Letters

What can you do with a letter?

   You can write letters to

• your Councillor
  
• your MPP
  
• the Press
  

City of Hamilton Councillors

Ward 1: Brian McHattie bmchattie@hamilton.ca Tel: (905) 546-2416 Fax: (905) 546-2535	Ward 2: Andrea Horwath ahorwath@hamilton.ca Tel: (905) 546-2711 Fax: (905) 546-2535
Ward 3: Bernie Morelli   bmorelli@hamilton.ca Tel: (905) 546-2702 Fax: (905) 546-2535	Ward 4: Sam Merulla   smerulla@hamilton.ca Tel: (905) 546-4512 Fax: (905) 540-5192
Ward 5: Chad Collins   ccollins@hamilton.ca Tel: (905) 546-2716 Fax: (905) 546-2535	Ward 6: Tom Jackson   tjackson@hamilton.ca Tel: (905) 546-2707 Fax: (905) 540-6105
Ward 7: Bill Kelly   bkelly@hamilton.ca Tel: (905) 546-2706 Fax: (905) 546-2535	Ward 8: Terry Whitehead   twhitehead@hamilton.ca Tel: (905) 546-2712 Fax: (905) 546-2535
Ward 9: Phil Bruckler   pbruckler@hamilton.ca Tel: (905) 546-2703 Fax: (905) 546-2535	Ward 10: Maria Pearson   mpearson@hamilton.ca Tel: (905) 546-2701 Fax: (905) 546-2535
Ward 11: David L. Mitchell   dmitchel@hamilton.ca Tel: (905) 546-4513 Home Phone: (905) 692-0983 Fax: (905) 546-2483	Ward 12: Murray Ferguson   mferguso@hamilton.ca Tel: (905) 546-2704 Home Phone: (905) 648-3535 Fax: (905) 546-2535
Ward 13: Russ Powers   rpowers@hamilton.ca Tel: (905) 546-2714 Fax: (905) 546-3266	Ward 14: Dave Braden   dbraden@hamilton.ca Tel: (905) 546-2705 Fax: (905) 546-2535|
Ward 15: Margaret McCarthy   mmccarth@hamilton.ca Tel: (905) 689-6714 Fax: (905) 546-2535	Mayor: Mayor Larry DiIannni mayordiianni@hamilton.ca Tel: (905) 546-4200 Fax: (905) 546-2340
City of Hamilton info@city.hamilton.on.ca Tel: (905) 546-CITY (2489) Campbellville Residents: (905) 634-2971 519 Area Code Residents: Dial (519) 647-2577 to avoid long distance charges

