Voice your concerns in as many letters as it takes. Write letters to the editor, letters to your Mayor, letters to your councillors, letters to your MP and MPP, letters to the Premier and letters to any other officials that will listen. And by all means, cc: as many people as you like as well. Write by letter or by e-mail. The more people that commit to putting their concerns into writing, the more deamalgamation will come to the forefront where it's likely to be dealt with.

Quoting one of our committee members, "Your silence is your consent"! If you sit back and remain silent, your silence will be used against you for if there is no opposition, there is assumed agreement and consent - that's how government tends to push ahead. Don't be complacent. Launch a letter writing campaign of your own and encourage others to do so as well.

What can you do with a yellow ribbon?
You can tie it in a bow, or make streamers.
You can wrap it around a tree, or a lamp post, or a fence post.
You can hang it from a door, or a gate, or your car, or your lapel.
You could tie it around a map of Flamborough and send it to your M.P.P.
You can display it to say to an autocratic government, "YOU broke something precious. FIX IT!"
Make a statement with a yellow ribbon: "GIVE US BACK OUR HERITAGE!"

YELLOW RIBBONS for Democracy....

Slowly, steadily and assuredly...the cars, houses, mailboxes, lamp-posts, fences, purses, lapels, and more are beginning to share a common bond. What is this common bond, you ask? Why the CFF (Committee to Free Flamborough) Yellow Ribbons of support, of course!

Yellow ribbons have begun springing up like the wildflowers throughout Flamborough these days as more and more citizens are expressing their displeasure with the current system of local government. The most recurrent response related to this displeasure appears to be the total disregard and blatant lack of respect for the people that form the tax base. The Committee to Free Flamborough is growing very tired of being ignored, misrepresented and dictated to in a manner which they never have before.

The forced amalgamation of this mostly rural area by a one-man, Governmentally appointed commissioner was wrong. It is wrong for reasons far too numerous to list here, but in addition to petitions, letters, and more, the people have now begun displaying yellow ribbons. These ribbons will be seen throughout Flamborough, and they will continue to be seen until the fight to make the Government listen to the electorate and restore the constitutional, representative basics of a truly democratic Government is won.

Do you like being forced to live in the City of Hamilton? If not, tie a yellow ribbon 'round your old oak tree and display your support for democracy.

For more information on the yellow ribbons, the petition, town-hall meetings, etc. please be sure to visit the CFF website, or add your name to the e-mail circulation list to be kept up to date regularly.

The door 2 door petition campaign is now under way with approximately 100 volunteers across Flamborough. We still need more help and anyone wishing to assist should contact the Committee to Free Flamborough.

This petition is to be signed only once by all eligible voters in the former municipality of Flamborough.

Anyone who signed a previously circulated petition should now sign this one from CFF which has correct wording for presentation to the Ontario Legislature.

TO: The Legislative Assembly of Ontario

WHEREAS the citizens of Flamborough had no direct say in the creation of the new super city of Hamilton and

WHEREAS the government by regulation and legislation forced the recent amalgamation, against the overwhelming majority of the people of Flamborough and

WHEREAS the government has not delivered the promised streamlined, more efficient and accountable local government, nor the provision of better services or reduced costs, and

WHEREAS the promise of tax decreases has not been met, with an average increase of 30% since amalgamation, and the expected transition costs to area taxpayers of this forced amalgamation has already exceeded the promised amount by 88%, be it resolved that we the undersigned demand that the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

IMMEDIATELY rescind this forced amalgamation order, return our local municipal government back to the local citizens and their democratically elected officials in Flamborough and in so doing remove the bureaucratic, inefficient single-tier governance it has imposed on the residents of Flamborough.

Take advantage of your right to speak before either Council or a Committee of Council. You need to call the City beforehand to request that you appear as a delegate. Tell them you want to speak about a beef (other than taxes) you have with City services and then, during your 10 minute presentation, ask if this is why your taxes have gone up.

Council / Committee Information

Committee of the Whole (COW)

Committee of the Whole is responsible for formulating and discussing general policies used to govern Council and the Corporation. The Committee of the Whole is composed of all Members of City Council and the Mayor is Chair of the Committee.

Committee of the Whole meetings are held on the first, second, third and fourth Tuesday of each month commencing at 9:30 a.m. in the Council Chambers of Hamilton City Hall, 71 Main Street West, Hamilton.

Council has adopted Rules of Procedures which outline the process for interested citizens wishing the opportunity to make a presentation to Council on an item of interest. A copy of the Procedural By-law outlining this process can be obtained by contacting the Records Division.

For a copy of the Request for Delegation form - click here (to speak before the Committee).

Hearings Sub-Committee (HSC)

Hearings Sub-Committee considers matters where public input is involved including legislated public meetings under the Planning Act, Municipal Act or other Acts and individual delegations. The Hearings Sub-Committee is composed of all Members of City Council and the Acting Mayor or Designate presides as Chair of the Committee.

Hearings Sub-Committee meetings are held on the first, second, third and fouth Wednesday of each month commencing at 9:30 a.m. in the Council Chambers of Hamilton City Hall, 71 Main Street West, Hamilton.

City Council

City Council is the final approving body for all recommendations submitted by the Hearings Sub-Committee, Committee of the Whole and other Committees. City Council is composed of the Mayor and 15 members of Council representing Wards 1 to 15 in the New City of Hamilton.

City Council meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the Month at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, Hamilton City Hall, 71 Main Street West, Hamilton.