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		<title>A lunch of ignorance and stupidity</title>
		<description>Discuss A lunch of ignorance and stupidity</description>
		<link>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html</link>
		<lastBuildDate>Fri, 24 May 2013 02:46:12 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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			<title>RE: A lunch of ignorance and stupidity</title>
			<link>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2585</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Paul, if the Bs were meeting somewhere else, they had the good sense not to do it in a public place. That is the difference.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Cynic</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Thu, 09 Aug 2012 00:40:33 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2585</guid>
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			<title>none</title>
			<link>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2584</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Any Councillor can meet,phone,text each other at any time,discuss whatever,wherev er..can't see how meeting at a restaurant makes any difference.How does anyone know that the killer "b"'s weren't meeting elsewhere?]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Paul</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Wed, 08 Aug 2012 19:54:41 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2584</guid>
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			<title>...and on it goes</title>
			<link>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2583</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Something smelly is still happening at City Hall when an issue comes before committee or council and a vote is held with nary a question or comment from many of our representatives . Are they simply ill-prepared and relying on other councillors—the ones who consistently show evidence of having done their homework—to do the questioning? Or, having pre-arranged how or having been instructed how to vote, are they merely waiting in a patient herd to cast their ballot? I take issue with the way many councillors vote, but have an extra layer of contempt for those place-keepers who wouldn’t recognize open decision-making if it turned up in their expense account lunch.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Betsy Odegaard</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:28:52 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2583</guid>
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			<title>Thank You</title>
			<link>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2582</link>
			<description><![CDATA[All Londoners should be grateful for and appreciative of your fine investigative work, Philip; I for one am increasingly despondent about the growing lack of investigative journalism in our local newspapers and local media in general. Thank you for your insight into this particular Buffet Issue, all I can say is 'oh boy.' Regards, Abby Gardiner Founder/Writer www.stressbubbles.com]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Abby Gardiner</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Wed, 08 Aug 2012 15:11:32 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2582</guid>
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			<title>Buffet Made a Farce Out of Civic Engagement</title>
			<link>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2581</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Imagine the six Councillors and Mayor filling up around the luscious banquet table at the Harmony buffet as they discussed Hubert's survey, how much money to put aside for social housing and other key final budget votes to be made later that day. Does that sound democratic? Now square that up with all of Council and City's requests for Londoners to "get engaged in City affairs." Does talking to a Councillor at a mall or sending in an email on the budget really matter when six members of Council including the Mayor can meet at a members only lunch before the final votes? I don't think so. The image of those politicians at that banquet table working out deals sounds like the epitome of sleaziness. The six in question weren't even worried a member of public in the restaurant would see the meeting and question in it. Fontana is a lame duck Mayor and this Council will get little of consequence done in the next two years. Count on it.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>David Dimitrie</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Tue, 07 Aug 2012 19:42:25 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2581</guid>
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			<title>Good letter to the editor</title>
			<link>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2580</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Online letter to the editor of The London Free Press: city hall The next time you vote for London's city council and mayor, remember these names: Joe Fontana, Denise Brown, Stephen Orser, Dale Henderson, Bud Polhill, and Paul Van Meerbergen. And remember both their lunch meeting and their attitude towards the ombudsman and his report. Such arrogance and contempt should not go unrewarded at the polls. Let's give them plenty of time to have lunch together by not re-electing any of them. Posted By: Jeff Rankin-Lowe, London Posted On: August 6, 2012]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Harold Johnson</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Tue, 07 Aug 2012 18:24:13 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2580</guid>
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			<title>RE: A lunch of ignorance and stupidity</title>
			<link>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2579</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Well put Mr. Dimitrie. The optics seem to have escaped Orser (he seems to have learned the trick of trying to point somewhere else to distract voters from his mentor, Mr. Fontana). Let's hope other Ward 4 voters are watching him as closely as you do.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Cynic</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Tue, 07 Aug 2012 16:56:08 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2579</guid>
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			<title>RE: A lunch of ignorance and stupidity</title>
			<link>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2578</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Public shaming has no effect on the shameless. 'Politicians' deal with it by standing ground, obfuscating, muddying the waters and re-directing people to look at other issues during election periods. Because there is zero ability for voters to hold politicians to account between such periods, it has (traditionally) been left to the printed press to provide a measure of accountability by informing people, in a timely manner, about the state of our civic affairs so people can be better informed come voting day. Though Chip Martin, Sean Meyer and McLeod do a superb job covering city hall, they are few and their reporting has to be supplemented with other equally good resources such as Barry Wells & Gina Barber (to a degree) who remain their own editors. Very glad you reported on this Phil. Though it's uncomfortable reading, it is helpful to know. One can only hope it informs change for the better.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Oliver Hobson</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Tue, 07 Aug 2012 16:34:35 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2578</guid>
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			<title>productivity</title>
			<link>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2577</link>
			<description><![CDATA[I kind of expect my councilor's time during her term to be devoted to something productively beneficial that could ease the burden of my subsistence survival. I'd like to know if the food's any good? Is it worth the price or should I keep on saving up to do lunch at the Mandarin someday? Are The Harmony Six allowed to comment on this dining experience or did they receive gag orders from the d.a.a.'s office?]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Brenda</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:36:54 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2577</guid>
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			<title>This is Excellent, Helpful Analysis</title>
			<link>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2576</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Your discussion does a great service Phil, and draws out the full importance of the Ombudsman's work. His comment that "[m]ore and more, citizens follow closely the activities of municipal council. And they are prepared to scrutinize any meeting occurring outside the public spotlight" is not just a warning to leaders that people are watching. No, Councillors, this isn't just a game of avoiding public scrutiny. Instead, people expect and deserve leaders that know how to recognize when they might compromise their own integrity. Thanks again Phil, this is reading for 2014.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Wendy</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Mon, 06 Aug 2012 12:15:34 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2576</guid>
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			<title>Orser's last straw</title>
			<link>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2575</link>
			<description><![CDATA[I followed this matter from beginning to end. I read Mr. Marin's entire report. I heard the reaction from Councillor Orser and a few others. While Mr. Marin did not throw the book at this lunch bunch he did slap their hands. Those in the group who did respond haven't seemed to learn anything. While I just have one vote and Mr. Orser is my Councillor, his continued and vociferous defence of this event is the last straw for me. My hope is that other Ward 4 voters will also decide that 2 terms for Mr. Orser is enough. Other voters in other Wards can decide if they will support the Mayor or others who partook of the this buffet. Perhaps for some or all of them it will be the "last supper" of any significance for them as City Councillors.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>David Dimitrie</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Mon, 06 Aug 2012 02:22:44 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://themcleodreport.ca/columns/1001-a-lunch-of-ignorance-and-stupidity.html#comment-2575</guid>
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