WATCHING THE BOYS SQUIRM

Today's Waterloo Region Record carries the following Editorial titled "Tense days for regional police". I suggest that that title is an understatement. This is an organization clouded in secrecy, non-transparent and always hiding behind an attitude of trust us, don't question us, we're here to protect your very lives. Yes they are an essential service but the public service aspect is far too often forgotten. Also occasionally is either individual members abuse of their authority and even more shocking the abuse of authority at the higher levels of the organization. The current class action lawsuit by female police officers against the force speaks to the abuse of authority from the top down. And it speaks very loudly.

As the Record indicates, the allegations in the lawsuit are shocking. They include male supervisors and superintendents sending a female officer nude photos as well as intentionally pressing against their buttocks. I was going to say this is at the high school level of maturity but then realized that when I was in high school any male student who did that would be immediately suspended. Teachers not so much. Hmm I guess the double standard not just between the genders but between those in authority and those being supervised has always been with us.

The Record concludes that "...there are unresolved tensions and a significant level of dysfunction within this police department." That too I feel is a very mild statement as to the unaccountable behaviours within and without the Waterloo Regional Police.

EDUBABBLE AND OR "FLAVOUR OF THE MONTH"?

Today's Waterloo Region Record carries the following story titled "Year-round schools catch trustees' attention". There's a third option. Perhaps this story released to the Record is no more than a trial balloon. Maybe a few trustees out of desperation to change the channel on their infighting simply want to distract parents. It's all hard to say especially if you've ever had direct dealings with the Waterloo Region District School Board. The only good thing about them was when my youngest son finished high school and we didn't have to deal with various filth wearing suits and ties any longer. That was a day of rejoicing.

Now the next issue of course for the Board will be dealing with the self-serving Teachers' Union. Why exactly do I think that this idea is dead in the water now as it has been for the last fifty years? Oh yes, it's because the teachers have been brainwashed into believing that they are all professionals under extreme stress doing a job that nobody else (without a teaching certificate) could possibly do. The mere fact that pedophiles had thrived in the educational system for many decades without being held accountable certainly shouldn't dissuade them of their God complex. The mere fact that Waterloo Region students have been performing sub-par for many years in English and Math also won't dissuade them of their inherent superiority and entitlement to two months off every summer.

As hoped would reducing the summer break to one month from two improve student learning? Hard to say but certainly full day kindergarten has turned out to be nothing but glorified day care. Students do have a small edge in Grade 1 but the positive effect is gone by the start of Grade 2. Based upon that wasted taxpayers money let's take a huge grain of salt with any new claims by our school board.

PRINCIPAL DEMOTED AFTER TEST TAMPERING ALLEGATION

Last Saturday's Waterloo Region Record carried the following story titled " Principal accused of test tampering". Apparently at this point in time it's well past the accusation stage as both the Ontario College of Teachers and the Education Quality and Accountability Office have conducted investigations and concluded that tampering did in effect happen. The only surprise for me is that it took this long for anyone to get either caught or confronted for this kind of behaviour.

I've long felt that the results are most probably artificially elevated in order to make the degradation of our educational system look less dramatic. In other words what is the ratio of successful cheating to unsuccessful? Do a dozen schools cheat with officials looking the other way to perhaps one school blowing the whistle on the behaviour?

The individual's names and schools are listed in the article to which I am providing the link.

MINIMUM WAGE WHINING IS PREDICTABLE

Today's Waterloo Region Record carries the following article by Martin Regg Cohn titled "Small business needs to manage, not manipulate". He is basically suggesting that some Tim Horton's franchisees are acting out against their staff as much in frustration with their franchise agreements as with the new law. Apparently head office has to approve all price increases and to date they have not done so.

Also of interest though is the recital of a number of recent significant tax breaks given to small businesses which should have eased the financial burden of legislated raises. It seems small businesses get an extraordinarily low rate on the first $500,000 of income compared to small businesses in quebec and compared to larger corporations here in Ontario. That makes a major difference to me in the corporate whining about minimum wage increases. These workers need better and this apparently is one good way to do it.

