Honest Scarecrow

Very clever Chipotle Mexican grill.  By now many of you have seen the scarecrow ad produced by Chipotle. It kinda makes you feel good right?  You can eat at Chipotle and feel good about yourself.  Think again.  Here is the Scarecrow ad ...





And here is a parody of the ad

Honest Scarecrow - watch more funny videos

Be aware of ads. Sometimes they don't tell you the whole story...

Huronia Survivors shocked by Premier Wynne

Earlier today I posted on Premier Wynne's failure to respond to what was essentially an easy question by the NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo, someone not known for giving the Ontario Liberals a break. DiNovo asked the Premier to commit to making the apology to the Huronia Regional Centre Survivors. Some of the Huronia Survivors were in the Gallery.

Premier Wynne took this easy question and did what we have come to expect of all politicians. She side stepped, then her Attorney General added insult to injury, suggesting the case was resolved quickly. The problems are well documented and the Government of Ontario has been aware of them since 1945.

I'm simply shocked.

Below is a media release from the law firm that brought the class action suit against the Ontario Government.
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Huronia Survivors react with disappointment to statements made by

Premier Wynne and Attorney General Gerretsen

TORONTO, Oct. 7, 2013 /CNW/ - Huronia Regional Centre (HRC) survivors reacted with "surprise and disappointment" to statements made by Premier Kathleen Wynne and her Attorney General today in the Ontario Legislature. In particular, lawyers representing the plaintiffs were astonished that both the Premier and Attorney General John Gerretsen made such error-filled statements about the recently settled Huronia Regional Centre class action lawsuit. 

During today's Question Period, the Premier and the Attorney General were flat-out wrong when they made the following statements:

		Premier Wynne: "The court is still determining, as I understand it—and I know that the Attorney General is going to want to comment on that—the nature of an appropriate apology."
		Attorney General Gerretsen:  "This may be no comfort to the residents at all, but the class action was settled in a very fast manner of less than three years, which is unusual for a class action."

Kirk Baert, lead counsel in the successful action, said: "The Premier got it wrong. She said the courts are still considering the terms of the apology. In fact, the courts have absolutely nothing to do with the apology." Baert continued: "The AG also got it wrong. I was stunned when Minister Gerretsen stood up in the Legislature and said the case had been settled quickly. I can tell you that the case took half a decade, and relates to wrongdoing going back to 1945. By any standard that is hardly 'fast'."

Koskie Minsky lawyers fought to ensure HRC survivors would receive justice in this case, and will continue to do so. "The victims of Huronia have suffered long enough," said plaintiffs' lawyer Celeste Poltak. "They need closure, not political games." 

The class action alleges residents of the HRC suffered inhumane treatment from 1945 until its closure in 2009, and that the province of Ontario failed to properly care for, and protect, those under its care.

Koskie Minsky LLP is representing the former HRC residents involved in the $2-billion class action lawsuit against the province of Ontario, as well as two other class action lawsuits currently underway: Southwestern Regional Centre and Rideau Regional Centre. These class actions are virtually identical to the one brought against the government by the Huronia survivors.

SOURCE Koskie Minsky LLP

Another sad day handed to Huronia Survivors by Premier Wynne

You know, we all want governments to do what's right. Yet often we find them passing the buck, looking for cover.  This is not leadership.  Leadership is sometimes doing the unpopular, or doing what is right.  Not many people in Ontario would disagree with the the statement, "The Ontario Government has failed the kids that have been sent to the Huronia Regional Centre and should apologize." See my blog and links on the tragic Huronia story here.

Premier Kathleen Wynne

Today, the Premier for Ontario, Kathleen Wynne was asked in the Legislature if she would commit to this apology. The people behind the struggle were sitting in the public gallery. They were watching, they were hoping that just once in the struggle for recognition of the harms done them and thousands of others, someone would do the right thing. 

Cheri DiNovo 

Today Cheri DiNova, the most tenacious fighter for the underdog in Queen's Park, lobbed an easy question to Premier Wynne.  "Will the Premier commit to apologizing to the Huronia Survivors on behalf of the government instead of handing it off to the Attorney General to apologize?"  The Premier stood to say it was all a matter of negotiations and it's before a Judge. 

It seems to me, the Premier could have easily said yes. I will apologize on behalf of the people of Ontario for the way these people at Huronia were treated. The case is settled. They are only talking details. When the Judge has finished his work on the agreed settlement, I will most certainly stand in the Legislature and issue an apology.

She didn't.

Question and Premier's answer in the House today.