Lessons in Civic Action (UPDATED)
Guest Blog - Edwin Padilla
So, who is Edwin Padilla?
…a transplanted Windsorite coming on two years now. A pilot, a history and economics buff, that spends a lot of time looking down on our precious planet, the particularities of human kind, and wondering what is happening down there. When on the ground, a family and community man.
While raising my kids, I often find myself wondering who is teaching whom? We can learn so much from kids. Their natural optimism, simplistic interpretation of things, and sense of fairness is something we seem to loose as the seasons pass in our lives.
Today while taking a break from painting some window trims around the house, I found out that the Premier was in town. In the hope that maybe our local MPPs might be in town as well, I rounded up the kids (including a couple of visiting nieces) and headed to Sandra Pupatello’s constituency office.
My beef is a recent decision to move a regional MPAC office from a location in downtown to a new sprawling, accessible-only-by-car location somewhere in Tecumseh. As has been discussed before here, there is something fundamentally unfair in this decision. Funny, kids have no problem understanding that.
See all the images from their quest HERE
Edwin and his family will be making another attempt to visit our Member of Parliament today at 3:00 PM and welcomes anybody else who is interested to join him. Sandra Puatello’s office is located at 1368 Ouellette Avenue (click HERE for a map, and HERE for the bus routes [her office , located on Ouellette Ave between Giles and Ellis streets, is serviced by routes Transway 1A and Transway 1C Express. The Ottawa 4 and Central 3 routes also take you pretty close], that will take you there). They will be delivering a letter today as well.
UPDATED
Edwin and the “Civic Rookies” are continuing their quest to get answers from MPP Pupatello, and is documenting their adventures on YouTube. With Edwin’s permission, I will add his videos to this post to keep you abreast of their progress.
DAY 2
DAY 2 (cont’d)
Tags: guest blogger, MPAC, Sandra Pupatello
Post Feedback
I work until 4 but am thinking I might go down there just after work sinse it’s not so far.
The office is open until 5pm today. So, let’s make it 4pm than. I have one more coat of paint to apply anyways.
See you there. =)
Before I get accused of bussing-in adorable outsiders to re-enforce my own civic three, let me just say their vacation was planned months in advance;).
Edwin: Harken the last days of Socrates!
Thanks for the breath of fresh hope.
Remarkable kids
“Citizen” Media Release
To whom it may concern,
Today, Thursday July 9th, at 4 pm a “small” group of civic-minded individuals is going to depart the transit Windsor downtown bus terminal towards Sandra Pupatello’s constituency office. The “rookie civic leaders” have resolved amongst themselves to deliver a message to our local MPPs that, they believe, a recent decision to move an MPAC office from downtown Windsor to Tecumseh is unfair. It is my hope that our local provincial representatives can address their concerns in a prompt manner. As a warning to our MPPs, they are planning to return everyday until they are heard.
You can learn more about the issues and geneses of this at https://scaledown.ca.
I would hope that if you share our concerns you would join us in delivering this important massage. Please forward this to others that might want to participate. Thanks in advance.
Very proud dad and uncle,
Edwin Padilla
Dear Sandra,
We think that moving the government office to Tecumseh is not the best idea.
People with no cars can’t get there. The buses only go to Tecumseh mall but not to the town of Tecumseh.
There are many empty buildings and stores in downtown that you can use. Instead of building a new building in Tecumseh you can repair the ones in downtown.
We hope you agree with us and can help.
Thank you,
Civic Rookies edited by Dad/Uncle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR5AJjA–L4
I was just interviewed by CBC radio (AM 1550) about this trek to Pupatellos office, and was told it will be playing on the evening news - so listen in!
Hopefully, Minister Pupatello will be listening as well!
I was also asked how many people would be showing up for the ride from the transit terminal so that CBC TV can get an idea about the visuals. If you can join Edwin at the terminal at 4:00, please do so! It will show people that this is an issue to be concerned about.
We need more Edwin’s in this city period. Thanks Edwin for choosing Windsor and for taking action in what you believe.
