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Asking AI — Caledon’s council is divided. But what does the data say? One resident crunched the numbers to find out.
To sum: “We’re a 5-4 council,” Cllr. Christina Early said at a meeting earlier this month. She was reacting to what she saw as a voting bloc — Mayor Annette Groves and four councillors voting in lockstep on divisive town issues.
Cllr. Tony Rosa called Early’s comment “completely out of order,” while Groves said it was “inappropriate” and “divisive.”
By the numbers: One local, who asked not to be named, fed Chat-GPT the meeting minutes from February to September to test the “5-4 council” claim.
Here were the results:
A fracture? The AI-bot found that roughly 80 to 85 per cent of votes were unanimous.
But of the remaining 15 to 20 per cent, it ID’d two stable voting blocs: Groves, Cosimo Napoli, Rosa, Doug Maskell and Mario Russo; Lynn Kiernan, Early, Nick de Boer, and occasionally Dave Sheen.
When they split, it was usually over three things: Procedural changes, development fights and integrity reports.
The AI analysis also found that “council is functionally majoritarian rather than consensus-driven.” The majority block, it determined, tended to vote with an eye toward “efficiency, growth and control.” Meanwhile, the opposing block emphasized “transparency, public voice, and caution on development.”
The eight-month snapshot captured some of Caledon’s most contentious fights — from the Swan Lake by-law to the Procedure By-law amendment and integrity commission reports — many decided by 5-3 or 5-4 votes.
Plus: “Late-night sessions produced the sharpest 5-4 splits, implying contentious agenda items are deliberately scheduled or extended.”
The pushback: Despite these aggregate findings, councillors insist they vote their own conscience.
Cllr. Mario Russo rejected the idea that he or other councillors vote by bloc, telling The Report that “it’s imperative that one obtains all facts, analyzes that data and makes an informed decision when voting… That’s what I consistently do.”
Russo said that asserting a 5-4 split is “unproductive” and “create[s] a narrative of divide that benefits no resident at all.”
Cllr. Cosimo Napoli said his votes “represent his residents,” and that he doesn’t think the 5-4 split has been intentional.
Many councillors said that a larger sample size of council votes would probably paint a more accurate picture. Some councillors, privately, have crunched their own data through AI to see who’s really voting with whom.
Cllr. Dave Sheen, who was identified as a “swing voter” between the two blocs in the analysis, told The Report that these findings are “a great basis for discussion and further analysis.”
More data: Meanwhile, Caledon itself is keeping tallies. The same week that Early’s comment caused a row, Caledon launched a long-awaited decision database.
For some locals, there are still some things Chat-GPT beats the database at.
When the database was unveiled, resident Kathleen Wilson wrote in to point out what she felt was missing: “the actual voting records,” showing each councillor’s vote.
— Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.: Mississauga’s General Committee will meet. Here’s what’s on the agenda:
— Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.: Brampton City Council will also meet. Ahead:
— Thursday at 9:30 a.m.: Peel Regional Council will meet. Ahead:
Also this week:
— Several events in the lead-up to Halloween in Mississauga.
Patrick Brown — On Friday, he was at the Ontario Big City Mayors’ meeting in Thunder Bay.
Speaking of which: The group is asking the Ford government to reimburse municipalities “for the costs associated with implementing the Automated Speed Enforcement program” — and that new signage requirements be implemented only once funding has been received. Full letter.
— Over the weekend, he spoke at the KC Group Diwali Dhamaka in Brampton.
— He joined the opening of Tadka King Sweets with Cllr. Paul Vicente, and visited the Daana Pani Sweets tent with Cllr. Navjit Kaur Brar.
— He appeared on The Kapoor Show podcast to discuss Brampton’s growth and challenges.
— He was at the 50th birthday party for Filipina-Canadian activist Emerson Salientes.
— He spoke at the third annual Alliance of Ladies of the Knights of Rizal Gala, alongside Cllr. Rowena Santos and PC MPP Graham McGregor.
— He also spoke at Brampton On Stage’s Somalia Cultural Night.
— He celebrated Brampton’s Fall Festival with fellow councillors and later attended the Bartley Bull Parkway Halloween Block Party with Cllrs. Martin Medeiros and Dennis Keenan.
— On Sunday, he watched the Blue Jays’ pivotal Game 6 win alongside Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies.
Carolyn Parrish — She was at the Trillium Diwali Hospital Gala.
— She celebrated Hubert Clarke’s 100th birthday at the Port Credit Legion.
— On Saturday night, she dropped the puck at the Mississauga Chargers hockey game with Cllr. Stephen Dasko.
— On Sunday, she attended a luncheon with Dasko and MPP Silvia Gualtieri to celebrate the “Breakfast with Santa Foundation.”
— She also attended a consecration ceremony at Mississauga’s Ram Mandir.
— And Parrish is hoping for a World Series win for the Blue Jays — while celebrating Food Banks Mississauga surpassing their fundraising goal.
— Ontario’s municipalities continue to push back against the speed cam ban.
— Parents across Toronto rallied on Monday to oppose it. “This would be like a carpenter saying, I don’t need a screwdriver because I’m updating and improving the hammer that I own,” said one.
— Ex-police chiefs also weighed in: “A well-designed (automated speed enforcement) program focused on safety first will save lives,” they wrote to Premier Ford.
— Peel Police have launched a new “culturally-responsive” hate crime unit. "[Some communities] feel sometimes during the judicial process they’re lost in the system,” said Deputy Chief Mark Dapat.
— Pierre Poillievre demanded that Mark Carney release federal contracts with Stellantis over the decision to scrap the Brampton plant. “Auto workers have been left in the dark about what Canadians got for the $10 billion your government promised to that company,” he wrote to the PM.
— Over the weekend, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the American embassy in Toronto as part of “No Kings Day.”
— Battery pickup recycling begins across the Peel Region on Monday.
— The Pointer reports on how thousands of Stellantis factory employees were laid off by robocall last week after the plant’s closure. “We had no time to process this,” said their union leader.
— The Lawrence Bishnoi gang rebranding as Robin Hoods? With social media campaigns, the newly-designated terror group are repainting themselves as a group targeting corrupt local business owners.
— “Our trucking problems could be solved overnight if the [Canadian Revenue Agency] enforces the laws already on the books:” Peter Udehi reports on potential routes to trucking reform and road safety.
— Seen: On Saturday, Brad Butt joined Natalie Hart at the groundbreaking for Diamond Square Plaza in Mississauga. Joe Horneck hosted a tree-planting event at Woodland Park on Saturday morning. Butt and Stephen Dasko were at a gala for Latin Heritage Night. Dasko was also at a Mata Ka Jagran celebration.
On Sunday night, John Kovac watched rockstar Tom Morello perform at the Living Arts Centre.
— Also: Caledon celebrated Diwali with a drone show on Saturday.
Thank you for reading The Peel Report. Have a story idea? Reach out. Your favourite newsletter — human-made, promise — is back in your inbox on Friday.
Asking AI — Caledon’s council is divided. But what does the data say? One resident crunched the numbers to find out.
To sum: “We’re a 5-4 council,” Cllr. Christina Early said at a meeting earlier this month. She was reacting to what she saw as a voting bloc — Mayor Annette Groves and four councillors voting in lockstep on divisive town issues.
Cllr. Tony Rosa called Early’s comment “completely out of order,” while Groves said it was “inappropriate” and “divisive.”
By the numbers: One local, who asked not to be named, fed Chat-GPT the meeting minutes from February to September to test the “5-4 council” claim.
Here were the results:
A fracture? The AI-bot found that roughly 80 to 85 per cent of votes were unanimous.
But of the remaining 15 to 20 per cent, it ID’d two stable voting blocs: Groves, Cosimo Napoli, Rosa, Doug Maskell and Mario Russo; Lynn Kiernan, Early, Nick de Boer, and occasionally Dave Sheen.
