This underhanded approach by deputation to seek Council support for a Ministerial Zoning Order (MZO) that precludes public discussion, debate or comment is a clear insult to every taxpayer in the City of Vaughan, as well as to thoughtful council members and employees of the municipality’s Planning Department.  Members of Council are clearly aware that MZO’s being issued without restraint by the current government of Ontario are rapidly reaching a pandemic level of their own, creating similar devastating effects in the community!!

It is surely unthinkable that elected representatives, sworn to uphold the interests of the municipality and its citizens, might contemplate any action respecting this deputation other than its instant rejection, with direction to the developer to follow established due process in its quest for approval.

If a majority of Council could be so thoroughly compromised in its definition of its duty to its citizens (or perhaps so corrupt in its slavish devotion to developers) as to support this bold attempt to gain authorization by decree of an unapproved development, then Council should take the obvious next step and close the Planning Department as a cost-saving measure, in recognition of Council’s dismissal of the normal planning process and its annulment of the department’s historical authority, powers and standards in this regard.