Another Breach of Confidentiality? Push for cyclist-only streets as hundreds hospitalized

I misread the AFI story and made an incorrect assumption based upon what I had read.  My apologies and I have removed my confusing entry.

Another leak?  Councillor Halberstadt’s blog

Councillor Halberstadt writes:

It has become clear now that the infamous “leak” (to the A Channel) of the bargaining positions of the city and CUPE was perpetrated by CUPE National. Details were perhaps verified by one or more people on the city side. Whatever the case, the leak was a red herring to dismantle the talks since CUPE National wanted no part of a Windsor agreement to set a pattern with a Toronto walkout only days away.

It is very unfortunate for Councillor Halberstadt that he chose to utilize this tactic – which raises serious questions as to the independence of the integrity commissioner and/or the city’s ability to conduct an internal probe.

Councillor Halberstadt has made his position with respect to the municipal strike quite known.  

While I personally do not agree with the adversarial and inflammatory tactics he uses in the capacity of an elected official, Councillor Halberstadt is of course entitled to his opinion, as we all are.

But the Councillor’s allegation the leak was “perpetrated by CUPE National” raises some very serious questions as to the integrity of the internal investigation as well as the investigation of the part of the city’s integrity commissioner – a position that Councillor Halberstadt was opposed to creating:

“I think there are better ways to spend taxpayers’ money,” said Halberstadt, who voted against the proposal when it was approved in principle in October (Windsor Star, August 18, 2008).

For the councillor to make such an accusation, since it “has become clear” – who provided this information to the councillor? 

Was it the city’s integrity commissioner or the findings of the “internal” probe?

It would not be surprising for the city led  internal probe to find CUPE at fault. 

I find it highly unlikely that an internal probe conducted by the city would find fault on the part of the city, just as I would suspect a CUPE finding of city fault as CUPE claimed on CTV.ca:

Luke Tittley, a CUPE representative, told CTV.ca that a city council member had likely leaked the union’s full proposal to the media. “We want fair bargaining and we have proposed many cost cutting solutions related to staffing, hours of work, scheduling and equipment, and they’ve all been rejected,” Tittley told the news web site.

What would be surprising is if this information was leaked as a result of discussions with Earl Basse, the city’s integrity commissioner.

That would be  a significant problem (and a great reason on the part of politicians opposed to creating this position to terminate the position), since conversations with the Integrity Commissioner are supposed to be confidential.

And if that information was shared on the part of the Integrity Commissioner to Councillor Halberstadt – both must be called to task for this breach of confidentiality with Councillor Halberstadt investigated for a Code of Conduct violation and the Integrity Commissioner investigated.

Or, if the information came from the “internal” probe conducted on the part of the city, this finding must be taken with a grain of salt since it is hardly an independent investigation. 

I suspect this is where Councillor Halberstadt is getting his information, since he wrote:

“Details were perhaps verified by one or more people on the city side.”

Perhaps verified? 

It either was or wasn’t. 

“Perhaps verified” cannot lead to a conclusion the leak was “perpetrated by CUPE National.”

Or is this simply a childish tit-for-tat response to CUPE’s allegation on CTV?

Push for cyclist-only streets as hundreds hospitalized

 By Carmen Chai, The Province, June 9, 2009

An interesting article from Vancouver regarding the safety of bike lanes next to roadways in comparison to Europe.  While doing so may not be feasible on our transportation grid, utilizing existing rail corridors –  a network of off-roard bike paths could be constructed.

More than 670 adult cyclists have gone to emergency wards in Vancouver for cycling-related injuries between June 2008 and March 2009, a UBC study reports.

At least one in every five to ten cyclists who go to emergency rooms end up having to stay overnight because of the severity of the injuries, said Kay Teschke, UBC professor and leader of the study investigating how to make cities bike-friendly.

Colleagues in Toronto and Vancouver have followed 1,100 cyclists who have been injured in both cities.

Cyclists who died or suffered brain damage were not included.

The recent preliminary results shocked the nine researchers working with Teschke.

Canadian cyclists were between three to 15-per-cent more likely to get injured than cyclists in Holland.

The percentage doubles for American cyclists. “It’s quite dramatic. We have much higher rates of injury and yet [Europeans] don’t have helmet laws for kids or adults,” she said.

Teschke suggests Vancouver’s streets aren’t compatible with safety for cyclists compared to Holland, where cyclist lanes aren’t beside driving lanes. “That’s the big difference. Europe uses primary prevention. North Americans use helmets. Helmets are secondary. We slap a helmet on and we think that’s enough.”

The project showed more than 1,400 Vancouverites surveyed did not want to cycle near drivers.

They wanted paved off-street paths for cyclists only, and cycling paths separated from major streets with a physical barrier.

Teschke noted Vancouver streets made cyclists additionally uneasy because they didn’t like bike lanes between parked cars and moving cars. “And that’s common on our streets. Cyclists just want to be separated from traffic,” she explained, plainly.

The study determined the typical frequent cyclist is male, aged 25 to 45. They are labelled as a minority in a large group of adults with bikes.

If Vancouver wants to have a cycling culture similar to Europe, the focus should be on the majority of cyclists who aren’t comfortable with riding near drivers — older people, women, and people with children, she said.

Once cyclist culture increases, less accidents would occur because “drivers would be forced to be aware of the growing group, and a larger cyclist group could advocate for the type of roads they want.”

John McQueen, 47, says he feels confident cycling on the streets, but he knows why others wouldn’t.

“You can get spooked by the speed of traffic. There are bike lanes set up and there’s no respect for them from drivers,” he said.

“The lines are painted to keep them out, but they cross them all the time. I expect stuff like that now,” he said.

McQueen said he’d use cyclist lanes separated from roads if they were available.

Adam Barlev collided with a car and injured his shoulder years ago when he was cycling.

He’s lost a friend, Doug Preston, who died in February this year when he was struck head-on by a car in the middle of the afternoon in Surrey.

Barlev also agreed that separate bike paths would be safer and more convenient.

“Right now, you have to be careful when you’re riding your bike. It’s safer here than in the United States, though.”