When they split, it was usually over three things: Procedural changes, development fights and integrity reports.
The AI analysis also found that “council is functionally majoritarian rather than consensus-driven.” The majority block, it determined, tended to vote with an eye toward “efficiency, growth and control.” Meanwhile, the opposing block emphasized “transparency, public voice, and caution on development.”
The eight-month snapshot captured some of Caledon’s most contentious fights — from the Swan Lake by-law to the Procedure By-law amendment and integrity commission reports — many decided by 5-3 or 5-4 votes.
Plus: “Late-night sessions produced the sharpest 5-4 splits, implying contentious agenda items are deliberately scheduled or extended.”
The pushback: Despite these aggregate findings, councillors insist they vote their own conscience.
Cllr. Mario Russo rejected the idea that he or other councillors vote by bloc, telling The Report that “it’s imperative that one obtains all facts, analyzes that data and makes an informed decision when voting… That’s what I consistently do.”
Russo said that asserting a 5-4 split is “unproductive” and “create[s] a narrative of divide that benefits no resident at all.”
Cllr. Cosimo Napoli said his votes “represent his residents,” and that he doesn’t think the 5-4 split has been intentional.
Many councillors said that a larger sample size of council votes would probably paint a more accurate picture. Some councillors, privately, have crunched their own data through AI to see who’s really voting with whom.
Cllr. Dave Sheen, who was identified as a “swing voter” between the two blocs in the analysis, told The Report that these findings are “a great basis for discussion and further analysis.”
More data: Meanwhile, Caledon itself is keeping tallies. The same week that Early’s comment caused a row, Caledon launched a long-awaited decision database.
For some locals, there are still some things Chat-GPT beats the database at.
When the database was unveiled, resident Kathleen Wilson wrote in to point out what she felt was missing: “the actual voting records,” showing each councillor’s vote.
— Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.: Mississauga’s General Committee will meet. Here’s what’s on the agenda:
— Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.: Brampton City Council will also meet. Ahead:
— Thursday at 9:30 a.m.: Peel Regional Council will meet. Ahead:
Also this week:
— Several events in the lead-up to Halloween in Mississauga.
Patrick Brown — On Friday, he was at the Ontario Big City Mayors’ meeting in Thunder Bay.
Speaking of which: The group is asking the Ford government to reimburse municipalities “for the costs associated with implementing the Automated Speed Enforcement program” — and that new signage requirements be implemented only once funding has been received. Full letter.
— Over the weekend, he spoke at the KC Group Diwali Dhamaka in Brampton.
— He joined the opening of Tadka King Sweets with Cllr. Paul Vicente, and visited the Daana Pani Sweets tent with Cllr. Navjit Kaur Brar.
— He appeared on The Kapoor Show podcast to discuss Brampton’s growth and challenges.
— He was at the 50th birthday party for Filipina-Canadian activist Emerson Salientes.
— He spoke at the third annual Alliance of Ladies of the Knights of Rizal Gala, alongside Cllr. Rowena Santos and PC MPP Graham McGregor.
— He also spoke at Brampton On Stage’s Somalia Cultural Night.
— He celebrated Brampton’s Fall Festival with fellow councillors and later attended the Bartley Bull Parkway Halloween Block Party with Cllrs. Martin Medeiros and Dennis Keenan.
— On Sunday, he watched the Blue Jays’ pivotal Game 6 win alongside Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies.
Carolyn Parrish — She was at the Trillium Diwali Hospital Gala.
— She celebrated Hubert Clarke’s 100th birthday at the Port Credit Legion.
— On Saturday night, she dropped the puck at the Mississauga Chargers hockey game with Cllr. Stephen Dasko.
— On Sunday, she attended a luncheon with Dasko and MPP Silvia Gualtieri to celebrate the “Breakfast with Santa Foundation.”
— She also attended a consecration ceremony at Mississauga’s Ram Mandir.
— And Parrish is hoping for a World Series win for the Blue Jays — while celebrating Food Banks Mississauga surpassing their fundraising goal.
— Ontario’s municipalities continue to push back against the speed cam ban.
— Parents across Toronto rallied on Monday to oppose it. “This would be like a carpenter saying, I don’t need a screwdriver because I’m updating and improving the hammer that I own,” said one.
— Ex-police chiefs also weighed in: “A well-designed (automated speed enforcement) program focused on safety first will save lives,” they wrote to Premier Ford.
— Peel Police have launched a new “culturally-responsive” hate crime unit. "[Some communities] feel sometimes during the judicial process they’re lost in the system,” said Deputy Chief Mark Dapat.
— Pierre Poillievre demanded that Mark Carney release federal contracts with Stellantis over the decision to scrap the Brampton plant. “Auto workers have been left in the dark about what Canadians got for the $10 billion your government promised to that company,” he wrote to the PM.
— Over the weekend, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the American embassy in Toronto as part of “No Kings Day.”
— Battery pickup recycling begins across the Peel Region on Monday.
— The Pointer reports on how thousands of Stellantis factory employees were laid off by robocall last week after the plant’s closure. “We had no time to process this,” said their union leader.
— The Lawrence Bishnoi gang rebranding as Robin Hoods? With social media campaigns, the newly-designated terror group are repainting themselves as a group targeting corrupt local business owners.
— “Our trucking problems could be solved overnight if the [Canadian Revenue Agency] enforces the laws already on the books:” Peter Udehi reports on potential routes to trucking reform and road safety.
— Seen: On Saturday, Brad Butt joined Natalie Hart at the groundbreaking for Diamond Square Plaza in Mississauga. Joe Horneck hosted a tree-planting event at Woodland Park on Saturday morning. Butt and Stephen Dasko were at a gala for Latin Heritage Night. Dasko was also at a Mata Ka Jagran celebration.
On Sunday night, John Kovac watched rockstar Tom Morello perform at the Living Arts Centre.
— Also: Caledon celebrated Diwali with a drone show on Saturday.
Thank you for reading The Peel Report. Have a story idea? Reach out. Your favourite newsletter — human-made, promise — is back in your inbox on Friday.
Asking AI — Caledon’s council is divided. But what does the data say? One resident crunched the numbers to find out.
To sum: “We’re a 5-4 council,” Cllr. Christina Early said at a meeting earlier this month. She was reacting to what she saw as a voting bloc — Mayor Annette Groves and four councillors voting in lockstep on divisive town issues.
Cllr. Tony Rosa called Early’s comment “completely out of order,” while Groves said it was “inappropriate” and “divisive.”
By the numbers: One local, who asked not to be named, fed Chat-GPT the meeting minutes from February to September to test the “5-4 council” claim.
Here were the results:
A fracture? The AI-bot found that roughly 80 to 85 per cent of votes were unanimous.
But of the remaining 15 to 20 per cent, it ID’d two stable voting blocs: Groves, Cosimo Napoli, Rosa, Doug Maskell and Mario Russo; Lynn Kiernan, Early, Nick de Boer, and occasionally Dave Sheen.
When they split, it was usually over three things: Procedural changes, development fights and integrity reports.
The AI analysis also found that “council is functionally majoritarian rather than consensus-driven.” The majority block, it determined, tended to vote with an eye toward “efficiency, growth and control.” Meanwhile, the opposing block emphasized “transparency, public voice, and caution on development.”
The eight-month snapshot captured some of Caledon’s most contentious fights — from the Swan Lake by-law to the Procedure By-law amendment and integrity commission reports — many decided by 5-3 or 5-4 votes.
Plus: “Late-night sessions produced the sharpest 5-4 splits, implying contentious agenda items are deliberately scheduled or extended.”
The pushback: Despite these aggregate findings, councillors insist they vote their own conscience.
