposal.

Toronto is already losing businesses to our GTA neighbours because of our existing high tax rates. All thanks to incumbent councillors spending at twice the annual rate of inflation.

However, Thompson is correct that our “Streetcars add to road congestion, they are outside and exposed to the elements. … Not to mention that even the most elegant streetcar system does little to beautify neighbourhoods.”

Before we hear more about pie in the sky ideas lets first hear some talk about getting spending under control. That is what the people of Toronto are demanding and looking for.

Peter Clarke proposes a CAP on spending, budgets and taxes at the annual rate of inflation or below starting with the 2011 budgets.

Peter Clarke proposes that Toronto's budget process be done on an annual Zero Based Budgeting process for all departments and programs commencing with the preparations for the 2011 budgets of all departments.

Pete Clarke believes councilors have to manage city hall not be led by city hall.

Clarke proposes a reduction of 25% in councillors salaries and 25% in councilors expense accounts to take effect with the 2011 city's budget process. In addition Clarke proposes that councillors salaries each year there after be limited to the annual rate of inflation.

Peter Clarke, as yet an unofficial candidate for council in one of Metros North York wards, proposes that voters not blame or complain, but CHANGE our COUNCILLORS, on Monday October 25, 2010.

Personal Attacks by Toronto Columnists or Journalist Against Candidates Challenging The “Left Leaning Socialist Ideology” of The Current Majority Control On Metro Toronto Council Are Not Canadian but American Style Of Political Reporting.

2010-03-17T06:13:00.003-04:00

The recent negative attacks and name calling against Rob Ford by James, Royson of the Toronto Star have no place in our Toronto politics.

If a Toronto columnist wishes to run for office based on their views then do so, otherwise leave their personal opinions out of their reporting. When a person not seeking elected office has solely negative views and nothing positive to say about fellow Canadian who is seeking and elected office then they should at least keep it to themselves.

In my humble opinion our Canadian set of values for politicians, reporters, journalists or columnist should be one of not resorting to a media arsenal of resorting to personal attacks in their efforts to keep their fellow NDP and special interest groups in control of our city’s council.

Negative campaigning is hardly new, but when it is started and done by supposedly neutral Canadian columnist or journalist to protect their own personal socialist view and ideologies is at worst unethical.

So let’s stop this American style of one sided journalism of hitting the people’s candidates below the belt, who do not share their personal views before it gets completely out of hand here in Toronto.

Rob Ford is the one incumbent councillor who has attempted to be constructive in controlling councillors spending of twice the annual rate of inflation. To refer to him as destructive is completely out of touch with reality pertaining to his personal efforts at cutting costs.

Peter Clarke is of the opinion that the majority of taxpayers would welcome the honesty of transparency by posting all the expenses of city bureaucrats on the web, along with those of councillors. According to Rob there are 1,254 MasterCard’s "floating around city hall, and you can't even get a list of what they're spending on. They have a limit of $30,000 and spending $9 million a year and we can't examine them. That'll change. Guaranteed."

Peter Clarke, as yet an unofficial candidate for council in one of the North York wards, wishes Ford along with all the mayoralty candidates good health and the best in their efforts for change and getting elected on Monday October 25, 2010.

A New Sales Tax, New Taxes, a Slice of Income Tax to Assist Incumbent Councillors Spending at twice the Rate of Inflation, Not the Answer.

2010-03-16T07:52:00.003-04:00

When Joe Pantalone announced his bid for mayor, I said that Joe's a great guy but he has had thirty years to make some meaningful changes.

The outgoings Mayors “left leaning socialist ideology” who is in the pocket of the unions and his backers with their position for the redistribution of wealth, larger governments, non union contractors not allowed to bid or compete for our government service or city contracts, all at the direct expense of taxpayers and free enterprise, time for real meaningful change in Toronto is now.

The majority of incumbents for the past 12 to 20 years on council are either openly backed or closet representatives of the NDP left and have controlled the current budget structural strategy of spending and taxing at twice the rate of inflation by borrowing on our children’s earnings must end on October 25, 2010.

