[URBAN NOTE] "Talk of pulling out of Peel Region puts ally mayors at odds"

[rfmcdonald]

San Grewal of the Toronto Star describes the negative reaction from other Peel Region municipalities, particularly Brampton, to Mississauga's interest in secession.

In a strongly worded statement, Brampton Mayor Linda Jeffrey has lashed out at her close ally, Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie, for publicly saying she wants to pull her city out of Peel Region.

“The City of Brampton recently entered into a formal facilitation process to address the future size and allocation of seats at the Region of Peel,” Jeffrey said in a statement Thursday. “I entered this process in good faith.

“Instead I read in a statement issued yesterday that Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie on behalf of her council has now taken a position that appears to be contradictory to the spirit of this facilitation process.”

Jeffrey accused Crombie of wanting to “cut and run” after Brampton for years supported infrastructure development in a rapidly growing Mississauga.

In a response to Jeffrey’s comments emailed to the Star Thursday, Crombie said she and her council will still participate in the review of Peel’s current government structure, but she made clear that she now has a different priority.