Raise the Hammer

Yikes... I knew I should have picked a username like HulkHogan -- if only to escape having to respond to Mark Alan Whittle's conspiracy theories.

Mark - you really should try to relax more. Maybe try Yoga - or less caffeine.

To answer though - NO, I am not a Registered Lobbyist. I appreciate your concerns though -- let's see if I can help you out - of course a phone call to me might have answered your questions too, but of course that isn't quite as sensational as posting baseless claims in cyberspace.

I work as an employee of Legal Aid Ontario - an arms-length organization funded through the Ministry of the Attorney General. McQuesten Legal & Community Services receives it’s operating funding through Legal Aid Ontario with a mandate to provide legal assistance to low income Hamiltonians (free of charge, to those who qualify). We have a volunteer community board of directors that oversees personnel matters.

Let me be clear, McQuesten does not receive any operating funding from the City of Hamilton.

While I particpate on some committees in my position as Community Development Coordinator at McQuesten, others have been strictly voluntary - such as the Hamilton Historical Board.

I have never received payment for any municipal or advisory committee on which I have participated – Brian McHattie once bought me a ‘fair trade’ coffee, but I’m hoping that won’t land me in the slammer.

While I routinely speak and make presentations to Councillors, City Staff and others about ‘law reform’ initiatives and public education outreach it is not on behalf of ‘specific clients’, but rather because our clinics have identified areas of public policy that are having a detrimental impact on low income Hamiltonians in general.

You can find out about Hamilton’s Community Legal Clinics’ mandate and activities by going to our website at www.hamiltonlegalclinics.ca

Oh, and just to make you happy, I talked to the Registrar herself this morning and confirmed that as a provincial government employee – I am not expected to register. If that policy changes, I will be more than happy to abide by the regulations set forth in the Lobbyists Registration Act.

I hope I have eased your troubled brow Mark.

Wasn't somebody talking about social service downloading at some point?