Danny Galea

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Did mayor blow the lid off CAO firing controversy with 'hypothetical' scenario?

OrilliaMatters

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I still don't understand McIsaac's reasoning. If you're going to pose a "hypothetical" that basically spells it all out, why doesn't he just come out and say it? Is he afraid of being sued when the person he calls racist comes after him? And its been a long time since I knew Robert's Rules Of Order, but how can he deny a point of order about himself? I think the majority of Orillians wouldn't have cared who the CAO was or their race as long as they were qualified to do the job & that all the processes were followed properly. Why did the mayor feel inclined to step in for Mr. Singh?These statements only serve to cloud the issue while the mayor tries to paint council as the problem.

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THE PAIKIN PODCAST: Can Donald Trump actually kill NATO?

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@dinho85 - Where are you getting your numbers? Canada is at the bottom of almost everything, but somehow there isn't anarchy. Mark Carney has somehow made the entire country, outside of you and your ilk, ignore this? Education, health care around also controlled at provincial levels, so if we're at the bottom, this isn't just a Carney thing.And how do Conservatives fix this? All I know is PP has not released any kind of plan outside of "the Liberals did it."Gosh, it was so much easier before the internet when all you conspiracy theorists were stuck in your basements with tin foil hats.

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No flyers in your mailbox? No problem — we have you covered

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I just thought of this this morning. It's nice to save some trees.

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COUNCIL SERIES: A city councillor is entering the mayoral race

OrilliaMatters

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JL Durnford would be a good choice for mayor. During her time on council, she may not have always been on the same side philosophically as me, but she was committed and I am also confident she would not use the strong mayor powers to ram things through when she doesn't get her way. As for Ralph, another "hey I'm going to retire" to "I haven't decided yet." Luke Leatherdale also talks a big game for being a ghost on council. Hopefully, we in Ward 2 can find some better candidates to represent us in this forced ward system.

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Mayor urges patience as winter wallops Orillia (9 photos)

OrilliaMatters

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We have a lot of snow. We always have a considerable amount of snow. And now we have another "snow clearing is hard" declaration from our lame duck mayor.If we have enough equipment and we're not going over budget, why does it take so long and why is done so shoddily? Perhaps, we need to budget for more than enough equipment or a bank to pay snow removal services on the road for more hours when they are needed.

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City bows to pressure, will grant OMAH's deputation request

OrilliaMatters

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How hard is it to show a little class and move your agenda around to not waste people's time? Like this is basic human decency stuff.

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'Very upset': Residents fume after 40 trees cut down at Orillia park

OrilliaMatters

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Trees were dead, dying, infested. If they had fallen on the playground structure or a child, the city would be liable and the PR nightmare that follows. It's unfortunate, but it is what it is.

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COLUMN: McIsaac shows what can go wrong with strong mayor powers

OrilliaMatters

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Another "keyboard warrior" here to add to the insanity! (Really OM, that was a tone deaf letter if there ever was one).I also voted for Mayor McIsaac, but to think that he shouldn't have to explain why he requested strong mayor powers before they were just made permanent, only to use them to undo a hiring in the 11th hour after the candidate quit his previous job and was ready to move here, is asinine.We "look stupid" because Mayor McIsaac now appears as if he didn't like the candidate hired through the process & decided to use unilateral power to undo it. The mayor has also refused to simply answer the question of why. If he didn't ask for the super powers, this would have been a minimal footnote in meeting minutes. Going about it the way he did erodes any trust anyone could have in him.As for how the powers can benefit Orillia, has the current council had any issue reaching consensus on an issue? We've asked Carmen, he hasn't replied

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THE PAIKIN PODCAST: Can Donald Trump actually kill NATO?

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Trump is the savior of the world eh? Keep bucking for that invite to Mar-A-Lago John.If you know so much about world affairs, why aren't you making millions spreading this information? Just think of the talking engagements!

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'It's a hardship': Roof collapse puts Orillia Corner Market in peril

OrilliaMatters

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With the amount of empty storefronts downtown, why doesn't one of these landlords curry some good public relations and offer to put them up in the meantime?

