CITY OF MISSISSAUGA ACCESSIBILITY PLAN –2009 INITIATIVES, just more MYTH for MYTHissauga?
February 11th, 2010
[UPDATE: February 12, 2010. From The Mississauga Muse: I don't know how others feel, but for me the most enjoyable part of any investigation is the actual research —the data collection part. Now I'm facing a stack of Freedom of Information records close to four feet high and am forced to deal with them. Over the last few days we've also been dealing with a family emergency making it difficult to concentrate—you know, get into that Zone. Writer's Hell... and I must be ready (documents, video, audio etc) for a February 22nd interview with the Judicial Inquiry investigators... and my brain is balking. Back to yesterday's blog.]
Last Blog, we introduced the City of Mississauga’s draft policy “Access to and Acceptable Use of Information Technology Policy and Supporting Guidelines” and along with it, hinted at the tsk-tsk degree to which City of Mississauga Staff fail to comply with the City’s own policies, guidelines and by-laws.
Given that it was senior staff (Commissioners, Directors, Managers) doing their share of the non-complying we concluded that the City’s Culture of Non-Compliance was a Corporate Top-Down initiative. You know, a cost-saving “efficient” way to run a city. After all, claiming you are a “caring community” is far less expensive tax-wise than actually being one. Claiming that you provide superior services is definitely less expensive tax-wise than actually providing them.
Trumpeting “Trust, Quality, Excellence” sure beats the hell out of being stellar and trustworthy. In the Image-over-Substance world of MYTHissauga, Saying It Really Does Make it So. Especially when there’s no media to call you out.
So how bad is the City of Mississauga’s Corporate MYTHscape?
Well, we’ve confirmed that it isn’t just the City’s policies, guidelines and by-laws that aren’t worth that paper they’re wasted on. We offer our latest example.
Last week MISSISSAUGAWATCH noticed that the City’s Accessibility Plan was to be presented before Council. So we did a quick surf through the “City of Mississauga Accessibility Plan 2008 Annual Report –2009 Initiatives” and stumbled upon page 32.
The claim:
As well, existing policies have been audited and amendments have been suggested for 28 existing policies.
Knowing that City of Mississauga’s Facilities and Properties Management is entrusted to implement Accessibility at City facilities, and knowing that Mississauga Corporate Security (aka MissCorpSec) is also the key “stakeholder” in the City’s Violence, Vandalism and Bullying Policy, MISSISSAUGAWATCH knew we had a win-win question to raise for Public Question Period.
Then there was the claim:
“As draft policies are written, the Accessibility Coordinator will be consulted to review the policies with an accessibility lens.”
It was only last week that the draft eSNOOP policy “Access to and Acceptable Use of Information Technology Policy and Supporting Guidelines” was presented to General Committee. Can you think of an obvious question to ask the Trust Quality Excellence people?…
Today’s video shows MISSISSAUGAWATCH during Wednesday’s Public Question Period asking two questions that we already suspected the answers to.
Anyway… here’s the video, followed by the transcript. Dedicated to all those in the MYTHissauga Sunshine Club who dupe the public every single day with snake oil claims.
Video: CITY OF MISSISSAUGA ACCESSIBILITY PLAN –2009 INITIATIVES, just more MYTH for MYTHissauga? (3:47 min)
(Click here to go directly to the clip on YouTube)
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
MISSISSAUGA COUNCIL PUBLIC QUESTION PERIOD February 10, 2010
RABIA KHEDR, ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHAIR:
….the Accessibility Plan is here to ensure that Accessibility planning is included in the City’s Strategic Plan and departmental plans. And in fact, links —is connected to the Pillars.
[dip to black]
RABIA KHEDR, ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHAIR:
Review and develop Corporate Policies in relation to each Accessibility Standard.
[cross zoom]
MISSISSAUGAWATCH (PUBLIC QUESTION PERIOD):
My questions deal with the Accessibility Plan, City of Mississauga Accessibility Plan 2008 Annual Report —2009 Initiatives. And I just want to put this up here. And specifically, this line here which says, “As well, existing policies have been audited and amendments have been suggested for 28 existing policies.”