Pete Clarke believes councilors have to manage city hall not be led by city hall. A new tax, a slice of the sales tax or income tax is not the answer! This is just more of the same tired old thinking of how to raise money to continue the existing unsustainable structural budget strategy of taxing, spending and borrowing until the city goes bankrupt.

Peter Clarke as a new candidate along with other new candidates seeking office will ensure the people that our councils spending, budgets and taxes will be CAPPED at the annual rate of inflation or below starting in 2011.

With our city’s labour costs account for 50% of our taxes and the TTC has a 70% slice of the overall budget for the city. All these cost are unsustainable and we must look at realistic ways to reduce such cost.

Peter Clarke believes that Toronto urgently needs an annual Zero Based Budgeting process for all departments and coupled with Activity Based Costing of all programs commencing October 25, 2010.

No one is talking about the duplication of services or that Toronto is awash in red tape and regulations and bylaws etc that have adversely affected, renters, homeowners and business alike in Toronto.

Services which the Province and the Federal Government mandate and require Toronto to administer, when mandated must be funded at 100% by the government that mandates such services.

Peter Clarke, as yet an unofficial candidate for council in one of the North York wards , wishes Joe Pantalone and all the new candidates for council good health and the best in their efforts for change and getting elected on Monday October 25, 2010.

The Word “progressive” Works Like a Charm in the Circles of Reports and Columnist. But Does It Have Practical Content?

2010-03-15T06:52:00.001-04:00

Webster’s dictionary defines “progressive” as “a person who is a progressive, especially one who favors political progress or reform.” This dictionary defines “progress” as “improvement” or an “advance toward perfection or to a higher state.”

In other words, the progressive believes in improving society. Anyone would be for this!

However for voters, in my humble opinion, it depends on what each person believes constitutes a better society.

For years our Toronto councilors continue to identify themselves as Liberal, Conservative or NDP with “progressive” being their preferred term.

Most incumbent members on metro council for the past 12 to 20 years have become associated with their current structural operating budget practice of spending without limits, taxing and borrowing.

This outdated and tired practice of annually spending more than the taxes we give them to operate within and twice the rate of inflation over these years has become unsustainable by renters, homeowners and business alike.

It is difficult to find a true independent common sense individual, who is not backed or supported by a political party or special interest groups, amongst our incumbent councilors.

Today voters are insisting on common sense, non political party or special interest groups backed candidates and solutions.

Taxpayers by the majority realize that a clean slate of councilors is definitely required in 2010.

Peter Clarke, as yet an unofficial candidate for council in one of the North York wards, wishes Sarah Thomson and all the new candidates for council good health and the best in their efforts for change and getting elected on Monday October 25, 2010.

Let’s not blame or complain lets CHANGE our COUNCILLORS, on Monday October 25, 2010!

TAX INCREASES Of DOUBLE THE RATE Of INFLATION, YET INCUMBENT METRO COUNCILLORS CONTINUE TO TELL RATEPAYERS SUCH INCREASES ARE MODEST?

2010-03-13T08:12:00.007-05:00

Since 1998 Metro Councillors have constantly spend more than they take in. Their increased annual spending at the average rate of 5.21% over revenues has continually been 1.9% above inflation rates.

Each 2% residential property tax hike siphons over $22 million from taxpayers. If this money was left in their pockets it would create more jobs for Torontonians.

Toronto’s inflation rate averaged only 3.29% annually during this same period of time.

This annual average spending ABOVE the rate of inflation by 1.92% represents twice the rate of inflation is completely unnecessary and unsustainable by taxpayers.

Annual spending at metro council must be capped at the rate of inflation. Incumbent councillors have failed the voters for 15 to 20 years.

They continued the same old political solution of spending, taxing and borrowing year after year after year.

Their other tired old solution of asking the province and the federal governments to bail them out, instead of meaningful reductions in expenses has become unsustainable by taxpayers.