Council to consider reimagined Champlain Monument on Monday

OrilliaMatters

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Waiting for the "put it back, it shouldn't have been removed" crowd to flood in.Obviously, the money is way too much. And why is there a wall separating everything? Talk about reconciliation while we are putting literal walls between the different parts of the monument. You can have a simple concrete pad & put all of the pieces in their own space, but together. This would be accompanied by some kind of plaque or display, working in consultation with Rama (which it is embarrassing that they have experienced racism, hatred etc) and other Indigenous groups to find a common story that represents everyone's view. Heck, even one about how the statue, not even the man it represents, was in the background for so many of Orillia's historical moments.But this is Orillia, where the residents are ignored for big legacy projects by the majority of council, past & present.

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New Shoppers Drug Mart opening at Orillia Square Thursday morning

OrilliaMatters

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Shoppers Drug Mart lost my family's business a long time ago. They'll text you and say your prescription is ready, only to arrive and they need "ten more minutes." Of course, this is so that you will wander the store and possibly buy more stuff.We moved our business to Laclie Pharmacy years ago and have not regretted it once.

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Survivors cheer as former HRC buildings come down (6 photos)

OrilliaMatters

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The comments on the board so far are bewildering. Historical buildings, perhaps. But ones that 1) caused pain to a lot of people who were held there against their will & 2) the majority of which had not been properly maintained & were in disrepair. Are we supposed to waste money fixing them to make them habitable for the homeless, especially with all the baggage they hold? This is the smart move, knock them down & repurpose the land using modern building techniques, whatever the buildings do."Erasing history does not make it disappear." What a grandiose statement for something so obvious. If it brings closure to former residents to not have to look at them & spending taxpayer money to keep them standing, why not? The history will still exist in the cemetery across the street.

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Sparks fly as council opts to shelve plans on Champlain Monument

OrilliaMatters

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What else has Smith done this term besides put her foot in her mouth?Leatherdale must have avoided my street when he was "knocking on doors." Ward 2 has the worst representation election after election.

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New 8-court pickleball complex could be on horizon at Foundry Park

OrilliaMatters

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Yeah, let's leave the property the way it is, where there have been homeless encampments etc and just let it overgrow. Let's continue to complain that there isn't enough activities available in this town. Yes, let's sit on our hands and spend no money on anything ever.Not everything has to do with money. This is a positive change in the community.

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'A sad situation': Island Princess set to sail away from Orillia

OrilliaMatters

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Vandalism is at epidemic levels in Orillia. You can stand almost anywhere in town and look around and see something vandalized. The work on the waterfront/downtown and also the work on Laclie Street has moved at a glacial pace. I've never seen projects take so long.

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Orillia Recreation Centre pools closed by health unit inspectors

OrilliaMatters

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How many times is something that shuts down some part of the rec centre going to happen before the town makes so kind of change? Is the building cursed or does staff need to be replaced to do a better job?

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Did mayor blow the lid off CAO firing controversy with 'hypothetical' scenario?

OrilliaMatters

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@Grouchy - Most families do not have time to attend council meetings, which is already niche viewing.

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City council meeting: Monday is D-Day for Champlain Monument

OrilliaMatters

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I'll repost my comment from March 30th: "Want to save money and make the whole situation better? Don't build literal walls to keep up the metaphorical ones in this whole situation. You literally need a concrete pad, put the statues in a semi circle with plenty of information that lets everyone tell their story. This isn't two sides of an issue. There is an easier (and cheaper) way to fix this situation." The only people who care about this statue are those who remember it as a part of their childhood, hence a burning desire to put it back just like it was to fit that memory. This is not a huge tourist draw, more of something tourists might come across while at the waterfront for something else. Why not spend as little as money as possible, take a meaningful step towards reconciliation (even if it isn't perfect) and teach people about the history of the area.

Encrypted police communications force Orillia to be less 'nosey'

OrilliaMatters

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Another person looking for a conspiracy around every corner.The system is being updated and more secure.Police should not be required to leave everything open for display. If you want to know something, pay for the Freedom of Information request.

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