And my question is, (these are just simple Yes/No), was The Corporation’s Violence, Vandalism and Bullying Policy one of the 28 existing policies audited by the Accessibility Committee?
MAYOR HAZEL MCCALLION:
Councillor Mahoney?
COUNCILLOR KATIE MAHONEY:
No. And I don’t have my microphone.
MISSISSAUGAWATCH (PUBLIC QUESTION PERIOD):
OK, thank you.
[cross zoom]
RABIA KHEDR, ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHAIR:
Review and develop Corporate Policies in relation to each Accessibility Standard.
[cross zoom]
MISSISSAUGAWATCH (PUBLIC QUESTION PERIOD):
Having filed Freedom of Information on the genesis, drafting and implementation of numerous Corporate policies, returning to page 32 of the Accessibility thing [sic], this part here. It says, “As draft policies are written, the Accessibility Coordinator will be consulted to review the policies with an accessibility lens.”
And another simple Yes/No question, was the Accessibility Coordinator or the Accessibility Committee consulted to review the draft of the new policy, “Access to and Acceptable Use of Information Technology Policy and Supporting Guidelines” prior to its appearance before the February 3, 2010 General Committee meeting?
MAYOR HAZEL MCCALLION:
Who can answer that?
COUNCILLOR KATIE MAHONEY:
I can answer it but—
MAYOR HAZEL MCCALLION:
Pat Saito?
COUNCILLOR KATIE MAHONEY:
Either one of them I guess— I can’t speak for the Accessibility Coordinator but the Committee didn’t.
MISSISSAUGAWATCH (PUBLIC QUESTION PERIOD):
OK, thank you very much.
[image]
Music “Running” Jully Black
We belong to each other
And we are the people
Sharing all different races
‘Cause we are all equal
Can’t forget there’s a fight now
We don’t need a sequel
[dissolve to "flashback"]
MISSISSAUGAWATCH FEBRUARY 3, 2010 DEPUTATION:
And as you know from Audit, it isn’t just guidelines that Staff ignore or abandon.
Now these are non-compliance.
- Video Surveillance Policy (The Corporation’s first SNOOP policy)
- Violence and Vandalism Policy (2000 to 2006)
- Violence, Vandalism and Bullying Policy (the existing current one)
- Corporate Security Code of Conduct
- Corporate Security Public Complaints Policy (if you can believe that)
- Conflict of Interest Policy
- Vendor (and this comes from Audit) Performance Policy (assumed abandoned. Internal Audit could no trace of it.)
- Charging Interest to non-government organization Policy
- Infoplace Cash Collection Policy (cost the City over, what? —$700,000 plus)
And then By-laws —the Records Retention By-law. That’s confirmed through Freedom of Information, and even Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
[MISSISSAUGAWATCH logo]
“We don’t call it MYTHissauga for nothing!
[VIDEO TRANSCRIPT ENDS]
Last, MISSISSAUGAWATCH emailed Diana Simpson, City of Mississauga Accessibility Coordinator and wrote:
I went before Council yesterday and had it confirmed that a major policy pertaining to Information Technology the “Access to and Acceptable Use of Information Technology Policy and Supporting Guidelines” or “eSNOOP” Policy that would definitely affect persons with disabilities had not been run through the Accessibility Committee for an “accessibility lens”.
Neither Katie Mahoney or Pat Saito could confirm whether the Accessibility Coordinator had been consulted however.
I ask that you confirm one way or another, please, whether City Staff had consulted you about this draft.
Next, I am requesting the names of any “draft policies” in 2009 where City Staff DID consult you as the Accessibility Coordinator.
Thanks,
Ursula
MISSISSAUGAWATCH
Signed,
The (the perceptive reader will conclude that there’s chronic violation of the Peel Youth Charter as well) Mississauga Muse
And speaking of non-compliance…
Council Chambers Video Surveillance footage. Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion’s “Security” snooping down on her notes!
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