Cllr. Mario Russo rejected the idea that he or other councillors vote by bloc, telling The Report that “it’s imperative that one obtains all facts, analyzes that data and makes an informed decision when voting… That’s what I consistently do.”
Russo said that asserting a 5-4 split is “unproductive” and “create[s] a narrative of divide that benefits no resident at all.”
Cllr. Cosimo Napoli said his votes “represent his residents,” and that he doesn’t think the 5-4 split has been intentional.
Many councillors said that a larger sample size of council votes would probably paint a more accurate picture. Some councillors, privately, have crunched their own data through AI to see who’s really voting with whom.
Cllr. Dave Sheen, who was identified as a “swing voter” between the two blocs in the analysis, told The Report that these findings are “a great basis for discussion and further analysis.”
More data: Meanwhile, Caledon itself is keeping tallies. The same week that Early’s comment caused a row, Caledon launched a long-awaited decision database.
For some locals, there are still some things Chat-GPT beats the database at.
When the database was unveiled, resident Kathleen Wilson wrote in to point out what she felt was missing: “the actual voting records,” showing each councillor’s vote.
— Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.: Mississauga’s General Committee will meet. Here’s what’s on the agenda:
— Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.: Brampton City Council will also meet. Ahead:
— Thursday at 9:30 a.m.: Peel Regional Council will meet. Ahead:
Also this week:
— Several events in the lead-up to Halloween in Mississauga.
Patrick Brown — On Friday, he was at the Ontario Big City Mayors’ meeting in Thunder Bay.
Speaking of which: The group is asking the Ford government to reimburse municipalities “for the costs associated with implementing the Automated Speed Enforcement program” — and that new signage requirements be implemented only once funding has been received. Full letter.
— Over the weekend, he spoke at the KC Group Diwali Dhamaka in Brampton.
— He joined the opening of Tadka King Sweets with Cllr. Paul Vicente, and visited the Daana Pani Sweets tent with Cllr. Navjit Kaur Brar.
— He appeared on The Kapoor Show podcast to discuss Brampton’s growth and challenges.
— He was at the 50th birthday party for Filipina-Canadian activist Emerson Salientes.
— He spoke at the third annual Alliance of Ladies of the Knights of Rizal Gala, alongside Cllr. Rowena Santos and PC MPP Graham McGregor.
— He also spoke at Brampton On Stage’s Somalia Cultural Night.
— He celebrated Brampton’s Fall Festival with fellow councillors and later attended the Bartley Bull Parkway Halloween Block Party with Cllrs. Martin Medeiros and Dennis Keenan.
— On Sunday, he watched the Blue Jays’ pivotal Game 6 win alongside Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies.
Carolyn Parrish — She was at the Trillium Diwali Hospital Gala.
— She celebrated Hubert Clarke’s 100th birthday at the Port Credit Legion.
— On Saturday night, she dropped the puck at the Mississauga Chargers hockey game with Cllr. Stephen Dasko.
— On Sunday, she attended a luncheon with Dasko and MPP Silvia Gualtieri to celebrate the “Breakfast with Santa Foundation.”
— She also attended a consecration ceremony at Mississauga’s Ram Mandir.
— And Parrish is hoping for a World Series win for the Blue Jays — while celebrating Food Banks Mississauga surpassing their fundraising goal.
— Ontario’s municipalities continue to push back against the speed cam ban.
— Parents across Toronto rallied on Monday to oppose it. “This would be like a carpenter saying, I don’t need a screwdriver because I’m updating and improving the hammer that I own,” said one.
— Ex-police chiefs also weighed in: “A well-designed (automated speed enforcement) program focused on safety first will save lives,” they wrote to Premier Ford.
— Peel Police have launched a new “culturally-responsive” hate crime unit. "[Some communities] feel sometimes during the judicial process they’re lost in the system,” said Deputy Chief Mark Dapat.
— Pierre Poillievre demanded that Mark Carney release federal contracts with Stellantis over the decision to scrap the Brampton plant. “Auto workers have been left in the dark about what Canadians got for the $10 billion your government promised to that company,” he wrote to the PM.
— Over the weekend, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the American embassy in Toronto as part of “No Kings Day.”
— Battery pickup recycling begins across the Peel Region on Monday.
— The Pointer reports on how thousands of Stellantis factory employees were laid off by robocall last week after the plant’s closure. “We had no time to process this,” said their union leader.
— The Lawrence Bishnoi gang rebranding as Robin Hoods? With social media campaigns, the newly-designated terror group are repainting themselves as a group targeting corrupt local business owners.
— “Our trucking problems could be solved overnight if the [Canadian Revenue Agency] enforces the laws already on the books:” Peter Udehi reports on potential routes to trucking reform and road safety.
— Seen: On Saturday, Brad Butt joined Natalie Hart at the groundbreaking for Diamond Square Plaza in Mississauga. Joe Horneck hosted a tree-planting event at Woodland Park on Saturday morning. Butt and Stephen Dasko were at a gala for Latin Heritage Night. Dasko was also at a Mata Ka Jagran celebration.
On Sunday night, John Kovac watched rockstar Tom Morello perform at the Living Arts Centre.
— Also: Caledon celebrated Diwali with a drone show on Saturday.
Thank you for reading The Peel Report. Have a story idea? Reach out. Your favourite newsletter — human-made, promise — is back in your inbox on Friday.
Asking AI — Caledon’s council is divided. But what does the data say? One resident crunched the numbers to find out.
To sum: “We’re a 5-4 council,” Cllr. Christina Early said at a meeting earlier this month. She was reacting to what she saw as a voting bloc — Mayor Annette Groves and four councillors voting in lockstep on divisive town issues.
Cllr. Tony Rosa called Early’s comment “completely out of order,” while Groves said it was “inappropriate” and “divisive.”
By the numbers: One local, who asked not to be named, fed Chat-GPT the meeting minutes from February to September to test the “5-4 council” claim.
Here were the results:
A fracture? The AI-bot found that roughly 80 to 85 per cent of votes were unanimous.
But of the remaining 15 to 20 per cent, it ID’d two stable voting blocs: Groves, Cosimo Napoli, Rosa, Doug Maskell and Mario Russo; Lynn Kiernan, Early, Nick de Boer, and occasionally Dave Sheen.
When they split, it was usually over three things: Procedural changes, development fights and integrity reports.
The AI analysis also found that “council is functionally majoritarian rather than consensus-driven.” The majority block, it determined, tended to vote with an eye toward “efficiency, growth and control.” Meanwhile, the opposing block emphasized “transparency, public voice, and caution on development.”
The eight-month snapshot captured some of Caledon’s most contentious fights — from the Swan Lake by-law to the Procedure By-law amendment and integrity commission reports — many decided by 5-3 or 5-4 votes.
Plus: “Late-night sessions produced the sharpest 5-4 splits, implying contentious agenda items are deliberately scheduled or extended.”
The pushback: Despite these aggregate findings, councillors insist they vote their own conscience.
Cllr. Mario Russo rejected the idea that he or other councillors vote by bloc, telling The Report that “it’s imperative that one obtains all facts, analyzes that data and makes an informed decision when voting… That’s what I consistently do.”
Russo said that asserting a 5-4 split is “unproductive” and “create[s] a narrative of divide that benefits no resident at all.”
Cllr. Cosimo Napoli said his votes “represent his residents,” and that he doesn’t think the 5-4 split has been intentional.
Many councillors said that a larger sample size of council votes would probably paint a more accurate picture. Some councillors, privately, have crunched their own data through AI to see who’s really voting with whom.
Cllr. Dave Sheen, who was identified as a “swing voter” between the two blocs in the analysis, told The Report that these findings are “a great basis for discussion and further analysis.”
More data: Meanwhile, Caledon itself is keeping tallies. The same week that Early’s comment caused a row, Caledon launched a long-awaited decision database.