SHAME ON THE BULLIES & COWARDS AT THE WATERLOO REGIONAL POLICE SERVICE

And further shame on each and every current and past Police Chief, and every past and current civilian Police Services Board members who have been approached for help and done nothing. And further shame upon all senior management, deputy chiefs and superintendents who decided to look the other way. And yes shame upon any female members of the force who played the game exactly as senior police members wanted and advanced while not using their authority to help other women maltreated on the job. Last but not least here's to you Ken and all the other senior politicians in the Region of Waterloo, male and female, who decided not to rock the boat but to allow this disgusting behaviour to continue, to fester and to lessen and demean the integrity, ethics and morals of what should be an institution devoted to truth, justice and decency.

Today's Waterloo Region Record carries the following story titled "More officers join suit against regional police". The story was very well written by Liz Monteiro of the Record. It is very disturbing and any decent human being, male or female, should be appalled by the behaviours described. All of us have said or done inappropriate things over the decades. Whether an unwanted advance, a dirty joke, a wolf whistle or even telling dumb blonde jokes; as human beings we all fail sometimes. That said the behaviours described in today's Record are not occasional, they are not a momentary failure or thoughtless word or deed. They are intentionally demeaning and intentionally derogatory. It is a majority of individuals (male), in positions of superior authority and physical strength (generally) abusing their authority. It is bullying by a pack of cowards, plain and simple.

Keep in mind readers that to date none of these allegations in today's Record have been proven in court. Keep in mind that my strong opinions on the matter have been shaped by decades working here in Ontario including being involved with a sexual harassment case years ago at the City of Waterloo. There certain members of the male dominated Public Works Department routinely harassed female employees in front of me. The superior attitude and arrogance of these male workers including supervisers provoked me to take action. The City of Waterloo eventually also took action. In fact a later disgraced Tom Stockie (due to Rim Park fiasco) actually stepped up and did the right thing. Kudos to him. Another kudo goes to municipal politician Lynne Woolstencroft whom I recall as being very helpful. Who in senior management at the Waterloo Regional Police will step up?

LAC-MEGANTIC CRIMINAL TRIAL UNDERWAY

This article in today's Waterloo Region Record is titled "Conductor not perfect but reasonable: lawyer for one of Lac-Megantic accused". The lawyer for the conductor has made a pretty good case that his client's blame does not reach the level of criminal negligence. Apparently the conductor applied the brakes in order to secure the train in its' stopped position but he did not apply enough of them nor did he properly conduct a brake test. Whether or not there was a lack of either knowledge or training on the number of brakes to be applied does not seem to be clear.

I wish this article had expounded upon the liability of the owners of this train. Was there a long history of minor infractions and or accidents prior to Lac-Megantic. Could a reasonable person in authority have had any forewarning of the risks involved in parking the train where they did? Two other employees have also been charged with criminal negligence including the traffic controller and the manager of train operations. 47 people died due to this disaster and it is incumbent upon all involved to fully understand where the errors and or faults lay. This was not a natural disaster. It was man made and the lessons learned from it must never be forgotten.
Posted by Alan Marshall at 10:46 AM

CORPORATE & WEALTHY SHILLING

Oh my Luisa, I think you have unusually missed the boat on this one! Today's Waterloo Region Record has an Opinion piece by Luisa D'Amato that I will characterize as pro business, pro employer and pro discredited trickle down economics. The latter has been best described as yes something "trickles down" from the wealthy to the poor and yes it is liquid but it sure as hell ain't money. Enough said. The title is "Roll up the rim to Wynne...a mess".

Luisa is defending the disgusting behaviour by some Tim Horton's franchise owners in which they are now paying the new and finally significantly higher minimum wage in Ontario ($14/hour). These well off individuals have decided to recoup some of the wage increase by cutting back on paid coffee breaks and other "perks".

It is my understanding that being a franchise owner of either a Tim Horton's, Macdonalds etc. is essentially a license to print money. You might have to be wealthy to buy it in the first place but the income is staggering especially while paying minimum wages. Thus my personal disgust at a few of this entitled class of shits turning around and cutting costs on the back of these very same employees. I also have to ask as to since when are paid breaks not mandatory under Ontario law? Or have these very same self-entitled @#$%^& managed to lobby past Ontario governments for exceptions to this and other labour laws?

Regardless yes we may have to pay a little more for employees to earn the magnificent sum of $14 for an hour of their labour. Or maybe not depending on the industry and its' particular profitability. It would indeed be shocking to learn that some of these franchise owners might be limited to only two trips to the Caribbean in 2018 versus their usual three.