Its one tax payer that pays for the taxes at all levels of our government.

Have your salaries increased by 268% or 6.5% yearly since 2003?

Let’s not blame or complain lets CHANGE our COUNCILLORS, on Monday October 25, 2010!

This Empty Pretense Discovery of $104.82 MILLION Dollars of Tax Payers Money Requires an In-depth External Forensic Audit of Our City’s Finances, Prior to This Years Elections.

2010-03-12T06:05:00.002-05:00

I find myself agreeing with Smitherman “the process is a sham,” and not Miller or Kevin Sack, a spokesman for the city at this time.

No factual proof has been offered up to the public about this out of the hat pot of gold!

It is my humble opinion that prior to the upcoming city elections on Monday October 25, 2010 the people of Toronto, at a minimum, deserve an in-depth external forensic audit of the city’s accounting practices together with all departments and Councilors’ office and expense budgets for the previous four years.

An external audit must be done now to ensure taxpayers that no other accounting cash surprises are hidden in the city’s accounting system that taxpayers are not completely privy to.

Since 2003 Toronto’s Average Property Tax Increases are 268% Above the Average Rate of Inflation.

2010-03-11T07:47:00.003-05:00

Since Miller’s NDP election victory in 2003 he and his fellow 15 to 30 year incumbent career politicians have allowed city spending to increase at a rate of 5.9% per year since 2002.

Please note during this same time frame, inflation has risen at the annual average rate of 2.20%.

The primary cause of this increase was because of labour costs and salaries which rose an average of 6.5% per year for this same time period. All thanks to our incumbent 15 to 20 year metro councillors.

Incumbent metro councillors along with the mayor refer to these outrageous increases as “moderate” and necessary”.

Let me ask you the resident ratepayer, taxpayers and businesses throughout Toronto/North York/Scarborough/East York/York and Etobicoke.

Have your salaries increased by 268% or 6.5% yearly since 2003?

Let’s not blame or complain lets CHANGE our COUNCILLORS, on Monday October 25, 2010!

Let’s Not Just Blame The Government, Let’s Change It.

2010-03-10T08:43:00.003-05:00

Unfortunately past municipal elections have had a dismal voter turnout, which partially accounts for incumbents remaining in office and being in a position to hoodwink the people for 15 to 30 years. We need to take back our council through your direct participation.

Our municipal elections as all elections are a corner stone of our system of democracy. At present it appears that the system is outdated and in need of a change and updating itself.

Perhaps what should be considered is a non user type of fee applied against any of us who fail to show up at the polls on election dates.

You would not have to vote, if that was your choice, but we all would be required to turn out at our designated polling station.

Sort of like a mandatory fire drill prior to embarking on a cruise, but with a momentary penalty levied for not doing our one civic duty every four years when we fail to show up at the polling stations!

Just a though as the current absentee rate of 66 % of resident voters NOT VOTING is itself harmful to our democratic system. Seems for far too long a majority of citizens have taken the right to vote alarmingly too lightly. Therefore some kind of change in this regard perhaps is required.

What are your thoughts or suggestion, if any? But remember on Monday October 25, 2010, it is our time to be heard and heard loudly!

When it comes to politics, why get involved, was a question asked to me by a good friend!

2010-03-09T12:12:00.004-05:00

He further went on to state that the voters do not care about policies, just name recognition.

Negatives and personal attacks would come out of my renewed attempts to serve the people of Toronto/North York!

This set me back a bit. However when one considers that 66% of the resident taxpayers did NOT vote in our municipal election of 2006, Toronto/ North York has a serious problem.

We cannot build our city into a world class city when only 34% of our taxpayers and residents get involved with democracy!

The same old politics of spend, tax and now passing the debt on to future generation as a budget gimmick are unsustainable.

Incumbents have had more than 12 years, some over 20 and NO Change, No Common Sense Accounting or budgeting process.

Peter Clarke has the enthusiasm, energy of passion and determination to ensure that the future is ours together through common sense and with the people’s common goals.

