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D .v 3n g v.3. .8355 I E lhmol. MAurnm; Am) Sun Almbm'mknube Immmmm "mm. 11%“ “I! W Ml ("Wu nnlpuhhhlndmafl fm durum!” flu-“mu. Rnamuu. Puooocns AN!) (imam!!!) 7M“ Run 7mm mot-arm no", I" Am and 84mm 3 a Mon 0! the W Mu Um no .0 M, variedde Ymk Rrprm Mach ‘ oflrup ummunity hm Mason Immm‘ (on lETTEIS POLICY :Ibuuvwman Dun- William Inn-lama. Inmlnmou lama Parke-m [hphnr (mu (.‘ord Maori r 0! at you: 08"." mom. M Innsng or Plobucnau lad-w Smart Debra We“?! Editorial Ombudsman needs more power to probe MUSH + [)ccpito pmmiscs from the pnwincial Liberal glM'mn'u-m and former premier Dalton McCuinty. those eagedy hoping to see an independent third-parâ€" ty oversee the so-called MUSH sector will have to continue to bt" patient. But patience may be in short supply among those awaiting incmased scrutiny over the M US” set'tut. ()nltmn's first ombudsman. Anhur Madam-y. called for it nt-ady 35 yeah; ago requested the province expand the mandate of his office to include municipalities. universi- ties. schools and hmpitals. At the sametime. he's also asking for powers to investigate children's aid societies, kingdom cam homes and police. ' Oversight is an important issue and that deserves mom of the government 's attention. last year. the nmbudsman's office turned away 2.541 mm- plaints about the MUS” sector because it had no authority tu investigate them. that figure amounts to l3 per cent of the number of complaints the ombudsman [Brewed during 20 I 2 - l 3. 1110 subjects of these comâ€" plaints range (mm prolonged cnwrgemy room wait times and sttspk‘iOUS billing pl‘dt‘flt‘l's at hospitals to intpmper dosed meetings at municipalitios. And while the umbudsman's nlfic‘t‘ does serve as closed sexebn meeting investigator for In?) of 444 municipalities most haw elected to appoint the Amma- tion of Municipalities of Ontario‘s local Authority Services tn per- form that function. Ontario's ombudsman rejc-rtrd 2.51] complaian bu'ausr it lacked authorin to im e-sligalr. l's time to go! a handle on the MUSH sector. chnnd those. the umbuds In his recent report. Ontario ombudsman Andre Marin once again ISSI Ii: “Sadly. it that 'anybtxiy but the ombudsman' is the ml- lying cry for some gm'emmem insiders." Mr. Marin Saki in his report. adding that the alterna- liws lack the kind of indepen- dence his office affords. man's office had to turn down complaints about fees and the quality at instruction at uttr unt versittes and the use of "blocker shields" on stitdcnts with autism and bullying in our schools lhe list goes on and on. Around York Region. most organizations were dragging their feel. if not resistant to tho idea of ombudsman oversight. Southlakc Regional Health (Denm- said it hadn’t mimed the details of Mr. Mario's report and the Ontario Hospital Asso- ciation could not be reached for comment in time for the dead- line on our story. Yort Uniwérsity in Toronto said it already had an ombudsperson in place that looked into complaints. 51cm uuutcr. plus pl Ila. The tournament was well mo and orga- Town councillors have obligations to residents, too ' Re: Big 5-0 election project I am ofiendal by the recent columns regarding non-voters as they seem to he directed at all readers. ‘ When I got my first vote. l was 21 of As for the municipalities and school boards. York Region (At) Hmt‘v Mat-mm said that oversight wasn‘t ircessary. as citin'ns could complain directiy to their politicians about iosucs or. if that tailed to get action. vote their elected tepmsentativcs out. York Region District School Board said their trustees ofiervd a prescription for accountability. 