For some locals, there are still some things Chat-GPT beats the database at.
When the database was unveiled, resident Kathleen Wilson wrote in to point out what she felt was missing: “the actual voting records,” showing each councillor’s vote.
— Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.: Mississauga’s General Committee will meet. Here’s what’s on the agenda:
— Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.: Brampton City Council will also meet. Ahead:
— Thursday at 9:30 a.m.: Peel Regional Council will meet. Ahead:
Also this week:
— Several events in the lead-up to Halloween in Mississauga.
Patrick Brown — On Friday, he was at the Ontario Big City Mayors’ meeting in Thunder Bay.
Speaking of which: The group is asking the Ford government to reimburse municipalities “for the costs associated with implementing the Automated Speed Enforcement program” — and that new signage requirements be implemented only once funding has been received. Full letter.
— Over the weekend, he spoke at the KC Group Diwali Dhamaka in Brampton.
— He joined the opening of Tadka King Sweets with Cllr. Paul Vicente, and visited the Daana Pani Sweets tent with Cllr. Navjit Kaur Brar.
— He appeared on The Kapoor Show podcast to discuss Brampton’s growth and challenges.
— He was at the 50th birthday party for Filipina-Canadian activist Emerson Salientes.
— He spoke at the third annual Alliance of Ladies of the Knights of Rizal Gala, alongside Cllr. Rowena Santos and PC MPP Graham McGregor.
— He also spoke at Brampton On Stage’s Somalia Cultural Night.
— He celebrated Brampton’s Fall Festival with fellow councillors and later attended the Bartley Bull Parkway Halloween Block Party with Cllrs. Martin Medeiros and Dennis Keenan.
— On Sunday, he watched the Blue Jays’ pivotal Game 6 win alongside Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies.
Carolyn Parrish — She was at the Trillium Diwali Hospital Gala.
— She celebrated Hubert Clarke’s 100th birthday at the Port Credit Legion.
— On Saturday night, she dropped the puck at the Mississauga Chargers hockey game with Cllr. Stephen Dasko.
— On Sunday, she attended a luncheon with Dasko and MPP Silvia Gualtieri to celebrate the “Breakfast with Santa Foundation.”
— She also attended a consecration ceremony at Mississauga’s Ram Mandir.
— And Parrish is hoping for a World Series win for the Blue Jays — while celebrating Food Banks Mississauga surpassing their fundraising goal.
— Ontario’s municipalities continue to push back against the speed cam ban.
— Parents across Toronto rallied on Monday to oppose it. “This would be like a carpenter saying, I don’t need a screwdriver because I’m updating and improving the hammer that I own,” said one.
— Ex-police chiefs also weighed in: “A well-designed (automated speed enforcement) program focused on safety first will save lives,” they wrote to Premier Ford.
— Peel Police have launched a new “culturally-responsive” hate crime unit. "[Some communities] feel sometimes during the judicial process they’re lost in the system,” said Deputy Chief Mark Dapat.
— Pierre Poillievre demanded that Mark Carney release federal contracts with Stellantis over the decision to scrap the Brampton plant. “Auto workers have been left in the dark about what Canadians got for the $10 billion your government promised to that company,” he wrote to the PM.
— Over the weekend, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the American embassy in Toronto as part of “No Kings Day.”
— Battery pickup recycling begins across the Peel Region on Monday.
— The Pointer reports on how thousands of Stellantis factory employees were laid off by robocall last week after the plant’s closure. “We had no time to process this,” said their union leader.
— The Lawrence Bishnoi gang rebranding as Robin Hoods? With social media campaigns, the newly-designated terror group are repainting themselves as a group targeting corrupt local business owners.
— “Our trucking problems could be solved overnight if the [Canadian Revenue Agency] enforces the laws already on the books:” Peter Udehi reports on potential routes to trucking reform and road safety.
— Seen: On Saturday, Brad Butt joined Natalie Hart at the groundbreaking for Diamond Square Plaza in Mississauga. Joe Horneck hosted a tree-planting event at Woodland Park on Saturday morning. Butt and Stephen Dasko were at a gala for Latin Heritage Night. Dasko was also at a Mata Ka Jagran celebration.
On Sunday night, John Kovac watched rockstar Tom Morello perform at the Living Arts Centre.
— Also: Caledon celebrated Diwali with a drone show on Saturday.
Thank you for reading The Peel Report. Have a story idea? Reach out. Your favourite newsletter — human-made, promise — is back in your inbox on Friday.
Asking AI — Caledon’s council is divided. But what does the data say? One resident crunched the numbers to find out.
To sum: “We’re a 5-4 council,” Cllr. Christina Early said at a meeting earlier this month. She was reacting to what she saw as a voting bloc — Mayor Annette Groves and four councillors voting in lockstep on divisive town issues.
Cllr. Tony Rosa called Early’s comment “completely out of order,” while Groves said it was “inappropriate” and “divisive.”
By the numbers: One local, who asked not to be named, fed Chat-GPT the meeting minutes from February to September to test the “5-4 council” claim.
Here were the results:
A fracture? The AI-bot found that roughly 80 to 85 per cent of votes were unanimous.
But of the remaining 15 to 20 per cent, it ID’d two stable voting blocs: Groves, Cosimo Napoli, Rosa, Doug Maskell and Mario Russo; Lynn Kiernan, Early, Nick de Boer, and occasionally Dave Sheen.
When they split, it was usually over three things: Procedural changes, development fights and integrity reports.
The AI analysis also found that “council is functionally majoritarian rather than consensus-driven.” The majority block, it determined, tended to vote with an eye toward “efficiency, growth and control.” Meanwhile, the opposing block emphasized “transparency, public voice, and caution on development.”
The eight-month snapshot captured some of Caledon’s most contentious fights — from the Swan Lake by-law to the Procedure By-law amendment and integrity commission reports — many decided by 5-3 or 5-4 votes.
Plus: “Late-night sessions produced the sharpest 5-4 splits, implying contentious agenda items are deliberately scheduled or extended.”
The pushback: Despite these aggregate findings, councillors insist they vote their own conscience.
Cllr. Mario Russo rejected the idea that he or other councillors vote by bloc, telling The Report that “it’s imperative that one obtains all facts, analyzes that data and makes an informed decision when voting… That’s what I consistently do.”
Russo said that asserting a 5-4 split is “unproductive” and “create[s] a narrative of divide that benefits no resident at all.”
Cllr. Cosimo Napoli said his votes “represent his residents,” and that he doesn’t think the 5-4 split has been intentional.
Many councillors said that a larger sample size of council votes would probably paint a more accurate picture. Some councillors, privately, have crunched their own data through AI to see who’s really voting with whom.
Cllr. Dave Sheen, who was identified as a “swing voter” between the two blocs in the analysis, told The Report that these findings are “a great basis for discussion and further analysis.”
More data: Meanwhile, Caledon itself is keeping tallies. The same week that Early’s comment caused a row, Caledon launched a long-awaited decision database.
For some locals, there are still some things Chat-GPT beats the database at.
When the database was unveiled, resident Kathleen Wilson wrote in to point out what she felt was missing: “the actual voting records,” showing each councillor’s vote.
— Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.: Mississauga’s General Committee will meet. Here’s what’s on the agenda:
— Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.: Brampton City Council will also meet. Ahead:
— Thursday at 9:30 a.m.: Peel Regional Council will meet. Ahead:
Also this week:
— Several events in the lead-up to Halloween in Mississauga.
Patrick Brown — On Friday, he was at the Ontario Big City Mayors’ meeting in Thunder Bay.
Speaking of which: The group is asking the Ford government to reimburse municipalities “for the costs associated with implementing the Automated Speed Enforcement program” — and that new signage requirements be implemented only once funding has been received. Full letter.
— Over the weekend, he spoke at the KC Group Diwali Dhamaka in Brampton.
