Re: Article “Kilgour open to what ombudsman has to say,” which appeared on NorthernLife.ca Sept. 15.
Ward 7 Coun. Dave Kilgour, in his response to the mayor’s accepting the ombudsman’s invitation to return and address council’s discomfort with the public report, stated, “You have to remember we’re the ones who chose him to put him in that oversight position. There were other choices, but we chose him because we respect the government and we anticipated it would be a more thorough process.”
Indeed, Mr. Kilgour, you and the council at the time chose the ombudsman’s office to be that oversight. Council made that decision for the benefit of the people that elected council to office, did it not? It seems that more than once, the people chose to utilize that decision.
Yet, the whole of the dissatisfaction with that decision, and the consequential outcomes, seems to rest solely with current council and not with the public, as it and council digest the fallout of this latest debacle.
Does that mean council at the time made a mistake? I quite frankly do not think so.
Credit should be given to the council that chose the ombudsman’s office. But, I have yet to hear from enough individuals within the current council to give any credit or quantified respect to, based on its reaction to the latest ombudsman’s report.
In fact, even your most recent comments, Mr. Kilgour, as an elected representative, still seem slightly indignant. You say: “I’ll listen to what he has to say, and that wll form the basis for any questions I might have. My questions, and I bet everybody else’s questions, too, will be determined by the way he makes his presentation.”
Is this position all of Greater Sudbury’s elected representatives?
The ombudsman has already said what is necessary to say in his report. Regardless of what spin individual councillors have played on it, the ombudsman — the commissioner of fairness — has already expressed his findings of the fundamental working processes of the council of Greater Sudbury.
He is returning to offer council and our community an olive branch. He is returning to aid this city’s leaders, and to improve their leadership. As I see it, council should be humbled enough to openly accept this offering.
Council has been given a position of responsibility and authority that ultimately belongs to all citizens of this city, supporters, voters and every citizen otherwise, each of them. It would be so much more effective and beneficial for our community if more council members recognized this.
I am hopeful that you are indeed open to the impartial observation and direction that Mr. Marin is offering. Rest assured, this engaged citizen will be following events as they unfold.
Citizens may be told that there is no choice but to accept the “status quo” for the interim, but that does not mean they must sit idly by, if the bulk of Greater Sudbury’s council continues on what many seem to view as a mostly impotent course for the ultimate betterment of this community.
Chris Nerpin
Greater Sudbury
