By Pepper Parr
October 19th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Why would a candidate send an email like this days before the election?
As you are aware you have previously been banned from communicating with the City in regard to the flood because of your viscous and unreasonable behaviour. Please stop this harassment. Blair
Read on.
We are in the dying days of the most controversial election the city has seen in a long long time.
There are three incumbents facing voters that are not happy and a Mayor that is up against stiff competition.
This is not the time for any of the incumbents to make a mistake. They need to work their base and be nice nice to everyone.
Blair Lancaster in a photograph from her election campaign material.
Ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster who has demonstrated some strong diplomatic skills in the past appears to have lost it. . She can be poised, knows how to handle large unruly groups; we’ve seen her do it. The two people running against her would have a significant barrier to get over.
Then Lancaster blows it. Every member of council has a constituent that makes their life difficult; they go with the territory.
Krista Richards is tenacious – when she has an issue it is better to pay attention and bring the concern to a close – quickly before it gets out of hand.
Richards is not a fan of her council member. She does not subscribe to the Council members Face book page or follow her tweets.
But somehow Lancaster got Krista’s name and election material was arriving in her electronic mail box.
Richards believed this was a violation of the city election rules that does not allow members of council to use city resources to get re-elected and sent a complaint to the Clerk’s office.
Richards didn’t get a response in what she thought was a reasonable amount of time.
The Clerk’s office did say that they would bring the email being sent to the attention of the Council member – and Lancaster apparently reacted.
She said:
Blair Lancaster
From: Blair Lancaster <blair@blairlancaster.ca>
Sent: October 19, 2018 11:48 AM
To: Krista
Subject: Stop
Krista, I have never added you to my newsletter. My website and my newsletter are not corporate resources. In addition your continued slanderous attacks are being noted. As you are aware you have previously been banned from communicating with the City in regard to the flood because of your viscous and unreasonable behaviour. Please stop this harassment. Blair
Sent from my iPhone
The Gazette has also had its issues with the Council member. We filed a complaint with the Integrity Commissioner when we believed that Lancaster made public matters related to a person that were discussed in a Closes Session of city council.
That matter is pending.
Those of us who live north of the 407 always have had issues with Lancaster. I don’t think she’ll get too many votes from us, but of course we are insignificant in numbers as compared to her constituents south of the 407.
I have not communicated with Ms. Lancastor in over 2 years. Until yesterday. So if she is at a breaking point because she broke rules and I called her out on it. So be it. My only issue with the current Ward 6 councillor is that she has not done her job. Yes and responding to emails by all City staff is part if their job. There is no grudge. Its called a track record. With municipal election voter turnout so low. A difference of 500-600 votes made the difference 4 years ago in Ward 6. And 4 years later, nothing changed. Ward 6 has no voice at the table.
The question still has not been answered!
Did Council member Ms Lancaster, violate the city election rules in that she used or did not use city resources (i.e., a city owned email list) in this campaign.
This is the question Clerk’s office should be immediately answering. And if not answered, why not.
As for Ms. Lancaster’s email to Ms. Richards, it shows what is missing with current Council, respect for their constituents and insight.
D. In the first sentence of her email she stated that I was not on her newsletter or website. So the only way she could have sent me campaign material is indeed she got my email address through her position at council. So yes D, she did. I also want to know why the clerk’s office did not respond to me for almost month. And they would not had if I did not keep asking about it. I find this to be concerning, as I could have posted before early/online voting and maybe garnered more conversation, gotten people more engaged on what is really going on, I find is suspicious but I will never get a straight answer out of City Hall.
Councillors Lancaster and Dennison stand accused of misusing their council supplied residents list for electoral purposes which may be illegal.
Regardless of how city electoral officer, Angela Morgan, rules, either Lancaster and Dennison deliberately misused the lists or they did not understand the rules of ths municipal election.
In either event they have proven unworthy of tbe office the seek to attain.
The voters in wards 5 & 6 should vote accordingly.
Also I think she meant “vicious” not “viscous”.
I want to clarify as I am the person who received this email. I do follow Blair on twitter as I want to know if she ever has anything logical to say about her record, Ward 6, Regional Councillor. Instead I see “happy to participate”, “happy to be apart of”, yet since June 28 she has published nothing of vital interest to Ward 6. Its all fluff. Being a Councillor is not a “participating job” it’s hard work. And if the only thing you can strongly comment on at a meet the candidate’s debate in a church where she had to have police protection is “dog poop!”. Then yes, her 8 year record speaks for itself. And just to clarify, I am not banned period. We in Ward 6 need a councillor who does the job, independently reads City recommendations and actually “challenges them” and just does not participate. I am sorry, she and the City have branded me as trouble, yet every single email can be backed up. Yes I demand answers, that is their job. These are not “dog poop” issues, these are serious infrastructure matters that impact everyone. However, let’s not miss the point, in her email she actually admitted that I was not apart of her newsletter or website so therefore, YES SHE DID violate my privacy and used the Corporate Resources for her email blast. That my friends is truth.
Thank you Krista. We need more people such as yourself to hold these people at City Hall accountable. What you describe is exactly what I have heard of your Councillor….all fluff.
Has anyone actually seen the videos of the Council meetings on the City of Burlington Website? Ms. Lancaster’s only purpose there is to be a pretty face and flirt with Mr. Sharman. In her 8 years, has she actually put forth any purposeful motions? I hope most people in Ward 6 think like you do Krista.
Thanks David! Yes I have watched the videos also. Paul Sharman has been council for ward 6. She did not even defend her vote on the mega tower project in Alton. She does not communicate with her constituents on why she takes a position EVER. But she lobbied hard to get 1.4 million for “perks” in a fully funded museum by others levels of government.
Well, it is one thing to be “vicious” and quite another to be “viscous”. I absolutely agree that behaviour that is so transparently ‘thick’ and ‘sticky’ would be troublesome for Ms. Lancaster who is so transparently ‘thin-skinned’ and ‘slick’ that honest and forthright conduct might seem exceedingly alien – almost harassing. Try ‘the smile’ again Blair. In my humble opinion.
I have known Blair for a long time and she has always been very professional in her dealings with people. Don’t know the situation here but sounds like a braking point on someone harassing Blair. There is a limit to what a person should put up with.
“There is a limit to what a person should put up with”.
She should probably remember that herself and recall her completely inappropriate treatment of a certain colleague on Council. This is pretty ironic and poetic justice.
This person Krista Richards seems to have some big grudge against Blair. Is it personal or real I don’t know. She is all over a Headon forest facebook page with anti-Blair stuff. Even hinting she is not qualified for office as she was Miss Canada totally neglecting the fact Blair for a number of years ran a spa nd modelling agency in the city. Wish i knew real reason for hatred I sense. Was it related to flood? She also claims Blair never returns emails or calls.
Mr Gardner, I am not sure why you felt compelled to comment on Ms Richards interaction with councilor Lancaster. I see Krista as being actively engaged and has clearly stated that she wants to hold Lancaster accountable. You have spent more time being anti-Meed Ward, I wish I knew the real reason for your hatred and why you see your actions as being acceptable and then dismiss another person for speaking up. Isn’t this the Pot calling the Kettle black?
Grahame, I think the answer lies in many of Gardner’s previous posts. He dislikes Meed Ward because she is clearly opposed to overintensification. Gardner consistently comes across as a shill for the development industry.