— He joined the opening of Tadka King Sweets with Cllr. Paul Vicente, and visited the Daana Pani Sweets tent with Cllr. Navjit Kaur Brar.
— He appeared on The Kapoor Show podcast to discuss Brampton’s growth and challenges.
— He was at the 50th birthday party for Filipina-Canadian activist Emerson Salientes.
— He spoke at the third annual Alliance of Ladies of the Knights of Rizal Gala, alongside Cllr. Rowena Santos and PC MPP Graham McGregor.
— He also spoke at Brampton On Stage’s Somalia Cultural Night.
— He celebrated Brampton’s Fall Festival with fellow councillors and later attended the Bartley Bull Parkway Halloween Block Party with Cllrs. Martin Medeiros and Dennis Keenan.
— On Sunday, he watched the Blue Jays’ pivotal Game 6 win alongside Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies.
Carolyn Parrish — She was at the Trillium Diwali Hospital Gala.
— She celebrated Hubert Clarke’s 100th birthday at the Port Credit Legion.
— On Saturday night, she dropped the puck at the Mississauga Chargers hockey game with Cllr. Stephen Dasko.
— On Sunday, she attended a luncheon with Dasko and MPP Silvia Gualtieri to celebrate the “Breakfast with Santa Foundation.”
— She also attended a consecration ceremony at Mississauga’s Ram Mandir.
— And Parrish is hoping for a World Series win for the Blue Jays — while celebrating Food Banks Mississauga surpassing their fundraising goal.
— Ontario’s municipalities continue to push back against the speed cam ban.
— Parents across Toronto rallied on Monday to oppose it. “This would be like a carpenter saying, I don’t need a screwdriver because I’m updating and improving the hammer that I own,” said one.
— Ex-police chiefs also weighed in: “A well-designed (automated speed enforcement) program focused on safety first will save lives,” they wrote to Premier Ford.
— Peel Police have launched a new “culturally-responsive” hate crime unit. "[Some communities] feel sometimes during the judicial process they’re lost in the system,” said Deputy Chief Mark Dapat.
— Pierre Poillievre demanded that Mark Carney release federal contracts with Stellantis over the decision to scrap the Brampton plant. “Auto workers have been left in the dark about what Canadians got for the $10 billion your government promised to that company,” he wrote to the PM.
— Over the weekend, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the American embassy in Toronto as part of “No Kings Day.”
— Battery pickup recycling begins across the Peel Region on Monday.
— The Pointer reports on how thousands of Stellantis factory employees were laid off by robocall last week after the plant’s closure. “We had no time to process this,” said their union leader.
— The Lawrence Bishnoi gang rebranding as Robin Hoods? With social media campaigns, the newly-designated terror group are repainting themselves as a group targeting corrupt local business owners.
— “Our trucking problems could be solved overnight if the [Canadian Revenue Agency] enforces the laws already on the books:” Peter Udehi reports on potential routes to trucking reform and road safety.
— Seen: On Saturday, Brad Butt joined Natalie Hart at the groundbreaking for Diamond Square Plaza in Mississauga. Joe Horneck hosted a tree-planting event at Woodland Park on Saturday morning. Butt and Stephen Dasko were at a gala for Latin Heritage Night. Dasko was also at a Mata Ka Jagran celebration.
On Sunday night, John Kovac watched rockstar Tom Morello perform at the Living Arts Centre.
— Also: Caledon celebrated Diwali with a drone show on Saturday.
Thank you for reading The Peel Report. Have a story idea? Reach out. Your favourite newsletter — human-made, promise — is back in your inbox on Friday.
Asking AI — Caledon’s council is divided. But what does the data say? One resident crunched the numbers to find out.
To sum: “We’re a 5-4 council,” Cllr. Christina Early said at a meeting earlier this month. She was reacting to what she saw as a voting bloc — Mayor Annette Groves and four councillors voting in lockstep on divisive town issues.
Cllr. Tony Rosa called Early’s comment “completely out of order,” while Groves said it was “inappropriate” and “divisive.”
By the numbers: One local, who asked not to be named, fed Chat-GPT the meeting minutes from February to September to test the “5-4 council” claim.
Here were the results:
A fracture? The AI-bot found that roughly 80 to 85 per cent of votes were unanimous.
But of the remaining 15 to 20 per cent, it ID’d two stable voting blocs: Groves, Cosimo Napoli, Rosa, Doug Maskell and Mario Russo; Lynn Kiernan, Early, Nick de Boer, and occasionally Dave Sheen.
When they split, it was usually over three things: Procedural changes, development fights and integrity reports.
The AI analysis also found that “council is functionally majoritarian rather than consensus-driven.” The majority block, it determined, tended to vote with an eye toward “efficiency, growth and control.” Meanwhile, the opposing block emphasized “transparency, public voice, and caution on development.”
The eight-month snapshot captured some of Caledon’s most contentious fights — from the Swan Lake by-law to the Procedure By-law amendment and integrity commission reports — many decided by 5-3 or 5-4 votes.
Plus: “Late-night sessions produced the sharpest 5-4 splits, implying contentious agenda items are deliberately scheduled or extended.”
The pushback: Despite these aggregate findings, councillors insist they vote their own conscience.
Cllr. Mario Russo rejected the idea that he or other councillors vote by bloc, telling The Report that “it’s imperative that one obtains all facts, analyzes that data and makes an informed decision when voting… That’s what I consistently do.”
Russo said that asserting a 5-4 split is “unproductive” and “create[s] a narrative of divide that benefits no resident at all.”
Cllr. Cosimo Napoli said his votes “represent his residents,” and that he doesn’t think the 5-4 split has been intentional.
Many councillors said that a larger sample size of council votes would probably paint a more accurate picture. Some councillors, privately, have crunched their own data through AI to see who’s really voting with whom.
Cllr. Dave Sheen, who was identified as a “swing voter” between the two blocs in the analysis, told The Report that these findings are “a great basis for discussion and further analysis.”
More data: Meanwhile, Caledon itself is keeping tallies. The same week that Early’s comment caused a row, Caledon launched a long-awaited decision database.
For some locals, there are still some things Chat-GPT beats the database at.
When the database was unveiled, resident Kathleen Wilson wrote in to point out what she felt was missing: “the actual voting records,” showing each councillor’s vote.
— Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.: Mississauga’s General Committee will meet. Here’s what’s on the agenda:
— Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.: Brampton City Council will also meet. Ahead:
— Thursday at 9:30 a.m.: Peel Regional Council will meet. Ahead:
Also this week:
— Several events in the lead-up to Halloween in Mississauga.
Patrick Brown — On Friday, he was at the Ontario Big City Mayors’ meeting in Thunder Bay.
Speaking of which: The group is asking the Ford government to reimburse municipalities “for the costs associated with implementing the Automated Speed Enforcement program” — and that new signage requirements be implemented only once funding has been received. Full letter.
— Over the weekend, he spoke at the KC Group Diwali Dhamaka in Brampton.
— He joined the opening of Tadka King Sweets with Cllr. Paul Vicente, and visited the Daana Pani Sweets tent with Cllr. Navjit Kaur Brar.
— He appeared on The Kapoor Show podcast to discuss Brampton’s growth and challenges.
— He was at the 50th birthday party for Filipina-Canadian activist Emerson Salientes.
— He spoke at the third annual Alliance of Ladies of the Knights of Rizal Gala, alongside Cllr. Rowena Santos and PC MPP Graham McGregor.
— He also spoke at Brampton On Stage’s Somalia Cultural Night.
— He celebrated Brampton’s Fall Festival with fellow councillors and later attended the Bartley Bull Parkway Halloween Block Party with Cllrs. Martin Medeiros and Dennis Keenan.
— On Sunday, he watched the Blue Jays’ pivotal Game 6 win alongside Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies.
