Aurora Back In the National News
Posted by auroracitizen on September 11, 2010
Aurora was once again back in the national news due to the political infighting that has taken place under the “leadership” of Phyllis Morris.
Today’s Toronto Star article about key issues in the GTA lists Aurora as 1 of 6 municipal elections to watch. But the reasons are the political climate that has been seen here for the last 4 years.
Aurora, a usually quiet town on the Oak Ridges Moraine, finds itself split into two factions: one camp that favours Mayor Phyllis Morris, and another that favours the mayor’s longtime vocal critic, Councillor Evelyn Buck. The two have been embroiled in a nasty battle that started with Buck’s outspoken political blog and ended in a $5.2-million lawsuit that Buck filed against Morris and five other council members last year, alleging they abused their power by launching an ethics complaint against her.
This is not the first time we have been front and centre for the behaviour of this Council. We made the national press when Phyllis and Councillors Gaertner, Gallo, Granger, MacEachern and Wilson banded together to fire David Nitkin, our first Integrity Commissioner, after he threw out the first complaint against Councillor Buck for being politically driven.
This is the basis of the $5.2 million lawsuit against the 6 individuals by Councillor Buck. However, the 6 are using town funds (yours and mine) to fight this battle.
Some Relevant Posts:
https://auroracitizen.ca/2009/10/31/lawsuit-continues/
https://auroracitizen.ca/2009/10/18/an-unbiased-opinion-the-globe-and-mail/
https://auroracitizen.ca/2009/09/09/toronto-star-council-spat-gets-uglier/
https://auroracitizen.ca/2009/09/07/the-spin-continues/
https://auroracitizen.ca/2009/08/13/toronto-star-editorial-weighs-in/
https://auroracitizen.ca/2009/08/10/keystone-cops-alive-and-living-in-aurora/
If you are interested in more of the history of this situation, click on the category links below (or in the column to the right):
Aurora Citizen 
Anonymous said
This Lawsuit is ridiculous! If any of these people of power had the slightest interest in the people they would put that 6 Million back into Aurora. The very thought of the tax payers forking out our hard earned money so you pathetic people can prove who is the bigger liar sickens me. You people need to grow up and do your jobs.
Thanks Will Be Given Come October said
How about the front page article in the Thursday Banner?
Seems the Canadian Federation of Small Business did a survey to find out how the town is addressing the concerns of small business in Aurora.
Rather than seizing this as an opportunity to work with these business owners to address their concerns, Mayor Phyllis Morris simply dismissed the survey.
So for all you small business owners in our Town, consider yourselves dismissed, your Mayor obviously doesn’t think you are important.
Typical.
Anonymous said
But now Nigel Kean is not the only vote splitter.
Richard Johnson said
My thinking is that this is essentially still a three way race. The bottom two candidates will not get much over 1,000 votes combined as far as I can see.
Phyllis won 5,200 votes in 2006 and she is not likely going to build on her base. I think she is going to take a hit but the extent of the hit is hard to determine. It depends on how closely people have watched council and how many people see what I tend to think of as the rather obvious hypocrisy, manipulation and spin at work.
Phyllis will not likely get more than 35% of the total votes cast (4,375 votes). In fact I am betting she gets less. That will leave approximately 8,175 votes to split four ways. If we assume the bottom two candidates will only take 1,000 votes then we have 7,175 votes left over. If either Nigel or Geoff get 61% of the remaining votes… they win. Nigel or Geoff would have 4,376 votes and the other would have 2,799 votes. That is exactly what I think will happen with any further losses from Phyllis or the third candidate going to the eventual winner.
Voters hoping for or demanding change will weigh who they think is the alternative front runner on election day and there will be a ground swell in that direction.
If Phyllis gets called on what I think are the numerous misleading statements she has made she does not stand a chance of getting as many votes this time around as she did last time, even despite the town’s growth. She is a spin doctor to be sure but I have to doubt if she is a miracle worker.
The only question is if voters will do their homework before the vote and if people speak up and ask Phyllis the tough questions that deserved to be asked.
Lets not fault Nigel or anyone, for putting their heart into the campaign for change. Just vote wisely and we’ll see if we get it right this time around.
Anonymous said
Anyone seen the picketing at the Town Hall?
fed up said
They were thre last night before the council meeting started but were gone shortly after it started
Anonymousl said
It was a picket by the outside workers who are in negotiations. Phyllis happpy about the potential for a strike during the campaign?
Anonymous said
Position to strike next week. Watching closely.
Richard Johnson said
Here are some additional links worth reading:
Aug 12, 2009, Councillor’s blog ignites Aurora firefight
LINK: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/679784
June 4, 2009, Councillor MacEachern Instigates 2 Integrity Complaints
LINK: https://auroracitizen.ca/2010/06/04/councillor-maceachern-instigates-2-integrity-complaints/
Aug 11, 2009, Toronto Sun, Aurora sacks its ethics czar
LINK: http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2009/08/11/10421676-sun.html
Please see the attached LINK: This is the man that Mayor Morris says was not qualified to be aurora’s integrity commissioner and this is the same man that had to file a cease and desist order against our Mayor because of what she was apparently saying about him. I know that what she told a reporter did not fit with what I was told officially by the town with regards to the reason for Mr. Nitkin’s departure.
LINK: http://www.ethicscan.ca/aboutus/bios/dnitkin.html
Broderick epps said
Today on 640 AM on Mike Stafford show “Dave” from Aurora called in and discussed the shenanigans going on in Aurora. He took shots at Ms. Morris for her lack of leadership and her downright childish behaviour during council meetings and also took Nigel Kean to task for running for Mayor and again potentially splitting the vote to the benefit of Ms. Morris.