Dean Martin 2

OPINION: 'Guelph has become a cold and mean place in recent weeks'

GuelphToday

I sat beside the owner of NV and the rest of the DGBA/bussinesses at the meeting and and ended up moving to a different seat. I do understand they have businesses to run and are struggling but their absolute hatred and destiné they showed they had zero compassion in their hearts. They want a solution no matter how destructive it would be to homeless. They could have pushed council for a constructive solution but chose not to. People need to remember that not all businesses downtown are members of the DGBA, only a select few. I know more and more people are boycotting the downtown. If this is your intent I would suggest that you note which ones are part of the DGBA and boycott those.

- Dean Martin 2

Council approves controversial public space use draft bylaw

GuelphToday

Now the city is going to be taken to court for a legal battle we're going to lose. What a waste of our taxes dollars that could have gone to solving the issue. Mayor Guthrie by failing homeless since 2014 has led to him failing the downtown and with a lawsuit has now failed all of Guelph. Councillor O'Rourke question to one delegate of "If we move them out of downtown will it remove the stigma?" is the equivalent of out of sight out of mind.

- Dean Martin 2

Mayor inadvertently violated code of conduct: integrity commissioner

GuelphToday

I had question Mayor Cam Guthrie on these type of trips and recieved no response. I've also questioned him about his position on the Global Convenient of Mayors, what is entails and how much of his time is taken away from his mayoral duties to the city. His only response was "I like to multi-task." He was elected and receives full time pay to focus on the needs of Guelph, not divide his attention between us and his personal pursuits that feed his ego. Now he recieves a full time paycheque and we get a part time mayor.

- Dean Martin 2

Feds pitch in $2.6M for downtown shelter expansion

GuelphToday

We also need a muncipal election to fix these problems. Mayor Cam Guthrie and council found $16million for two self cleaning washrooms downtown but can't find additional funding to help the homeless situation? Values are definitely messed up.

- Dean Martin 2

Mayor inadvertently violated code of conduct: integrity commissioner

GuelphToday

Reasonable Person at the council meeting where the Publuc Spaces Bylaw was being passed Guelph Legal Aid was one of the delegations present. They forwarned Mayor Guthrie and council that other similar Public Spaces that have been challenged across Canada that the municipalities have lost every single time at both provincial and Supreme Court levels and found to be in violation of human rights. They also warned that if they continue forward that they will launch a class action lawsuit on the matter which will be very costly. Maybe you should ask the Mayor how those type of cost are budgeted for?

- Dean Martin 2

Mayor not aware of anything U of G is doing to mitigate impact of student surge

GuelphToday

Isn't this the pot calling the kettle black. He has spent one term as councilor and is in his 3rd term as Mayor and has doing nothing about affordable housing. He even admitted a video statement inJune 2023 that he has been taking a "sit back and hope for the best approach". He wants people to agree to the market housing projects and ADUs but here is the problem... people don't want an overpopulated Guelph that has a collapsing infrastructure. We don't want to be the next Brampton or Mississauga. But all he cars about is meeting Doug Ford's 50% growth mandate, no matter the cost.

- Dean Martin 2

Mayor not aware of anything U of G is doing to mitigate impact of student surge

GuelphToday

Isn't this the pot cLlimg the kettle black? Mayor Cam Guthrie complaining the University hasn't done enough about providing enough residence for students yet he has, but his own admission in a June 2023 video, taken a "sit back and hope for the best aproach" to the affordable housing crisis for 15 years.

- Dean Martin 2

LETTER: It's not about encampments, it's about illegal activity

GuelphToday

Illegal activities have existed downtown before the encampment existed. Having worked the bar scene for many years I was challenged to many fights (including an attempted stabbing) been pushed around, dealt with occurrences of women drinks being spike, open drug use/deals (coke, MDA, Ecstasy, etc) both in the club and the streets, seeing store windows smashed and other property damage, public urination and dedication, streets brawls and other things the the DBGA members are complaining about. The biggest difference is that what is witnessed was between the hours of 11pm and 4am typically from the paying bar patrons. But that's different right? Those downtown patrons have money and the homeless don't.

- Dean Martin 2