Protect the Bay. Protect the Taxpayer. Show Us the Deal

Frenchman’s Bay is one of Pickering’s greatest natural treasures. It is part of our identity, our waterfront and our history. I want it protected. I want it preserved for future generations. And I support bringing the Bay into public ownership if the deal is responsible, transparent and in the best interests of the people of Pickering. But supporting the Bay does not require taxpayers to stop asking questions. In fact, when millions of public dollars and one of our community’s most important natural assets are involved, we should be asking more questions, not fewer. The City has announced that the Frenchman’s Bay acquisition has reached an important milestone and that the key parties are now in place to establish a funding agreement and long-term management model. It has also acknowledged that important work remains and that final agreements and arrangements are still being worked through. That matters. A press release is not a purchase-and-sale agreement. A headline is not a contract. And an announcement about everyone working together does not tell taxpayers exactly what they are ultimately agreeing to. On August 6, Council considered a confidential report concerning the acquisition of Frenchman’s Bay. When Council returned to open session, the public motion approved the confidential direction provided to staff. Five members voted in favour. I voted against. One member did not participate in the vote. The public can see the motion and the vote. What the public cannot see is what that confidential direction actually contained. And because those discussions took place in closed session, I am limited in what I can disclose. That puts me in an unusual position. I can tell residents that I have concerns. I can tell them that the details matter. But I cannot simply repeat confidential information to prove why I am asking the questions I am asking. That is exactly why the agreements themselves should be made public before taxpayers are irrevocably committed. Residents deserve straightforward answers. What exactly will the City of Pickering own? What will other governments, agencies or conservation organizations own or control?Who will manage the Bay? Who will be responsible for maintenance, environmental obligations, dredging, infrastructure and future capital costs? What restrictions or conditions will apply? What financial obligations could fall on Pickering taxpayers after the purchase? And when all of the agreements are read together, does the deal being signed match the deal residents believe they are getting? Those are not anti-environment questions. They are not anti-waterfront questions. They are basic due-diligence questions. I have seen enough municipal agreements during my time on Council to know that the headline rarely tells you everything you need to know. The real obligations are often found in the conditions, schedules, responsibilities, long-term commitments and fine print. That does not mean something improper is happening. It means responsible elected officials should read before they celebrate and verify before they commit taxpayers. And that is why I voted the way I did. My vote was not a vote against Frenchman’s Bay. It was a vote for knowing exactly what Pickering residents are signing up for. If I am elected Mayor, once disclosure can legally occur and before final closing where possible, I will push to make the purchase-and-sale agreement and related agreements available to the public, subject only to redactions genuinely required by law. Where something must remain confidential, residents should be told why. No political spin. No carefully selected pieces of the story. The documents. The obligations. The costs. The ownership. The complete picture. Because if this is truly an excellent deal for Pickering, transparency will not hurt it. Transparency will strengthen it. Let me be perfectly clear: I support protecting Frenchman’s Bay and bringing it into public ownership. What I will never support is asking taxpayers to write a blank cheque or accept a headline in place of the agreement. Protect the Bay — absolutely. But protect the taxpayer too. Before anyone celebrates, show taxpayers the agreements. Because the headline is one thing — the legal reality can be something very different. Frenchman’s Bay belongs at the heart of Pickering. And Pickering residents belong at the heart of the decision. It’s your money. It’s your waterfront. You have a right to know.