Details

Tom Vegh’s latest post on Facebook is inaccurate and misleading. (see right and below)

Vegh says:

“York Region Official Plan protects 71% of all York Region from residential, industrial or commercial development and does not allow these types of developments on environmentally-sensitive lands.” 

The York Region Official Plan says:

“York Region contains some of the most significant and environmentally sensitive geological landforms in Ontario, of which the most predominant is the Oak Ridges Moraine.”

Vegh voted for the development of Oak Ridges Moraine land in Whitchurch and Stouffville.

He says:

"The York Region official plan allows municipalities to build parks, playgrounds, sports field and trails on environmentally sensitive lands."

But only because he voted to change the official plan - which has now been submitted to the Province for approval.

Newmarket's Mayor, John Taylor voted to reject amendments which would allow prime agricultural land to be converted to other uses such as tennis courts and soccer pitches. Vegh voted in favour.

Vegh voted to open up over 12 square miles of open countryside for development. Taylor voted against.

Gordon Prentice 19 October 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Details

Regional Councillor Tom Vegh, a former Executive Director of the Inn From the Cold, sits on his hands and refuses to speak in a debate at York Regional Council last month when his own Mayor, John Taylor, is making the case for a $1M capital grant to the homelessness organisation.

What's that all about?

What is going on?

What's the story?

Gordon Prentice 18 October 2022

Details

The population of York Region is bigger than five Canadian Provinces: PEI, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, and it’s rapidly closing on Manitoba. Yet the person who leads York Region, Wayne Emmerson, is indirectly elected by 20 people.

He is now seeking a third term from his 20 strong electorate.

He steers policies and strategy. He can declare a state of emergency. 

And his vote has the same weight as the directly elected Mayors and Regional Councillors who serve on the Regional Council.

He should be elected by the voters at large not by a tiny group of his colleagues.

In March 2016 I made the argument to a Committee in Queen's Park. The case for direct election is as compelling as ever.

Here is my take on it all.

Gordon Prentice 19 October 2022

Details

It is Tuesday and it is raining off and on. It is cold and squally.

You may wonder why I should be pounding the streets and talking to the voters when I have the option of chatting on Facebook to many more, all from the comfort of my little office at home.  

Answer. I discover all sorts of things I would never find out just by staring endlessly at my computer screen.

I am fascinated by the story of a Canadian originally from Northern Ireland who immigrated here in 1955. He worked for the Post Office and then became a sign-writer. He tells me that for twenty years he did the little plaques you see on the side of old houses all over downtown Newmarket. We go on to talk about the election.

I am struck by the number of empty houses on Srigley. The tell-tale sign is the huge black padlock hanging on the front door. And the Vegh sign on the lawn outside.

Many of the old bungalows have been bought up, only to be demolished and replaced with new, much larger, dwellings.

Evolving neighbourhoods

This is a very familiar story. How do you allow neighbourhoods to evolve while retaining their essential character?

One resident points from his doorstep to three separate locations where new homes in the modern style have replaced the former bungalows. He tells me:

“The ceilings are 10 feet high”.

The Town now has a policy for regulating development in stable residential areas after dragging its feet for years.

The monster home at 1011 Elgin Street - which I made a big song and dance about in 2017 - proved to be the catalyst for change.

Gordon Prentice 18 October 2022

 

Details

In its dying days perhaps the election campaign for regional councillor is coming alive.  

Newmarket Today prints a trenchant letter from William Dyer who tells their readers why he will not be voting for me.

Good for him!

He has at least been in touch - unlike my opponent, Tom Vegh, who is afraid to debate with me.

William Dyer had an email exchange with me a few days ago, asking me to comment on a vandalised election sign. Here it is:

October 16 – 6.27pm - William Dyer to me

Hello, Mr. Prentice. 

My name is William Dyer and, save for an eleven-month stretch 15 years ago, I am a life-long resident of Newmarket. You knocked on my door the other week and we had what I would characterize as a bizarre interaction. You initiated the conversation by telling me how you wanted more of your signs on Gorham Street because of the traffic, somehow assuming that I'd let you utilize my lawn for your campaign with neither a hint as to what you might do as Deputy Mayor and Regional Councillor nor an acknowledgement that my lawn already featured a Tom Vegh campaign sign. Furthermore, while you didn't mention a single issue or policy for which you stood, you did assert that Mr. Vegh's campaign was routinely placing their signs on lawns of people who had not agreed to having such. I had already visited your blog a handful of times before you came knocking and could see that you are a single-issue candidate and that issue is beating your opponent. Frankly, that strikes me as a terrible issue on which to run, especially at the municipal level. Mr. McFadden, the editor at The Era, seemed to understand this when he rejected your attempt to submit a written statement and platform, something that you don't seem to understand as you wear that rejection as a badge of honour on your blog. You're also oddly comfortable explaining away your own expressly fraudulent expenses scandal while hammering on Mr. Vegh's less-that-obviously-wrong expenses issue from the last election cycle.

Now, to the primary reason for this email message: I wonder if you care to comment on this sign placement (image attached). I came across it this afternoon at the corner of Gorham and Hamilton Streets. It seems to be on a public street corner as the adjacent house has positioned their Ward Councillor sign on the other side of the driveway, separated from where these two signs were placed. It also seems unlikely to me that this house would agree to both a Vegh and a Prentice sign. It does seem to me like something someone who wants more visibility than their opponent on Gorham Street might do.

Frankly, I find this appalling (and, if my understanding of municipal election rules serves, illegal). Your obsession with Mr. Vegh has been apparent for months now, but this goes a bit far, wouldn't you say? I wonder: is this how campaigns are conducted in Lancashire? 

Take care,

William Dyer.

October 16 – 9.07pm - Me to William Dyer

Good evening Mr Dyer

Lots of people have taken my signs to go up alongside ones placed earlier by Tom Vegh’s people.

I don’t see that as a problem.

Gordon Prentice

October 16 – 10.12pm - William Dyer to me

Hello, Mr. Prentice.

Just so we're clear: when asked to comment on a photograph of your campaign sign impaling the campaign sign of your political opponent, pinning it to the ground, your response is that you don't see a problem.

This strikes me as, well, a problem.

William.

October 16 – 10.15pm - me to William Dyer

You are being totally ridiculous. I am not responsible for the damage to Tom Vegh’s sign and I totally deplore what happened.

Contact the police if you see anyone vandalising signs but do not, absurdly, try to pin the responsibility on me.

October 16 – 11.21pm - William Dyer to me

Hello, Mr. Prentice.

I am not being "totally ridiculous". You passed on an opportunity to condemn an instance of dirty pool engaged in against your political opponent. That strikes me as totally ridiculous. A campaign operating in good faith would take the first opportunity to condemn partisan vandalism, don't you think?

William.

Gordon Prentice 18 October 2022

  • You are here:  
  • Home