Carolyn Parrish — She was at the Trillium Diwali Hospital Gala.
— She celebrated Hubert Clarke’s 100th birthday at the Port Credit Legion.
— On Saturday night, she dropped the puck at the Mississauga Chargers hockey game with Cllr. Stephen Dasko.
— On Sunday, she attended a luncheon with Dasko and MPP Silvia Gualtieri to celebrate the “Breakfast with Santa Foundation.”
— She also attended a consecration ceremony at Mississauga’s Ram Mandir.
— And Parrish is hoping for a World Series win for the Blue Jays — while celebrating Food Banks Mississauga surpassing their fundraising goal.
— Ontario’s municipalities continue to push back against the speed cam ban.
— Parents across Toronto rallied on Monday to oppose it. “This would be like a carpenter saying, I don’t need a screwdriver because I’m updating and improving the hammer that I own,” said one.
— Ex-police chiefs also weighed in: “A well-designed (automated speed enforcement) program focused on safety first will save lives,” they wrote to Premier Ford.
— Peel Police have launched a new “culturally-responsive” hate crime unit. "[Some communities] feel sometimes during the judicial process they’re lost in the system,” said Deputy Chief Mark Dapat.
— Pierre Poillievre demanded that Mark Carney release federal contracts with Stellantis over the decision to scrap the Brampton plant. “Auto workers have been left in the dark about what Canadians got for the $10 billion your government promised to that company,” he wrote to the PM.
— Over the weekend, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the American embassy in Toronto as part of “No Kings Day.”
— Battery pickup recycling begins across the Peel Region on Monday.
— The Pointer reports on how thousands of Stellantis factory employees were laid off by robocall last week after the plant’s closure. “We had no time to process this,” said their union leader.
— The Lawrence Bishnoi gang rebranding as Robin Hoods? With social media campaigns, the newly-designated terror group are repainting themselves as a group targeting corrupt local business owners.
— “Our trucking problems could be solved overnight if the [Canadian Revenue Agency] enforces the laws already on the books:” Peter Udehi reports on potential routes to trucking reform and road safety.
— Seen: On Saturday, Brad Butt joined Natalie Hart at the groundbreaking for Diamond Square Plaza in Mississauga. Joe Horneck hosted a tree-planting event at Woodland Park on Saturday morning. Butt and Stephen Dasko were at a gala for Latin Heritage Night. Dasko was also at a Mata Ka Jagran celebration.
On Sunday night, John Kovac watched rockstar Tom Morello perform at the Living Arts Centre.
— Also: Caledon celebrated Diwali with a drone show on Saturday.
Thank you for reading The Peel Report. Have a story idea? Reach out. Your favourite newsletter — human-made, promise — is back in your inbox on Friday.
Asking AI — Caledon’s council is divided. But what does the data say? One resident crunched the numbers to find out.
To sum: “We’re a 5-4 council,” Cllr. Christina Early said at a meeting earlier this month. She was reacting to what she saw as a voting bloc — Mayor Annette Groves and four councillors voting in lockstep on divisive town issues.
Cllr. Tony Rosa called Early’s comment “completely out of order,” while Groves said it was “inappropriate” and “divisive.”
By the numbers: One local, who asked not to be named, fed Chat-GPT the meeting minutes from February to September to test the “5-4 council” claim.
Here were the results:
A fracture? The AI-bot found that roughly 80 to 85 per cent of votes were unanimous.
But of the remaining 15 to 20 per cent, it ID’d two stable voting blocs: Groves, Cosimo Napoli, Rosa, Doug Maskell and Mario Russo; Lynn Kiernan, Early, Nick de Boer, and occasionally Dave Sheen.
When they split, it was usually over three things: Procedural changes, development fights and integrity reports.
The AI analysis also found that “council is functionally majoritarian rather than consensus-driven.” The majority block, it determined, tended to vote with an eye toward “efficiency, growth and control.” Meanwhile, the opposing block emphasized “transparency, public voice, and caution on development.”
The eight-month snapshot captured some of Caledon’s most contentious fights — from the Swan Lake by-law to the Procedure By-law amendment and integrity commission reports — many decided by 5-3 or 5-4 votes.
Plus: “Late-night sessions produced the sharpest 5-4 splits, implying contentious agenda items are deliberately scheduled or extended.”
The pushback: Despite these aggregate findings, councillors insist they vote their own conscience.
Cllr. Mario Russo rejected the idea that he or other councillors vote by bloc, telling The Report that “it’s imperative that one obtains all facts, analyzes that data and makes an informed decision when voting… That’s what I consistently do.”
Russo said that asserting a 5-4 split is “unproductive” and “create[s] a narrative of divide that benefits no resident at all.”
Cllr. Cosimo Napoli said his votes “represent his residents,” and that he doesn’t think the 5-4 split has been intentional.
Many councillors said that a larger sample size of council votes would probably paint a more accurate picture. Some councillors, privately, have crunched their own data through AI to see who’s really voting with whom.
Cllr. Dave Sheen, who was identified as a “swing voter” between the two blocs in the analysis, told The Report that these findings are “a great basis for discussion and further analysis.”
More data: Meanwhile, Caledon itself is keeping tallies. The same week that Early’s comment caused a row, Caledon launched a long-awaited decision database.
For some locals, there are still some things Chat-GPT beats the database at.
When the database was unveiled, resident Kathleen Wilson wrote in to point out what she felt was missing: “the actual voting records,” showing each councillor’s vote.
— Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.: Mississauga’s General Committee will meet. Here’s what’s on the agenda:
— Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.: Brampton City Council will also meet. Ahead:
— Thursday at 9:30 a.m.: Peel Regional Council will meet. Ahead:
Also this week:
— Several events in the lead-up to Halloween in Mississauga.
Patrick Brown — On Friday, he was at the Ontario Big City Mayors’ meeting in Thunder Bay.
Speaking of which: The group is asking the Ford government to reimburse municipalities “for the costs associated with implementing the Automated Speed Enforcement program” — and that new signage requirements be implemented only once funding has been received. Full letter.
— Over the weekend, he spoke at the KC Group Diwali Dhamaka in Brampton.
— He joined the opening of Tadka King Sweets with Cllr. Paul Vicente, and visited the Daana Pani Sweets tent with Cllr. Navjit Kaur Brar.
— He appeared on The Kapoor Show podcast to discuss Brampton’s growth and challenges.
— He was at the 50th birthday party for Filipina-Canadian activist Emerson Salientes.
— He spoke at the third annual Alliance of Ladies of the Knights of Rizal Gala, alongside Cllr. Rowena Santos and PC MPP Graham McGregor.
— He also spoke at Brampton On Stage’s Somalia Cultural Night.
— He celebrated Brampton’s Fall Festival with fellow councillors and later attended the Bartley Bull Parkway Halloween Block Party with Cllrs. Martin Medeiros and Dennis Keenan.
— On Sunday, he watched the Blue Jays’ pivotal Game 6 win alongside Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies.
Carolyn Parrish — She was at the Trillium Diwali Hospital Gala.
— She celebrated Hubert Clarke’s 100th birthday at the Port Credit Legion.
— On Saturday night, she dropped the puck at the Mississauga Chargers hockey game with Cllr. Stephen Dasko.
— On Sunday, she attended a luncheon with Dasko and MPP Silvia Gualtieri to celebrate the “Breakfast with Santa Foundation.”
— She also attended a consecration ceremony at Mississauga’s Ram Mandir.
— And Parrish is hoping for a World Series win for the Blue Jays — while celebrating Food Banks Mississauga surpassing their fundraising goal.
— Ontario’s municipalities continue to push back against the speed cam ban.
— Parents across Toronto rallied on Monday to oppose it. “This would be like a carpenter saying, I don’t need a screwdriver because I’m updating and improving the hammer that I own,” said one.
