15°c Overcast
21°c Cloudy with showers
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Reveal Emterra penalties: lawyer
Privacy expert says city has no right to refuse
Raymond Ares shows recycling that Emterra has not picked up at 300 Selkirk Ave. in more than two weeks. (JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store
Related Items
-
Articles
Lawyer Brian Bowman (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store
Coun. Harvey Smith (MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store
Coun.Dan Vandal (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store
An expert on privacy issues said Winnipeg politicians should be allowed to find out how much the city has fined Emterra for missed garbage and recycling pickups.
Access-to-information lawyer Brian Bowman said he is shocked by the city's refusal because elected officials have a legitimate right to know.
Several members of city council have joined the push to find out how much the city has fined Emterra for poor service since it began collecting garbage and recycling in the former AutoBin areas on Aug. 1 and 165,000 households city-wide in October. Winnipeg's public administration officials have refused to disclose the figure to members of council, saying releasing the information could harm Emterra's business interests.
City officials said this week Emterra's contract states the city can disclose the contract amount, but does not say the city can disclose penalties levied against the company.
The information should also be made public, Bowman said, unless Emterra can prove the release of the information would harm business.
Bowman said a move by the city to block the public release of the fines could also be challenged through provincial freedom-of-information legislation, the provincial ombudsman and the courts.
He said the spirit of access-to-information legislation relies on openness and it appears the City of Winnipeg needs a "huge shakeup" when it comes to transparency.
"I don't see how council members wouldn't have access to everything," Bowman said. "It's not a disclosure (issue). They are the city."
"I think the people who are actually accountable to taxpayers are city council members. They should have this information so they can make informed decisions."
City officials said Emterra would be fined between $100 and $500 for things such as missed pickups, carts lost during collections, emptying garbage into recycling vehicles and emptying recyclables into garbage vehicles.
Council's public works chairman Coun. Dan Vandal (St. Boniface) sent a letter Thursday to city CAO Phil Sheegl and chief operating officer Deepak Joshi urging them share the information with councillors.
Vandal said if the amount of fines can't be released for contractual reasons, the city should not have included penalties in the contract.
Couns. Harvey Smith (Daniel McIntyre), Paula Havixbeck (Charleswood-Tuxedo), Russ Wyatt (Transcona) and Ross Eadie (Mynarski) have also called on the administration to release the data.
"We're doing ourselves an injustice in terms of bad PR," Vandal said. "We are the board of directors of the city and we need to know this information."
He said he has not received a response to his letter as Sheegl is out of the office until next week.
While Vandal said the number of complaints about missed pickups has dropped about 75 per cent since October, other city residents say they're still seeing delays in service.
Raymond Ares said the recycling bins at his eight-storey Selkirk Avenue apartment block have not been emptied for more than two weeks. Ares said he phoned the city twice, and some of the bins are overflowing with holiday boxes. "It makes me feel not respected. Some of us work very hard in this building to keep things clean," he said.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 4, 2013 A4
More Latest News
- Back to Top
- Return to Latest News
More Latest News
(1 of 50 articles for this week)
Suspected Maoist rebels attack convoy carrying members of India's ruling party, killing 28
1:50 AM 0
Poll
Most Popular Latest News
- Traffic backed up on Trans-Canada near Richer
- Police searching for suspect who woke sleeping teen
- MTS becomes takeover target
- Overnight stabbings probed
- Teachers vote to donate $1.5M to human rights museum
- Infamous, chronic pedophile declines to seek parole
- Police hunt for gas station robber
- Doctor convicted after molesting teen at HSC
- Paying it forward in North End
- Doctor charged with sexually assaulting teen at HSC
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- 87-year-old woman tells jurors, 'Somebody had to stand up to' Donald Trump
- Chiropractor guilty of sexually assaulting, beating ex-girlfriend
- Crash claims two young women, RCMP say
- 2 dead in crash near Portage la Prairie
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- Winnipeg woman camps out in front of legislature to protest child welfare
- Rainfall warning issued for southern Manitoba
- Two men now facing first-degree murder charges in Tim Bosma test drive death
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Seattle man dribbling soccer ball to Brazil killed by car on Oregon Coast
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- 87-year-old woman tells jurors, 'Somebody had to stand up to' Donald Trump
- Driver crashes into tree near golf course
- Arrests made after raids on local head shops
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- News of city's $17-million winner leaks out on FB
- Passengers from diverted flight to leave Winnipeg Thursday night
- No threat from bag found at Winnipeg Square
- Chiropractor guilty of sexually assaulting, beating ex-girlfriend
- Ground control to Major Chris
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- Driver horrified by scene in rearview mirror after load hits I-5 bridge, road falls into river
- Youth faces murder charge in Pauingassi First Nation death
- Islamic life showcased
- Charges laid against Sharon Home over resident's death
- Unjust justice: Still no aboriginal court in Manitoba
- PC white grape juice recalled nationally over undeclared sulphites
- Demonstrators rally against Monsanto in global anti-GMO protest
- Local anti-Monsanto protesters critical of 'Franken-food'
- New owner for lumber stores
- Chiropractor guilty of sexually assaulting, beating ex-girlfriend
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- MTS to sell Allstream to Egyptian investment group, focus on Manitoba market
- Famous city grocer loved job, customers
- Prominent Canadians back petition to rename Victoria Day to honour aboriginals
- First Nation celebrates groundbreaking on city's first urban reserve
- Skin picking gets status as distinct disorder, should help sufferers access help
- Ground control to Major Chris
- Order of Manitoba recipients announced
- New owner for lumber stores
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- Chiropractor guilty of sexually assaulting, beating ex-girlfriend
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- 'Revenge of the redheads': Ginger-haired Montrealers gather in celebration
- An uncommon phenomenon
- Passengers from diverted flight to leave Winnipeg Thursday night
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- MTS to sell Allstream to Egyptian investment group, focus on Manitoba market
- Steen invests $1M in family entertainment centre
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.