Recently, a few candidates have indirectly questioned the security of this website and the questionnaire behind it.

The questionnaire is hosted on SurveyMonkey.com, the world’s leading provider of web-based survey solutions with more than 4 million account holders including 100% of the Fortune 100. For their security statement go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/Monkey_Security.aspx.

Durham Region Council is considering a by-law to elect the regional chairman in the next round of elections, fall 2014.

The question would appear on the fall 2010 ballot:
Are you in favour of the Council of the Regional Municipality of Durham passing the necessary resolutions and by-laws to change the method of selecting its Chair from appointment by the members of Regional Council to election by general vote of all electors in the Region
   YES   NO

Nominations for all municipal council positions opened on Jan. 4. If you would like to know more about how to run contact your municipal clerk, or for the unofficial guide look under 'Challengers' in the top menu.

In a report released Thursday Oct 8, the Clarington clerks' department recommends changing the voting method to a combination of conventional in-person voting at polling places throughout the municipality and internet voting during the time leading up to the official election day. The 2006 election in Clarington was conducted entirely by mail-in ballot.

Anyone wishing to provide comments on the EA must submit their comments in writing and/or by fax to the Ministry of the Environment by Friday, Sept. 25, 2009.

All comments must be submitted to:

Gavin Battarino, Project Officer
Environmental Assessment and Approvals Branch
Ministry of the Environment
2 St. Clair Ave. W.,
Floor 12A
Toronto, Ontario M4V 1L5
Tel: 416-314-8001 / 1-800-461-6290
Fax: 416-314-8452

A copy of all comments will be forwarded to the proponents for their consideration.

In a democracy, citizens have a right to expect their politicians to listen to them and to implement appropriate policies.

This requires real communication which is not about posturing or grandstanding. This site has arisen out of the debate over the proposed garbage incinerator in Courtice - although that was far from the first environmental issue to generate heat from the citizens of Durham Region.

Throughout the incinerator debate there was a growing body of dissent that complained bitterly that their 'representatives' were not listening.

In a surprising turn of events, Clarington Council passed a zero-waste motion at its meeting on July 13. The motion by Mayor Abernethy had been originally introduced in January and had been tabled.

A number of deputations addressed this and generally expressed puzzlement that after agreeing to the incinerator host agreement. that they would now adopt zero-waste which is incompatible with the incinerator.

Doug Anderson, one of the deputants, presented number from last June's Deloitte business case which showed that increasing diversion would reduce the amout of garbage available below the 100,000 tonnes per year required by agreement to keep the incinerator going.