— Ex-police chiefs also weighed in: “A well-designed (automated speed enforcement) program focused on safety first will save lives,” they wrote to Premier Ford.
— Peel Police have launched a new “culturally-responsive” hate crime unit. "[Some communities] feel sometimes during the judicial process they’re lost in the system,” said Deputy Chief Mark Dapat.
— Pierre Poillievre demanded that Mark Carney release federal contracts with Stellantis over the decision to scrap the Brampton plant. “Auto workers have been left in the dark about what Canadians got for the $10 billion your government promised to that company,” he wrote to the PM.
— Over the weekend, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the American embassy in Toronto as part of “No Kings Day.”
— Battery pickup recycling begins across the Peel Region on Monday.
— The Pointer reports on how thousands of Stellantis factory employees were laid off by robocall last week after the plant’s closure. “We had no time to process this,” said their union leader.
— The Lawrence Bishnoi gang rebranding as Robin Hoods? With social media campaigns, the newly-designated terror group are repainting themselves as a group targeting corrupt local business owners.
— “Our trucking problems could be solved overnight if the [Canadian Revenue Agency] enforces the laws already on the books:” Peter Udehi reports on potential routes to trucking reform and road safety.
— Seen: On Saturday, Brad Butt joined Natalie Hart at the groundbreaking for Diamond Square Plaza in Mississauga. Joe Horneck hosted a tree-planting event at Woodland Park on Saturday morning. Butt and Stephen Dasko were at a gala for Latin Heritage Night. Dasko was also at a Mata Ka Jagran celebration.
On Sunday night, John Kovac watched rockstar Tom Morello perform at the Living Arts Centre.
— Also: Caledon celebrated Diwali with a drone show on Saturday.
Thank you for reading The Peel Report. Have a story idea? Reach out. Your favourite newsletter — human-made, promise — is back in your inbox on Friday.
Asking AI — Caledon’s council is divided. But what does the data say? One resident crunched the numbers to find out.
To sum: “We’re a 5-4 council,” Cllr. Christina Early said at a meeting earlier this month. She was reacting to what she saw as a voting bloc — Mayor Annette Groves and four councillors voting in lockstep on divisive town issues.
Cllr. Tony Rosa called Early’s comment “completely out of order,” while Groves said it was “inappropriate” and “divisive.”
By the numbers: One local, who asked not to be named, fed Chat-GPT the meeting minutes from February to September to test the “5-4 council” claim.
Here were the results:
A fracture? The AI-bot found that roughly 80 to 85 per cent of votes were unanimous.
But of the remaining 15 to 20 per cent, it ID’d two stable voting blocs: Groves, Cosimo Napoli, Rosa, Doug Maskell and Mario Russo; Lynn Kiernan, Early, Nick de Boer, and occasionally Dave Sheen.
When they split, it was usually over three things: Procedural changes, development fights and integrity reports.
The AI analysis also found that “council is functionally majoritarian rather than consensus-driven.” The majority block, it determined, tended to vote with an eye toward “efficiency, growth and control.” Meanwhile, the opposing block emphasized “transparency, public voice, and caution on development.”
The eight-month snapshot captured some of Caledon’s most contentious fights — from the Swan Lake by-law to the Procedure By-law amendment and integrity commission reports — many decided by 5-3 or 5-4 votes.
Plus: “Late-night sessions produced the sharpest 5-4 splits, implying contentious agenda items are deliberately scheduled or extended.”
The pushback: Despite these aggregate findings, councillors insist they vote their own conscience.
Cllr. Mario Russo rejected the idea that he or other councillors vote by bloc, telling The Report that “it’s imperative that one obtains all facts, analyzes that data and makes an informed decision when voting… That’s what I consistently do.”
Russo said that asserting a 5-4 split is “unproductive” and “create[s] a narrative of divide that benefits no resident at all.”
Cllr. Cosimo Napoli said his votes “represent his residents,” and that he doesn’t think the 5-4 split has been intentional.
Many councillors said that a larger sample size of council votes would probably paint a more accurate picture. Some councillors, privately, have crunched their own data through AI to see who’s really voting with whom.
Cllr. Dave Sheen, who was identified as a “swing voter” between the two blocs in the analysis, told The Report that these findings are “a great basis for discussion and further analysis.”
More data: Meanwhile, Caledon itself is keeping tallies. The same week that Early’s comment caused a row, Caledon launched a long-awaited decision database.
For some locals, there are still some things Chat-GPT beats the database at.
When the database was unveiled, resident Kathleen Wilson wrote in to point out what she felt was missing: “the actual voting records,” showing each councillor’s vote.
— Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.: Mississauga’s General Committee will meet. Here’s what’s on the agenda:
— Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.: Brampton City Council will also meet. Ahead:
— Thursday at 9:30 a.m.: Peel Regional Council will meet. Ahead:
Also this week:
— Several events in the lead-up to Halloween in Mississauga.
Patrick Brown — On Friday, he was at the Ontario Big City Mayors’ meeting in Thunder Bay.
Speaking of which: The group is asking the Ford government to reimburse municipalities “for the costs associated with implementing the Automated Speed Enforcement program” — and that new signage requirements be implemented only once funding has been received. Full letter.
— Over the weekend, he spoke at the KC Group Diwali Dhamaka in Brampton.
— He joined the opening of Tadka King Sweets with Cllr. Paul Vicente, and visited the Daana Pani Sweets tent with Cllr. Navjit Kaur Brar.
— He appeared on The Kapoor Show podcast to discuss Brampton’s growth and challenges.
— He was at the 50th birthday party for Filipina-Canadian activist Emerson Salientes.
— He spoke at the third annual Alliance of Ladies of the Knights of Rizal Gala, alongside Cllr. Rowena Santos and PC MPP Graham McGregor.
— He also spoke at Brampton On Stage’s Somalia Cultural Night.
— He celebrated Brampton’s Fall Festival with fellow councillors and later attended the Bartley Bull Parkway Halloween Block Party with Cllrs. Martin Medeiros and Dennis Keenan.
— On Sunday, he watched the Blue Jays’ pivotal Game 6 win alongside Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies.
Carolyn Parrish — She was at the Trillium Diwali Hospital Gala.
— She celebrated Hubert Clarke’s 100th birthday at the Port Credit Legion.
— On Saturday night, she dropped the puck at the Mississauga Chargers hockey game with Cllr. Stephen Dasko.
— On Sunday, she attended a luncheon with Dasko and MPP Silvia Gualtieri to celebrate the “Breakfast with Santa Foundation.”
— She also attended a consecration ceremony at Mississauga’s Ram Mandir.
— And Parrish is hoping for a World Series win for the Blue Jays — while celebrating Food Banks Mississauga surpassing their fundraising goal.
— Ontario’s municipalities continue to push back against the speed cam ban.
— Parents across Toronto rallied on Monday to oppose it. “This would be like a carpenter saying, I don’t need a screwdriver because I’m updating and improving the hammer that I own,” said one.
— Ex-police chiefs also weighed in: “A well-designed (automated speed enforcement) program focused on safety first will save lives,” they wrote to Premier Ford.
— Peel Police have launched a new “culturally-responsive” hate crime unit. "[Some communities] feel sometimes during the judicial process they’re lost in the system,” said Deputy Chief Mark Dapat.
— Pierre Poillievre demanded that Mark Carney release federal contracts with Stellantis over the decision to scrap the Brampton plant. “Auto workers have been left in the dark about what Canadians got for the $10 billion your government promised to that company,” he wrote to the PM.
— Over the weekend, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the American embassy in Toronto as part of “No Kings Day.”
— Battery pickup recycling begins across the Peel Region on Monday.
— The Pointer reports on how thousands of Stellantis factory employees were laid off by robocall last week after the plant’s closure. “We had no time to process this,” said their union leader.
