Oshawa Council Under Investigation
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$1.00 Your Independent Local News Source Vol 3 No 31 Wednesday, May 28 2008 Oshawa council under investigation Oshawa council is coming under fire interviews and gather all relevant evi- relates to: Advice that is subject to solicitor- for prohibiting the public from attending dence before the Ombudsman deter- The security of the property of the client privilege, including communica- a meeting about the citys waterfront. mines whether or not the complaint is municipality or local board tions necessary for that purpose Ontario Ombudsman Andre Marin warranted. Investigations generally take Personal matters about an identifi- Meetings can also be closed if it is is investigating allegations that meetings three to four weeks. The identity of the able individual, including municipal or held for the purpose of educating or at which councillors discussed a plan to complainant will remain confidential. The Ombudsman is responsible for local board employees training members as long as no member hire a consultant to lobby the federal Since Jan. 1, the province has been investigating complaints about services A proposed or pending acquisition discusses or otherwise deals with any government about Oshawas harbour cracking down on municipal councils provided by the Government of Ontario or disposition of land by the municipal- matter during the closed meeting in a should not have been closed to the pub- that hold unwarranted closed meetings and its organizations. ity or local board way that advances the business or deci- lic. and have made it easier for people to To date, the Ombudsman has com- Labour relations or employee nego- sion-making of the council, local board A number of closed council sessions issue a complaint if they believe a meet- pleted and publicly reported on two tiations or committee. were held in January to discuss the hir- ing should have been public. The closed meeting investigationsinvolv- Litigation or potential litigation, Both reports, as well as much more ing of public relations firm Fleishman- Municipal Act requires all meetings of ing the town of Fort Erie and the city of including matters before administrative information about the municipal sun- Hillard Canada. councils and committees to be open to Greater Sudbury. tribunals, affecting the municipality or shine law are available online at A team of investigators will conduct the public, with a few exceptions. Meetings can be closed if the subject local board www.ombudsman.on.ca. Five Oshawa school closing their doors By Courtney Duffett in Grades 1 and 6 that will have to The Oshawa Express be transferred to a different school next year. A flood of emotions from par- Theyre going to have to start ents, trustees and staff filled the over fresh, says Poole. They Catholic boardroom after the just dont want to have to go to board voted to close five of its another school. elementary schools in Oshawa An Accommodation Review Monday night. Committee (ARC) was formed As of September, Father about a year ago to discuss the Mahoney Catholic School, issue of closing some of Oshawas Canadian Martyrs Catholic schools due to declining enrol- School, St. Gregory Catholic ment trends throughout the School, St. Michael Catholic Catholic Board. School and Holy Cross Catholic The public school system is School will be closed. looking better and better, says Many of the par- Pat McEwen, a par- ents that attended the ent of St. Michael meeting were fight- Catholic School. ing back tears after McEwen current- hearing the news. ly has two children While some were too and one grandchild upset to comment on attending St. the issue, others were Michael and has had Photo by Courtney Duffett/The Oshawa Express outraged. eight children and a My kids are terri- grandchild graduate fied, says Tracy from there as well. Musical merriment Poole, a parent of St. Michael Theyre closing too many Catholic School. schools too fast and are not con- The Royal Canadian Mounted Police presented the 2008 Musical Ride at the General Motors Centre Friday in front of hundreds of Poole has two children that are sidering the children or parents, onlookers. See page 5 for more from the Musical Ride event. currently enrolled at St. Michael See PARENTS Page 5 Durham officers Oshawa man arrested honoured for assaulting children By Courtney Duffett There have been three other The Oshawa Express members from the DRPS to A 33-year-old man is facing assault year. The accused also took inappropriate receive the recognition. Retired charges after a five-year-old boy and photographs of the children in various Two local police members have Chief Kevin McAlpine, retired three-year-old girl were sexually assault- stages of undress. There are no indica- received some prestigious