Well, the media paid a little attention to the Padilla Quest. CBC was there to interview everyone (including Edwin’s daugher who read the reporter their letter posted above) and I did an interview with AM800 on the bus ride home. We’ll see what comes of it.
Pupatello wasn’t in her office, but we spoke at length to an aide, outlining the reasons - in detail - of why we were there and asked for answers to our myriad of questions (one of her answers to my query about why they were moving was MPACs need of free, accessible parking for its employees. Yeah - how’s that fit into the Liberals anti-sprawl policies?!?). We’ll see what comes of it and let you know what they say.
And Edwin and his clan have promised to continue visiting their office daily until he receives some adquate answers. Like Dave said above, we need more Edwins in this city, as well as the Tims and Pats who joined us in the MPPs office to drive the point home. It was great seeing everyone there.
To be fair, she was only stating the position of MPAC. I found the staff seemed honestly eager to help. And we really did barrage the woman with our many complaints.
Having said that, when I got home I was quite frustrated and exhausted after another day and no progress. I certainly understand the seduction of apathy much better now. It is not easy to thrust yourself forward and enthusiastically expose yourself to disappointment with no control. Being cautious by nature and accustomed to being in control most of the time, I find myself out of my element.
The kids lifted my spirits though. They were eager to record another video. I didn’t think there was anything new to add but kids say the darnest things. “This is Canada. After every letter there is an A, and after every house there is parking,” said Anabelle.
In the video, I tried to get them to repeat that line. Classic, I think.
Oops
Lessons in Civic Action Day2a
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKbmtzbiUZI
Lessons in Civic Action Day2b
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR5AJjA–L4
I got an update from Minister Pupatello’s Constituency Office today. As was suggested to us yesterday, likely Monday for the information we requested.
This morning, I thought about taking the kids to see the proposed new location of the MPAC office in Tecumseh. But since we won’t all fit in my small car, a taxi ride through the town and a quick stop at the corner of Manning Road and E.C Row is not the impression I want them to have of Tecumseh. I think Corn Fest will be more appropriate.
One of the points of contention, that was brought up again today. Is the fact that M.P.A.C. is a not-for-profit corporation made up of member municipalities. The suggestion seems to be that there is nothing our MPPs can do in this because M.P.A.C. is not accountable to the province.
You decide.
About MPAC
http://www.mpac.ca/pages_english/about_mpac/overview.asp
“MPAC is accountable to the public through a 15-member Board of Directors. Eight members of the Board are municipal representatives; five members represent property taxpayers; and two members represent provincial interests. The Minister of Finance appoints all members of the Board.”
I wonder what our very own Minister of Finance thinks about this decision to move the M.P.A.C. office?
Do not accept for a second the notion that MPAC is not accountable to anybody.
Good work on this Edwin. People are starting to talk about it.
Tristan, you know my dearest wish is to have our provincial representatives step up and demand some regional solutions. We need an inclusive regional transit solution like yesterday. And we need a regional solution to governance too. The province is the only one that can squeeze some heads and make this happen.
For now, I think I’ve done about all I can. It would be nice if our heavyweights in lobbing for the core and advocating for co-operative regional solutions the DWBIA and DRA could continue the fight.
There is a skip in logic here that needs to be explained. I think, this MPAC move is emblematic of a bigger regional problem. In short, lack of co-operation is the big regional problem. In our region, we have too many groups pulling in different directions and accomplishing nothing. If we had co-operative regional solutions for public transit and co-operative regional policies there would be no MPAC issue. Some feel it is too late to change the MPAC office move. Maybe, but regardless we need to fix the bigger regional issues - fast.
I’ve done all I can because in my home there are only 4 provincial votes. For me to continue this fight, I would need to make this a political issue. I have no desire to do so - none, nil, zip, zero. It is all the voters of this region that should be upset with the bigger regional problems. Why does the province step up in places like Toronto and demand regional solutions but not here? How do residents of Tecumseh and the rest of the region outside Windsor feel about not having a public transit option? Don’t you think we have too many municipal politicians in the region often pulling in opposite directions and thus accomplish nothing?