— The Lawrence Bishnoi gang rebranding as Robin Hoods? With social media campaigns, the newly-designated terror group are repainting themselves as a group targeting corrupt local business owners.
— “Our trucking problems could be solved overnight if the [Canadian Revenue Agency] enforces the laws already on the books:” Peter Udehi reports on potential routes to trucking reform and road safety.
— Seen: On Saturday, Brad Butt joined Natalie Hart at the groundbreaking for Diamond Square Plaza in Mississauga. Joe Horneck hosted a tree-planting event at Woodland Park on Saturday morning. Butt and Stephen Dasko were at a gala for Latin Heritage Night. Dasko was also at a Mata Ka Jagran celebration.
On Sunday night, John Kovac watched rockstar Tom Morello perform at the Living Arts Centre.
— Also: Caledon celebrated Diwali with a drone show on Saturday.
Thank you for reading The Peel Report. Have a story idea? Reach out. Your favourite newsletter — human-made, promise — is back in your inbox on Friday.
Asking AI — Caledon’s council is divided. But what does the data say? One resident crunched the numbers to find out.
To sum: “We’re a 5-4 council,” Cllr. Christina Early said at a meeting earlier this month. She was reacting to what she saw as a voting bloc — Mayor Annette Groves and four councillors voting in lockstep on divisive town issues.
Cllr. Tony Rosa called Early’s comment “completely out of order,” while Groves said it was “inappropriate” and “divisive.”
By the numbers: One local, who asked not to be named, fed Chat-GPT the meeting minutes from February to September to test the “5-4 council” claim.
Here were the results:
A fracture? The AI-bot found that roughly 80 to 85 per cent of votes were unanimous.
But of the remaining 15 to 20 per cent, it ID’d two stable voting blocs: Groves, Cosimo Napoli, Rosa, Doug Maskell and Mario Russo; Lynn Kiernan, Early, Nick de Boer, and occasionally Dave Sheen.
When they split, it was usually over three things: Procedural changes, development fights and integrity reports.
The AI analysis also found that “council is functionally majoritarian rather than consensus-driven.” The majority block, it determined, tended to vote with an eye toward “efficiency, growth and control.” Meanwhile, the opposing block emphasized “transparency, public voice, and caution on development.”
The eight-month snapshot captured some of Caledon’s most contentious fights — from the Swan Lake by-law to the Procedure By-law amendment and integrity commission reports — many decided by 5-3 or 5-4 votes.
Plus: “Late-night sessions produced the sharpest 5-4 splits, implying contentious agenda items are deliberately scheduled or extended.”
The pushback: Despite these aggregate findings, councillors insist they vote their own conscience.
Cllr. Mario Russo rejected the idea that he or other councillors vote by bloc, telling The Report that “it’s imperative that one obtains all facts, analyzes that data and makes an informed decision when voting… That’s what I consistently do.”
Russo said that asserting a 5-4 split is “unproductive” and “create[s] a narrative of divide that benefits no resident at all.”
Cllr. Cosimo Napoli said his votes “represent his residents,” and that he doesn’t think the 5-4 split has been intentional.
Many councillors said that a larger sample size of council votes would probably paint a more accurate picture. Some councillors, privately, have crunched their own data through AI to see who’s really voting with whom.
Cllr. Dave Sheen, who was identified as a “swing voter” between the two blocs in the analysis, told The Report that these findings are “a great basis for discussion and further analysis.”
More data: Meanwhile, Caledon itself is keeping tallies. The same week that Early’s comment caused a row, Caledon launched a long-awaited decision database.
For some locals, there are still some things Chat-GPT beats the database at.
When the database was unveiled, resident Kathleen Wilson wrote in to point out what she felt was missing: “the actual voting records,” showing each councillor’s vote.
— Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.: Mississauga’s General Committee will meet. Here’s what’s on the agenda:
— Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.: Brampton City Council will also meet. Ahead:
— Thursday at 9:30 a.m.: Peel Regional Council will meet. Ahead:
Also this week:
— Several events in the lead-up to Halloween in Mississauga.
Patrick Brown — On Friday, he was at the Ontario Big City Mayors’ meeting in Thunder Bay.
Speaking of which: The group is asking the Ford government to reimburse municipalities “for the costs associated with implementing the Automated Speed Enforcement program” — and that new signage requirements be implemented only once funding has been received. Full letter.
— Over the weekend, he spoke at the KC Group Diwali Dhamaka in Brampton.
— He joined the opening of Tadka King Sweets with Cllr. Paul Vicente, and visited the Daana Pani Sweets tent with Cllr. Navjit Kaur Brar.
— He appeared on The Kapoor Show podcast to discuss Brampton’s growth and challenges.
— He was at the 50th birthday party for Filipina-Canadian activist Emerson Salientes.
— He spoke at the third annual Alliance of Ladies of the Knights of Rizal Gala, alongside Cllr. Rowena Santos and PC MPP Graham McGregor.
— He also spoke at Brampton On Stage’s Somalia Cultural Night.
— He celebrated Brampton’s Fall Festival with fellow councillors and later attended the Bartley Bull Parkway Halloween Block Party with Cllrs. Martin Medeiros and Dennis Keenan.
— On Sunday, he watched the Blue Jays’ pivotal Game 6 win alongside Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies.
Carolyn Parrish — She was at the Trillium Diwali Hospital Gala.
— She celebrated Hubert Clarke’s 100th birthday at the Port Credit Legion.
— On Saturday night, she dropped the puck at the Mississauga Chargers hockey game with Cllr. Stephen Dasko.
— On Sunday, she attended a luncheon with Dasko and MPP Silvia Gualtieri to celebrate the “Breakfast with Santa Foundation.”
— She also attended a consecration ceremony at Mississauga’s Ram Mandir.
— And Parrish is hoping for a World Series win for the Blue Jays — while celebrating Food Banks Mississauga surpassing their fundraising goal.
— Ontario’s municipalities continue to push back against the speed cam ban.
— Parents across Toronto rallied on Monday to oppose it. “This would be like a carpenter saying, I don’t need a screwdriver because I’m updating and improving the hammer that I own,” said one.
— Ex-police chiefs also weighed in: “A well-designed (automated speed enforcement) program focused on safety first will save lives,” they wrote to Premier Ford.
— Peel Police have launched a new “culturally-responsive” hate crime unit. "[Some communities] feel sometimes during the judicial process they’re lost in the system,” said Deputy Chief Mark Dapat.
— Pierre Poillievre demanded that Mark Carney release federal contracts with Stellantis over the decision to scrap the Brampton plant. “Auto workers have been left in the dark about what Canadians got for the $10 billion your government promised to that company,” he wrote to the PM.
— Over the weekend, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the American embassy in Toronto as part of “No Kings Day.”
— Battery pickup recycling begins across the Peel Region on Monday.
— The Pointer reports on how thousands of Stellantis factory employees were laid off by robocall last week after the plant’s closure. “We had no time to process this,” said their union leader.
— The Lawrence Bishnoi gang rebranding as Robin Hoods? With social media campaigns, the newly-designated terror group are repainting themselves as a group targeting corrupt local business owners.
— “Our trucking problems could be solved overnight if the [Canadian Revenue Agency] enforces the laws already on the books:” Peter Udehi reports on potential routes to trucking reform and road safety.
— Seen: On Saturday, Brad Butt joined Natalie Hart at the groundbreaking for Diamond Square Plaza in Mississauga. Joe Horneck hosted a tree-planting event at Woodland Park on Saturday morning. Butt and Stephen Dasko were at a gala for Latin Heritage Night. Dasko was also at a Mata Ka Jagran celebration.
On Sunday night, John Kovac watched rockstar Tom Morello perform at the Living Arts Centre.
— Also: Caledon celebrated Diwali with a drone show on Saturday.
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