Members of Ontario Provincial Parliament A complete list of Ontario MPPs is available at the Ontario Legislative Assembly Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario John Gerretsen, Minister of Municipal Affairs Brad Duguid, Parliamentary Assistant Minister of Municipal Affairs (Urban) Maria Van Bommel, Parliamentary Assistant Minister of Municipal Affairs (Rural) Julia Munro, Conservative Municipal Affairs Critic Ernie Eves, Leader of Ontario Conservative Party Howard Hampton, Independent Member Ted McMeekin, Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Aldershot
DALTON MCGUINTY, Premier E-mail: dmcguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
QUEENS' PARK OFFICE Room 281, Legislative Bldg Toronto, ON M7A 1A1 Tel: (416) 325-1941 Fax: (416) 325-3745	CONSTITUENCY OFFICE 795 Kilborn Avenue Ottawa, ON K1H 6N1 Tel: (613) 736-9573 Fax: (613) 736-7374
JOHN GERRETSEN, Minister of Municipal Affairs E-mail: john_gerretsen-mpp@ontla.ola.org
QUEENS' PARK OFFICE 777 Bay Street, 17th Floor Toronto, ON M5G 2E5 Tel: (416) 585-7000 Fax: (416) 585-6470	CONSTITUENCY OFFICE 2-303 Bagot St, Lasalle Mews Kingston, ON K7K 5W7 Tel: (613) 547-2385 Fax: (613) 547-5001
BRAD DUGUID, Parliamentary Assistant, Minister of Municipal Affairs (Urban) E-mail: Brad_Duguid-MPP-CO@ontla.ola.org
QUEENS' PARK OFFICE 777 Bay Street, 17th Floor Toronto, ON M5G 2E5 Tel: (416) 585-7000 Fax: (416) 585-4035	CONSTITUENCY OFFICE 204-1450 Midland Ave Scarborough, ON M1P 4Z8 Tel: (416) 613-2183 Fax: (416) 615-2011
MARIA VAN BOMMEL, Parliamentary Assistant, Minister of Municipal Affairs (Rural) E-mail: Maria_Van_Bommel-MPP-CO@ontla.ola.org
QUEENS' PARK OFFICE 777 Bay Street, 17th Floor Toronto, ON M5G 2E5 Tel: (416) 585-6675 Fax: (416) 585-6767	CONSTITUENCY OFFICE 4247 Oil Heritage Road PO Box 850 Petrolia, ON N0N 1R0 Tel: (519) 882-0221 Fax: (519) 882-3939
JULIA MUNRO, Conservative Critic for Municipal Affairs E-mail: julia_munro@ontla.ola.org
QUEEN'S PARK OFFICE Room 204, North Wing Main Legislative Bldg Toronto, ON M7A 1A5 Tel: (416) 325-3392 Fax: (416) 325-3466	CONSTITUENCY OFFICE 103-17705 Leslie St Newmarket, ON L3Y 3E3 Tel: (905) 898-8514 Fax: (905) 898-8517
ERNIE EVES, Leader of the Official Opposition E-mail: ernie_eves@ontla.ola.org
QUEEN'S PARK Room 381, Legislative Bldg. Toronto, ON M7A 1A4 Tel: (416) 325-0445 Fax: (416) 325-0491	CONSTITUENCY OFFICE 244 Broadway Ave. Orangeville, ON L9W 1K5 Tel: (519) 941-7751 Fax: (519) 941-3246
HOWARD HAMPTON, Independent Member E-mail: hhampton-qp@ndp.on.ca
QUEEN'S PARK Room 114, Legislative Bldg. Toronto, ON M7A 1A5 Tel: (416) 325-8300 Fax: (416) 325-8222	CONSTITUENCY OFFICE 140 Fourth Street West Suite 3 Fort Frances, ON P9A 3B8 Tel: (807) 274-7619 Fax: (807) 274-3721
TED McMEEKIN, Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Aldershot E-mail: ted_mcmeekin-mpp@ontla.ola.org
QUEEN'S PARK Room 157 Legislative Building Toronto, ON M7A 1A4 Tel: (416) 325-1105 Fax: (416) 325-1221	CONSTITUENCY OFFICE 299 Dundas Street E. P.O. Box 1240 Waterdown, ON L0R 2H0 Tel: (905) 690-6552 Fax: (905) 690-6562

The Press

The Hamilton Spectator E-mail: letters@thespec.com 44 Frid Street Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3G3

Flamborough Review E-mail: editor@flamboroughreview.com 30 Main St. N. Waterdown, Ontario L0R 2H0

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Yellow Ribbon

What can you do with a yellow ribbon?

You can tie it in a bow, or make streamers.
You can wrap it around a tree, or a lamp post, or a fence post.
You can hang it from a door, or a gate, or your car, or your lapel.
You could tie it around a map of Flamborough and send it to your M.P.P.
You can display it to say to an autocratic government, "YOU broke something precious. FIX IT!"
Make a statement with a yellow ribbon: "GIVE US BACK OUR HERITAGE!"

YELLOW RIBBONS for Democracy....

Slowly, steadily and assuredly...the cars, houses, mailboxes, lamp-posts, fences, purses, lapels, and more are beginning to share a common bond. What is this common bond, you ask? Why the CFF (Committee to Free Flamborough) Yellow Ribbons of support, of course!

Yellow ribbons have begun springing up like the wildflowers throughout Flamborough these days as more and more citizens are expressing their displeasure with the current system of local government. The most recurrent response related to this displeasure appears to be the total disregard and blatant lack of respect for the people that form the tax base. The Committee to Free Flamborough is growing very tired of being ignored, misrepresented and dictated to in a manner which they never have before.

The forced amalgamation of this mostly rural area by a one-man, Governmentally appointed commissioner was wrong. It is wrong for reasons far too numerous to list here, but in addition to petitions, letters, and more, the people have now begun displaying yellow ribbons. These ribbons will be seen throughout Flamborough, and they will continue to be seen until the fight to make the Government listen to the electorate and restore the constitutional, representative basics of a truly democratic Government is won.

Do you like being forced to live in the City of Hamilton? If not, tie a yellow ribbon 'round your old oak tree and display your support for democracy.

For more information on the yellow ribbons, the petition, town-hall meetings, etc. please be sure to visit the CFF website, or add your name to the e-mail circulation list to be kept up to date regularly.

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Petition

The door 2 door petition campaign is now under way with approximately 100 volunteers across Flamborough. We still need more help and anyone wishing to assist should contact the Committee to Free Flamborough.

