Let's get council's doors open and get some answers. It's our money they are spending

The accepted way of doing business in HRM government is to run as close as possible to total secrecy. Meetings are held behind closed doors. When they open the doors they read off lists of things settled earlier in camera then vote on them calling for questions with time limits on them.

The people of London Ontario took their council to court and the Supreme Court quashed a by-law they had passed because it was debated behind closed doors and only voted on in public. Sounds like 99% of HRM’s council’s work doesn’t it?

One of the better examples of this was the Commonwealth Games. Millions were spent and, even now, we don’t know where. Mayor Kelly told me on the Hot Line Show that there was a secrecy deal between the three levels of government. I wrote the Federal Minister and have his letter saying no such deal was in place.

Again Mayor Kelly promised (two or three times)to produce a tax dollar paid for feasibility study done on hosting the games but never produced it. From what I was told "people" (or one person?) on the games committee did not want it published. Makes you wonder who is really running the city doesn't it?

The tax reform deal was all presented to us as a done deal. Council made a big deal about the public hearings (after the fact) but these were the ultimate dog and pony show. No questions and answers allowed for. It was a typical HRM read what we wrote deal.

On Wednesday I am going to look at some of the many unanswered questions from the Commonwealth Games. I know I can members of the games committee and HRM council saying, “here we go again” or “it’s over let it die”. Why? Why can’t we get answers on where OUR money went? Is there a problem with who may get caught with his or her hand in the cookie jar?

Perhaps it's time (or even well past the time) for the taxpayers of HRM to take the City Council into court to force open the doors of council chambers like they did in London Ontario.