11w tumble is. if your coun- cillor. mayor m trustee doesn't take wur complaint seriously or ix. infact.ym1r pmblem‘. fnm wars is a long time to potentially grin and bear it assuming. of miirw. your neiglflxmm feel the same way and vme the offending pulitk'ian am. It's own harder In afloat! change at an organization with an appointed board such as a hospital or uniwmity. Sume Ionn uf thinl- patty mvcstigatiw process goes a long way to assum you that. even if tho decision doesn‘t go your way. the issue has been handled faifly. Wheaurlnhofllhemm LETTER OF THE WEEK Wait staff serve up donation so needy kids can play hockey We all tip our local wait staff when we get the great st'rvicc with which we have {Home familiar in Smuffville; now they are returning the favour by giving back to the community. Hunks to their generosity. this year's tournament will help to support approxi- mawa six chfldl‘en with their dream to play minor hockey in Dawn ,Butchelor (Lion of Stouffvflle) and lnrribRamsay (Boston Pizza) organized the third $0.5 Ifi'rvvrs of Smuffvillo) golf mur- namem. me proceeds are donated back to the community. with the Kids First Fund and other charities benefiting. For a very reasonable tournament fee. we got a munduf golf. including can and a great dimenplus prizes. When I got my first vote, I was 21 of age. [hon they made i! easiest for “Ihem”(the defied and candidates) to gm votes when the age was lowered to 19. We didn’t bitch. I voted when I was 21" and i haven‘t missed an obponunity to vote since. l have driVen from as fat away as Hunts- ville :0 {exercise my right to vote. ()n the other hood“; a councillor who fails to attend council meetings to represent his or her constituents. should not collect his or her salary without it being considered an act of fraud ~â€" illness being excused. 1110 people this article is aimed a! likely don't pick the paper up from their door until it is time to put it in the necycling bin on col- kflion dav I was a «wand-year appmmicr befort- I had a mic and l have had that privilege fur 47 years now and have exercised every one of them. th (hv mm'pivms M the majority of “NPS try everytth to refuse or tried my right to mmplain My uwolwmcm around the community has afforded me the opportunity to speak with longtime mkkmts. ax well as our many newcomers and I can't believe the number of people who aren‘t regular madam. I have spoken with several who had no idea what 'lhe Stoufiw'lle Sun-'lnbune was. or that they could find information about the community and its busimm. let alone council information. Cam was lolm Wilkins Punusuax Ian Proudfoo! We are very fortunate to live in a can log community and are so thankful for all the suppon of the Kids First Fund; Social Night hosted by Christine and Tim McNeil. the mayor's golf tournament committee. East Side Matias Stoufiville. the McDon- gall family annual golf tournament. players and families of the Whitchumh Stouflvillv Minor Hockey Association. plus numerous private donations and. of course, the'St-rv- ers of Stoufiville. The 505 Toummnt is held the last Sammy prior to the long weekend in July every year. Come and join in the fun. lus: pop by the Lion to speak with DaWn or Boston H713 and ask for Lorrie and find out how you can join in the fun next, time. nibed. a job well done and it helps our fund off, to another outstanding mm {or this coming season. The Big 5-0 ~leynmforapbandhmwwlutdw paybâ€"tlwyshouldn‘thavctherifittovmp themlws an increase until near the end 0! their term! The councillor (Rob Hargrave) who claimed we don’t have the right to complain unless we voted should also realize as our repmentatiw. councillors have an obliga- tion to attend every council meeting to represent us and by “us'. \bur wishcsand thoughts are secondary to those wishes and thoughts of the majority of the riding or wand. Fdilm's now: Did you 101?? W? arr compil- ingwuropinkmsfixourBigs-O Pram (dark Hog prirs m.mrk1rgizwxawn) to Wyou in municipal gamma and mung? mu m nur in 20”. Email jnmméflmgt um 'Si'ifiiTribune Let’s get you “new in voting 6290Man5t. WDMLM 167 MIKE HUMPHREYS mm HRS! H M» m »{ ‘H-H! u STEVE PICKARD m u NW! 1 r