This petition is to be signed only once by all eligible voters in the former municipality of Flamborough.

Anyone who signed a previously circulated petition should now sign this one from CFF which has correct wording for presentation to the Ontario Legislature.

TO: The Legislative Assembly of Ontario

WHEREAS the citizens of Flamborough had no direct say in the creation of the new super city of Hamilton and

WHEREAS the government by regulation and legislation forced the recent amalgamation, against the overwhelming majority of the people of Flamborough and

WHEREAS the government has not delivered the promised streamlined, more efficient and accountable local government, nor the provision of better services or reduced costs, and

WHEREAS the promise of tax decreases has not been met, with an average increase of 30% since amalgamation, and the expected transition costs to area taxpayers of this forced amalgamation has already exceeded the promised amount by 88%, be it resolved that we the undersigned demand that the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

IMMEDIATELY rescind this forced amalgamation order, return our local municipal government back to the local citizens and their democratically elected officials in Flamborough and in so doing remove the bureaucratic, inefficient single-tier governance it has imposed on the residents of Flamborough.

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Attend Council Meetings

Take advantage of your right to speak before either Council or a Committee of Council. You need to call the City beforehand to request that you appear as a delegate. Tell them you want to speak about a beef (other than taxes) you have with City services and then, during your 10 minute presentation, ask if this is why your taxes have gone up.

Council / Committee Information

Committee of the Whole (COW)

Committee of the Whole is responsible for formulating and discussing general policies used to govern Council and the Corporation. The Committee of the Whole is composed of all Members of City Council and the Mayor is Chair of the Committee.

Committee of the Whole meetings are held on the first, second, third and fourth Tuesday of each month commencing at 9:30 a.m. in the Council Chambers of Hamilton City Hall, 71 Main Street West, Hamilton.

Council has adopted Rules of Procedures which outline the process for interested citizens wishing the opportunity to make a presentation to Council on an item of interest. A copy of the Procedural By-law outlining this process can be obtained by contacting the Records Division.

For a copy of the Request for Delegation form - click here (to speak before the Committee).

Hearings Sub-Committee (HSC)

Hearings Sub-Committee considers matters where public input is involved including legislated public meetings under the Planning Act, Municipal Act or other Acts and individual delegations. The Hearings Sub-Committee is composed of all Members of City Council and the Acting Mayor or Designate presides as Chair of the Committee.

Hearings Sub-Committee meetings are held on the first, second, third and fouth Wednesday of each month commencing at 9:30 a.m. in the Council Chambers of Hamilton City Hall, 71 Main Street West, Hamilton.

City Council

City Council is the final approving body for all recommendations submitted by the Hearings Sub-Committee, Committee of the Whole and other Committees. City Council is composed of the Mayor and 15 members of Council representing Wards 1 to 15 in the New City of Hamilton.

City Council meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the Month at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, Hamilton City Hall, 71 Main Street West, Hamilton.

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Tax Revolt

Following are several things you can do with respect to your taxes. These suggestions are taken from Manvers:

Contact our MPP, Mayor and Councillors

Phone our MPP Ted McMeekin , Mayor Larry DiIanni and the City Councillors who aren't acting in your interest and tell them what you think. Ask them for an explanation as to why your taxes have gone up and what they plan to do about it. Let them know they are on the 'political endangered species' list and that you will vote them out of office in 2003. For those Councillors you can't vote for, let them know you'll work to get someone elected who is running against them.
Follow your phone call up with a letter, fax or e-mail.
Keep the phone calls, letters, faxes and e-mails going weekly and ask what they've done in the last week to reverse the amalgamation tax grab.

Letters to the Editor

Let our local media know that you're an upset taxpayer and why. Letters to the Editor are a good measure of public opinion.

Appear before Council

Take advantage of your right to speak before either Council or a Committee of Council. You need to call the City beforehand to request that you appear as a delegate. Tell them you want to speak about a beef (other than taxes) you have with City services and then, during your 10 minute presentation, ask if this is why your taxes have gone up.

Petitions

Start a local petition or sign the existing petitions. One that you can submit to either our MPP Ted McMeekin or to our Council. For the existing petition, please see the information above.

Town Hall Meetings and Other Public Events

Make every effort to attend town hall meetings, rallies, press releases and other public events. Invite family, friends and neighbours to join you. Even if there is a town haIl meeting outside of the 'City' ward in which you live, it's important to make your voice heard and to let taxpayers throughout the area, who are equally upset as you are about amalgamation and the resulting tax increases, know that they are not alone in their anger and frustration. Remember there is strength in numbers.