Good story Emma, unfortunately the video has been "dissapeared" by the Globe and Mail. Too funny, that is. I wanted to see that "horrified look", bummer I can't.

Too funny. LMAO, Braaaateeeeena. I get it.

If municipal staff aren't willing to cut the bloat, Council should hire someone who will, that's how Toronto proposes to find savings for next year. I found millions upon millions in savings just cutting consulting fees. I also found hundreds of pet projects and ward-heeling nonsense that should also be cut. Local politicians should just get on with it.

I'm still the only person listed on the voluntary Lobbyist Registry, which should be mandatory. The committee tasked with drafting this legislation has yet to be reconstituted for 2011, and has yet to meet. Obviously there has to be more than a few lobbyists plying their trade in Hamilton, only a fool would think otherwise. That's Hamilton, get used to it.

Sorta' like fiddling while Rome burns. That's Hamilton, get used to it.

The total estimated cost of building an LRT line in Hamilton is approximately $800 million. No other government has offered to foot the bill. In the real world this is called a "pipe-dream", never going to happen.

This work of visual art pretty well sums it up. What a wild ride.

So let me get this straight, Whitehead lied, then got caught. I find his excuses laughable. Sad to hear my Alderman Scott Duvall is involved, so much for being in touch with his constituency. I feel for my city.

Yawn, this has been going on since the dawn of time and humanity.

Hamilton, where failure goes to die.

Good question. If elected in Ward 7, I will try to streamline and restructure the two main systems that directly affect poverty, Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program, which this municipality is mandated by the provincial government to deliver, up close and personal, an essential service long overdue for change that will better serve their clients.

So far that's three guardians of the public trust to come forward in as many weeks over at Cal DiFalco's blog at the link above provided by Michelle. Seems council has caught a bad dose of the "Tiger Woods Syndrome", eruptions happening on a regular basis.

The only thing I know for sure Tom is that there will not be a forensic auditor looking over the books. I also know, according to the Spectator, Mayor Fred will be doing everything in his power to get to the bottom of it, wherever that may be and that the Police are awaiting the officially written ask for a criminal investigation. Other than that, who knows what the future will bring as events unfold. Things have calmed down for the moment.

From a taxpayers' point of view, a complete overhaul of Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program systems should be the order of the day. Twenty years or so ago, I had the opportunity to be in the system when it was called welfare. I was an alcoholic who had reached rock bottom. I got to live in a room at the Y and languished there for a time until I had a face-to-face meeting with my social worker at the time whose name escapes me. She gave me the opportunity to enter an in-house treatment program at a place called Mooreland House. Fast forward to today and a long career as a Class "A" licensed mechanic, over 20 years of sobriety and 10 years raising a child with cerebral palsy. I thank my lucky stars every day for that social worker who gave me a hand up when I needed it the most.

The most entertaining part is the various reactions of local politicians and spin doctors holding forth on the matter, the war has taken to the air on blogs, with hyperbole abound. Come on Emma, this is Tony Soprano stuff, he-he. I can see that Hamilton made episode in my minds eye, just like for real. Law suits are flying and various sides are being pre-judged and taken in a vaccum, outside the in-camera meetings set forth to deal with it by duly elected council. Ho, ho, ho Emma, Merry Christmas!

Good idea sanity, anyone can file an FOI and it only cost's five bucks. Problem is, it will get stone-walled by the clerks department. I figure all that paperwork has been shredded and doesn't exist anymore.

Hi Emma, us over-taxed residents appreciate your efforts at trying to get at the root of the problem at hand. And what about Hamilton's own Whistleblower legislation, is that still a pipe-dream, like a mandatory Lobbyist registry, or the enhanced "Code of Conduct" for local politicians? All talk, no action Hamilton Council is.

One would think that this Porter fellow would do a little reading first, before firing off that "libel chill" missile in Mr. Khan's direction. Porter is the "King of lost causes" if his resume is to be believed. No wonder Harnum hired him, given the revelations. I wonder who the other firm is that Harnum hired? Only the guilty need that kind of help, in my humble opinion. And what about all the leaks, city hall is like a sieve? What's with that?

So Harnum has hired Julian Porter to mount his "libel chill" offense against Mr. Khan. Every lawyers letter always sounds serious, especially when he only knows as much as his client is willing to tell him. Considering the fee's Julian charges, no wonder the costs could be immense, just his billings alone would make the average persons hair curl. One thing the taxpayers can be glad for is we won't be footing the bill this time. Heres a blurb from his web site where he brags about who he has stuck the fork in, and for whom. Looks like he's on the wrong side of the Angels on this one, in my humble opinion. -- He has defended many of Canada’s leading writers, publishers and magazines in libel matters and has acted for a large number of plaintiffs suing newspapers and television stations. Lexpert has, for a number of years, recognized him as a leading practitioner and one of the most frequently recommended in the law of defamation and he is included in The Best Lawyers in Canada. He is currently engaged in a number of libel cases.

After contacting my Alderman Scott Duvall to voice my concerns over these disturbing allegations, this is what he had to say about it (below the hash mark). Massive firings should be the result, after a outside forensic auditors team roots out the corruption from within. -- Hi Mark Thanks for your email and concerns. I can tell you Councillors are concerned of these serious allegations and will be questioning Staff and will work out a strategy of an investigation. As we just received this, time will be needed for answers. It seems everyday I wake up, a new bad eye for Hamilton. It is frustrating not only for the residents but Council too. Wish you and your family a safe and Merry Christmas. Scott

There is no excuse for this kind of behaviour, I also saw the city staff's comments on CHCH news trying to deflect the blame on to the alleged victim. City Hall decorum and respect seems to have reached a new low. One would think that the accused would have been informed, in writing, of the allegations put forward before it was presented to the media and sensationalized. When your only career is politics, these kinds of allegations could be the end of it, thats for sure, and will follow this person wherever they may go in the future. No doubt the accused has consulted a lawyer and will fight back vigorously to protect their only asset (political career) if there's no substance to it and the complaint turns out to be vexatious and without merit. What a sad state of affairs and indicative of the malaise infecting City Hall politics like a cancer. The only way to completely remove it is at the ballot box.

The "new" stadium (15,000 capacity) has half the capacity of Ivor Wynn (30,000) so if Fred wants a real stadium he will need $100 million more and twice the amount of expropriated land worth mega $$$ to build it. The Tigercats cost us $150,000 a game in subsidy already. Put the Velodrome in Ivor Wynn, and double the size of the new stadium. Either way, Hamiltonians will be left holding the bag forever.

This information may shed some light on the deficit situation at the HSR, which is forcing them to increase fares to cover costs. -- The City of Hamilton is alleging breach of contract, fraud and/or theft in its lawsuit to recover almost $1 million in missing HSR cash from an armoured car company. Besides attempting to recoup $988,997 from Toronto-based Avero Security GTA1 Inc., the city is also seeking $500,000 in damages. According to its statement of claim filed in Hamilton court, the city alleges Avero breached its contract and used its position of trust and authority to divert city money to finance its own business interests.