Last week, I co-signed a letter alongside seven fellow MPPs, inviting the government to work together to protect the public interest, and pass legislation to clarify and confirm the long-standing status of the Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries (MPGC) as a public trust. The MPGC manages the Prospect Cemetery here in Davenport, but serious questions have been raised about the future of these important lands.
In the absence of legislative clarity, the MPGC board has recently chosen to interpret its mandate as that of a private commercial corporation, rather than a public trust founded for charitable purposes. It has blocked the public from holding it accountable, while increasing executive compensation.
As a result, eight private individuals that comprise the MPGC board, have effectively taken personal control of 1,222 acres of public land across the GTA, claiming the power to sell public assets worth billions and distribute the proceeds as they see fit. These vital lands need to be managed in the public interest and be subject to stronger accountability measures.