appoint- deputy chief Rod Piukkala and ed and had photos taken of them in an tions that the images of the two children ments. Inspector Charlie Green have also Oshawa church. were distributed or sold. Deputy Chief Chuck Mercier been awarded the Order of Merit. The accused attended Trinity The 33-year-old, a resident of and Superintendent Bob Chapman Mercier is being honoured for Pentecostal Church at 900 King St. E. in Blackthorn Street in Oshawa, has been have both been appointed to the his involvement with youth in the Oshawa in the past but does not hold a arrested and charged with two counts of Order of Merit of Police Forces community, his work with Special position of authority in the church nor is sexual assault, two counts of sexual and received their medals in Chuck Mercier Olympics and his contributions as he considered a regular member of the interference, two counts of voyeurism Ottawa from Gov. Gen. Michaelle Deputy Chief a senior officer with DRPS. congregation. and making child pornography. Jean on May 22. Chapman has dedicated years Police say the accused entered the Police want to ensure there are no Im pleased to represent the of service to both the Canadian washroom area of the church and inap- other victims. Anyone with information Durham Regional Police Service Forces and policing. propriately touched two young children is asked to contact police at 905-579- in receiving this appointment, The Order of Merit of Police some time over the course of the past 1520. says Mercier, adding that two more Forces honours officers and civil- Durham Regional Police Service ians for exceptional merit, contri- (DRPS) members receiving this butions to policing and communi- award reflects the leadership of the ty development. Impaired driving, speeding 1,200 men and women that work to The Order of Merit has three protect Durham Region. (This levels: Commander, Officer and recognition) encourages our organ- Bob Champman Member. Both Mericer and cause of 23-year-olds death ization to continue on the pathway Superintendent Chapman received the Member of A 23-year-old Blackstock man was to excellence, which we do every of Church Street, was pronounced dead at Merit Award. killed after the truck he was a passenger day in our communities. the scene. The Oshawa female was taken in left the roadway and struck a hydro to Port Perry Hospital with serious but pole in Scugog on Sunday morning. non life-threatening injuries. Witnesses reported that a 25-year-old The Durham Regional Police Port Perry man was speeding in a 1997 Collision Investigation Unit was called to Chevrolet pickup northbound on the scene and the roadway was closed for Cartwright West Quarter Line. The driver several hours as evidence was gathered. lost control of the vehicle as it crossed Road and weather conditions were Shirley Road and entered into the east favourable at the time of the collision. ditch. The vehicle continued through the The driver, a 25-year-old of Queen ditch before crossing the quarter line and Street in Port Perry has been charged entering the west ditch and flipped over. with impaired operation causing death, A 15-year-old female from Oshawa was impaired operation causing bodily harm, ejected from the vehicle along with the dangerous driving causing death, danger- 23-year-old Blackstock man. ous driving causing bodily harm and The Blackstock man, Darryl Goulding exceeding 80 mgs. Man dies in motorcycle crash A 52-year-old Lindsay man succumbed cumbed to his injuries at the hospital on to injuries after the motorcycle he was Saturday. operating left the roadway and struck a The deceased man has been identified as steel guardrail in Clarington. Doug Jenkins, 52, of Bond Street in On May 23 around 3:45 p.m., police Lindsay. were called to a single motor vehicle colli- The road was closed for several hours as sion on Regional Road 20 and Concession evidence was gathered. Road and weather 10 in Clarington. conditions were favourable at the time of Witnesses reported that a man was oper- the collision and are not believed to be fac- ating a 2008 Harley Davison motorcycle tors. eastbound on Regional Road 20 in the area Police are interested in speaking with of Concession 10. As the male entered into the drivers of two dump trucks that were a left-hand curve on Regional Road 20 at observed on the curve at the time of the Concession 10, the bike left the roadway collision, one facing westbound on the and entered onto the east gravel shoulder, curve and the other facing eastbound, fol- before striking the metal guard rail and lowing the rider. No contact took place being thrown from the motorcycle. between the motorcycle and the trucks; Clarington Fire and Durham EMS however police are interested in speaking attended the scene and assisted the victim. to the operators or other witnesses.