They Must Think I’m a Mushroom
Photo credit - Kelly Allard
How stupid do they think I am?
As always, I’m asking questions that people in authority would rather not answer. The pitiful answers I have recently received are an insult to my intelligence. If you don’t want to answer the questions, just say so. Don’t feed me a pile of bullshit and call it good.
The culture at City Hall seems to be a litany of deny, deflect, ignore. A Council member who brags that she replies to every single communication has yet to reply to my e-mail sent over a month ago.
Status of My Complaint Against Chief Murphy and his Goons
(photo from MHPS website)
I filed my complaint against Chief Murphy and his three thugs on October 28 2024 for their heinous actions on Oct 8 2024 in the Aahkoinnimaan ni Boardroom. Three police officers physically assaulted a journalist thereby violating his Charter protected right to record a public meeting in a public place. The journalist was injured, the people who witnessed this violent act were traumatized.
According to the Police Act I am supposed to receive an update every 45 days; I did not receive my first one until 53 days later on Dec 20 2024; , MHPC chair Paul Carolan had told me they needed time to get legal advice.
Feb 7 2025 - I contacted the Medicine Hat Police Commission (MHPC) chair Paul Carolan for an update on my complaint. Carolan responded the same day. He said “obtaining comprehensive legal advice regarding your complaint took longer than expected.” Carolan says they now have checks and balances in place to “ensure timely updates”.
I am promised an update today, 52 days after my last one. It is now 105 days since I filed my complaint. I will keep you posted.
To be honest, I am expecting to be fed another pile of bullshit.
Nov 2021 MHPC Applications Privacy Violations
(Mar 21 2024 in Council Chambers)
I asked former police chief (and now Councillor) McGrogan about the Nov 2021 completed police commission applications being sent to former police Chief Mike Worden before they were sent to the Administrative and Legislative Review (ALR) Committee for consideration.
Greetings;
I have some questions about your time as police chief.
Question- How many times were you asked by the City for comments or concerns about police commission applicants in your tenure as Medicine Hat police chief?
Question - What comments or concerns did you offer?
Question- How were these comments or concerns different from a standard police commission security check?
I did not get a reply, not even an auto-reply. The next day I sent this
Greetings;
I am requesting an answer to yesterday‘s email. I also have some more questions.
Question- Since you were the chair of the administrative and legislative review committee in 2021, did chief Mike Worden express any concerns or have any comments about the 11 applicants?
Question – can you tell me why you think it is reasonable for the police chief to be able to weigh in on who will be serving on the commission that will be supervising him?
Question - have the police Commission applications been given to the police chief every time since 2021 for comment before they went to the ALR committee? If so, why?
Question - Were the applicants ever told that their applications would be given to the police chief?
Question - The document called Alberta policing oversight standards for municipal police commission says
"The municipality shall conduct a background check/security clearance of each successful candidate before confirmation of his slasher appointment to the oversight agency..."
Question – can you tell me why applicants to the MHPC are required to have a police check before their application is even considered? Is that not an unnecessary invasion of their privacy?
Thank you
His reply was
“Being the Mike Worden matter is before the courts I won't be replying to your inquiries; I have always acted with integrity and openness and will be happy to respond to legitimate media inquiries when the matters are concluded!”
Did you notice? Not one of my questions was answered.
I did not impugn his integrity at any time; I was merely asking how the sort of thing had been handled during his tenure as Chief of the Medicine Hat Police Service (MHPS) and later as chair of the Administrative and Legislative Committee. I’m not sure how the Mike Worden lawsuit relates to McGrogan’s actions as chief or as chair of the Administrative and Legislative Review Committee.
And what does “legitimate media inquiries” mean? Does he think he has the right to determine who is and who is not media or the legitimacy of their questions?
I recognize bullshit when I see it.
The Mike Worden lawsuit was filed Mar 1 2024. When I checked in October 2024, the lawsuit had not yet been served; he has one year to serve it.
Former Managing Director Brian Stauth Returns as Paid Executive Leadership Team Advisor
Feb 1 2025 I sent the following e-mail to head of People Services Karla Kochan
“Greetings;
The public was told that former managing director of public services Brian Stauth was retiring. He stayed for three months after Mr. Joseph Hutter was hired on Oct 1 2024 and now we see that he is in the Council Agenda documents listed as an executive leadership team advisor.
I have questions.
Question – what is an executive leadership team advisor?
Question – what are the duties of an executive leadership team advisor?
Question – what does an executive leadership team advisor get paid?
Question – Why does the city need an Executive leadership team advisor?
Question – when was this position advertised?
Question – how long will this position last for?
Question – where can we view the contracts for these external advisors?”
Ms Kochan got back to me Sunday Feb 9 2025 with the following message.
(Apr 22 2024 Council Meeting Video Screenshot)
“Thank you for the note and apologies for the delayed response, as my week basically got away from me.
Mr. Stauth retired as of December 31st, 2024. With most executive positions, there is normally a cross over of time when one executive is leaving and another coming onboard. This does ensure the hand off for consistency of projects, people and anything outstanding within the department, committee work and any commitments to Council.”
Again, not one of my questions was answered. I always ask nicely at first but when I know I’m being fed bullshit, my questions get harder.
We already had a 3 month overlap of Managing Directors where the residents were paying the extra salary. Either the new guy is so incompetent that he needs someone to hold his hand or is the Executive Leadership Team the incompetent ones?
Once again, how stupid do they think I am?
I might dress like biker trash but underneath the tattoos and leather resides an intelligent mind.