Good Morning Toronto, Together We have a dream!

2010-03-08T06:56:00.004-05:00

Peter Clarke believes that in Toronto together anything is possible. One City, Your Vote, Our future through a new brand of politics.

First, in building our world class city career politicians having had fifteen to twenty years with their hands in our tax pockets are out!

Second, Peter Clarke proud, strong and determined to ensure that the future is ours together through common sense and with the people’s common goals.

Finally Toronto, Peter Clarke is running for you and our future to keep the “public” in public service.

Voter pink slips for Toronto councillors having 15 or more years at the public trough.

2010-03-06T09:03:00.004-05:00

Peter Clarke strong opinion and intensity for all the voter is NOT beholding to political party or cliques.

He completely agrees with ratepayers, businesses and taxpayers ”that It is time to give our incumbent Toronto councillors their pink slips in 2010.”

With Salaries of metro councillors close to twice that of the average Toronto salary it is time to lead with in budget cut of a 25% reduction in councillors salaries * $99,154 and a 25% reduction in their in their personal expense account of *$53,100.

Peter Clarke believes the most fundamental responsibility of Metro Councilors is.....

2010-03-05T11:29:00.001-05:00

to control spending, set and live within balanced budgets, as taxpayers have to do on a monthly basis. In this regard alone current sitting council members, for too many years, have failed the voters.

Toronto Politics 2010 Independent and Proud: Peter Clarke believes the most fundamental responsibility of Metro Councilors is.....

2010-03-05T11:10:00.000-05:00

Toronto Politics 2010 Independent and Proud: Peter Clarke believes the most fundamental responsibility of Metro Councilors is.....

Toronto Politics 2010 Independent and Proud: Elected Public Service A Privilege, NOT A Political Career

2010-03-05T08:21:00.001-05:00

Toronto Politics 2010 Independent and Proud: Elected Public Service A Privilege, NOT A Political Career

Elected Public Service A Privilege, NOT A Political Career

2010-03-05T08:10:00.001-05:00

Peter Clarke strongly believes that elected public service in all capacities is a privilege, which should not be turned into a self serving 15 or 30 year political career of living off the taxpayers. Incumbent Toronto councilors fail to recognize the need for new blood and new ideas.

The Fundamental Responsibility of Metro Councilors........

2010-03-04T07:17:00.001-05:00

Peter Clarke agrees with voters and ratepayer opinions, ” that the most fundamental responsibility of elected officials is to control spending, set and live within balanced budgets, as taxpayers have to do on a monthly basis ”.

Incumbents have not controlled spending, balanced budgets, the two most fundamental responsibilities of elected officials. Further they continue to ignore the much needed process of city-building as a whole or come up new ideas and solutions to these financial problems.

Instead they isolate themselves with non core issues and duplicated services that are not the responsibility of our renters, homeowners and business based taxes.

The goal of government is not to just keep spending and taxing for recreation or other programs.

2010-03-02T08:21:00.001-05:00

One of the best and most effective solutions to our financial problems at city hall to keep our ever increasing property taxes in check is to have users of services pay directly for the services they use.

If the private sector firms can deliver a service more effectively and less costly than our municipality, then our city government should not use tax dollars to compete with business.

Our property and business taxes must be limited to core activities, such as fire, roads, police, snow removal etc. The goal of government is not to just keep spending and taxing for recreation or other programs.

All deliberate political policies to subsidize the cost of programs from our property and business tax base is unsustainable at the property tax level and efficiency and cost savings are lost when users of such services are sheltered from paying the actual cost of a service at the direct unnecessary expense of all Toronto ratepayers and businesses..

Time For independent Candidates Not Candidate's Beholding to Political Parties

2010-03-01T14:44:00.001-05:00

How many voters are of the opinion that it is time for independent candidates to represent us at metro council. Time to take back our city, from these so called career politicians who are aligned, supported and beholding to a political party and special interest groups, but not the voters.