Markham Farmer claims Legal Right to Land use

Hear from Sam himself - video

Markham Farmer, Sam Orrico, who has been farming in the area 35 years, had been given until Sat May 14th to move or face having his remaining belongings destroyed including his home, now a trailer, after the original house burned down some years ago during a dispute on repairs raised by Sam who has an agreement for the property. Yet both the town and the property's new (and "powerful") owner seem to have teamed up to oust him prematurely, using a newly created and incomplete bylaw, designed for residential properties as it's launch pad vehicle.


Before that, it was April 29 2016, and before that Sept 14 2015, and before that pressure and threats he says. Farmers like Sam forge these entrance agreements so just this very thing does not happen. It clearly states he'd move upon approval for development and to date there is no such thing.

If you'd like to know more background follow this link, but in a nutshell the town has asked the property owners to 'clean up' the property in question, suddenly calling Sam's farming equipment, parts, signs, storage areas, etc junk with Markham Councilor Karen Rae even calling him a hoarder.

"I'm no hoarder", Sam barked, "That's insulting. A hoarder hoards things they don't need. I need these things to farm and for equipment maintenance and many things. People who are not farmers do not know." He was offended. Even more so than back in Sept 2015 when the property owners reps first "ordered" him out, to have his stuff gone or they'd remove it, and then sent 7 cops to take him away in hand cuffs to prove they meant it - despite having his agreement. He came back that next day, after a humiliating stop for an "assessment". But belongings were now missing.


Sam issues his own letters!

Well Sam has sent a letter of notice of his own this week to the police, council, lawyers for the property, the property owners, you name it, letting everyone know he will no longer accept letters from anyone unless it's from a court of law. That he disputes their claims, and has an agreement as proof of his claims, and means to have his day in court.

He's been treated terribly for years with just enough interference by both the city and the land owner, he claims, to keep him from becoming a viable business. But it's more like disappearing lately, as equipment's has gone missing, farming tools, generators, even in the last few days the bolts to his trailer wheel chassis have gone and even his dug in flower perennials. They also expected him to move everything on their timetable at his own expense.

They lined his stuff up to scrap it

Yet, they, for some reason, have no problem moving in some other fellow in at the back of the property into another trailer over a year ago now, who Sam says he's just there to spy on him and cause grief, yet for some reason they need Sam out - before this property is even zoned for development - or rather re-zoned as the property owners and city are hoping for smooth sailing to condo development, superseding the official plan which called for industrial, being near the highway. Gridlock.

They ripped up all the trees and bushes too

I'm afraid they've all misjudged this old man of principle with a rock solid contract to be there.

On April 29, the day of the OMB hearing on the property (was put over), daffodils he had growing still on the property were removed while he was away.

Keep Markham Beautiful . Ha. Right.

Sept 2015 They moved Sams trailer right next to traffic

TP out

Sam's Daffodils seen here April 29 day...gone Ap 29 Eve

Tom's Green Show - Part 2 - Farmer's Last Stand

Tweet this #@%&! Online Bullying a Political Affair

Learn something new everyday. Recently I released a short, mostly humorous piece around local issues, having noticed through social media that some had a hard time understanding which government body or person to call for various issues. One I noticed was someone who was advised online to contact their MP about garbage issues. So the video contained info about who you would call for certain issues and has fun with it a bit.

Ombudsman Andre Marin

While communicating that message through the unique delivery style, unlike you'd get everywhere else, I also added the fact that an area ward meeting was being held that night, and that it could get interesting as it marked a return of Maddie Dimuccio to address an issue, which I had heard was the case. My pre-meeting piece featured a short 3 second clip of her making a statement - which I had on file from covering the Ombudsmans visit - I thought was covered quite neutrally, considering it was a PACC report, yet it must have displeased her highness, blasting me on social media for "speaking for her". Huh?

"No one speaks for me!" she posted out with a picture that referred to me personally as a Bitch.

"You must be a fan Bitch" her rant continued...and on...Asking me to move on, yet continuing to 'insult bait". This, over 3 seconds of footage of her making a normal statement on an issue. I didn't even spoof her which is oh, so tempting. Gulp. I'd hate to see her really mad. A mad Maddie!

Name withheld by request

In the morning I noticed her minions had added their jabs and pokes and "likes', with Dimaggio also trying to ridicule me for my Twitter following numbers. I do Tweet, but not obsessively, and our strategy is to place relevant content online where it can easily be found, whether through direct link placement or natural searches as our stuff dominates key word searches and we have over 100,000 total views now through our various channels to prove it, but I wasn't going to get into explaining that to someone who only seems to know real time Twitter and FB attacks on others as a means of online strategy.

If one expects to be in the public light, one should expect a little attention now and then and I'm afraid she'll need a much thicker skin for anyone actually gunning for her. Christine Elliot didn't complain about her PACC report coverage.

No complaints from this classy lady

I was no "fan", in fact I don't believe in the whole 'fan" idea, don't get gaga over play actors and have interviewed many. But I wasn't against her either when I first started hearing about and following the various seemingly outrageous stories about her behaviour while Councillor and even beyond. In fact, as more piled on her, the more I thought she may deserve some slack. They seemed the bullies. Hey, what can I say, I'm a sucker for the bad girls I guess, but heck enough's enough.

Attempting to alienate someone through name calling and bullying online won't win me over that's for sure and I'm sure others have felt the same - likely why she was soundly defeated in the municipal ward 6 of Newmarket. I used to think she might have been misunderstood. Now I just think Dimagine-o is just quackers.

I don't like bullies. I've seen them all, and from tougher places than she's ever been.


Later,

Tom