Partisan "Gotcha" and Spin

Initially published in the Alliston Herald on December 12, 2008

Fifteen years from now our children, whether they be in high school or a first year political science course, will learn of the constitutional "crisis" of 2008.

The provocateur of the crisis will undoubtedly be identified as Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Harper foolishly, in what can only be described as a game of silly partisan "gotcha", sought to eliminate the current system of funding for political parties and thereby deliver a potentially crippling blow to the opposition.

Commentator Rex Murphy perhaps said it best when he described Harper as being three-quarters effective national leader with the other-quarter being a "partisan troll" which "...periodically smothers every decent instinct in him."

If, as it seems to some, Harper is a student of Niccolo Machiavelli, the 16th Century Italian political philosopher whose name is synonymous with ruthless politics, it would appear that he overlooked one of Machiavelli's critical lessons. Machiavelli advised that if you must harm a rival, make certain to destroy him lest he be left strong enough to rise up and exact revenge.

Now, I'm not aware of anyone who actually believes the opposition claims that the coalition is all about the economy. Nonsense! The issue that served to unite these parties was, first and foremost, the elimination of the funding. On this issue I would have far preferred (I continue to be delusional in my expectation that politicians act with honesty and integrity) that the opposition acknowledge the real reason for their actions.

The concept of a coalition is entirely permissible in the context of our parliamentary democracy. As such, the hysterical cries by some that a coalition is a "coup" are truly absurd. Indeed, in 2004 Harper entered into detailed discussions with both the NDP and Bloc Quebecois with the same objective in mind. In fact, Harper specifically acknowledged the legitimacy of such an arrangement in a letter to the Governor General. It was not undemocratic then. It is certainly not undemocratic now.

There were, however, a couple of major problems with the notion of a coalition. First, the leader, Stephane Dion, seemed completely incapable of inspiring confidence in his ability to lead. Even when he had a seemingly distraught Stephen Harper in Question Period on the Monday following the coalition announcement, he did nothing to instill confidence in the public that "this is OK." When he faced an invigorated Harper the following day he more closely resembled a tub of incomprehensible goo. Public opinion seemed to turn dramatically thereafter.

Quite simply, the thought that Stephane Dion would be Prime Minister so soon after a rather clear defeat in the General Election was a source of discomfort for many Canadians including myself.

From the cycnical perspective, what is worrisome is that the battle digressed into one of public relations and spin with some, including one writer on these pages, actually buying into the hysteria and frenzy and irrationally concluding that the coalition was equivalent to a coup that should be considered as treason and would lead to the destruction of our democracy.

We are all in trouble if some members of the public are so gullible to believe that a legitimate exercise of rights by parties under our 141 year old democracy will lead to doomsday.

New Tecumseth's "Top Ten"

Initially published in the Alliston Herald on December 5, 2008

Before Political Cyni-Side appeared on these pages I prepared a list of 20 or so potential topics for a column of this nature. One such topic included an entirely arbitrary list of the "ten" most influential members of our town. Welcome to the first annual "Ten Most Influential".

1. Mayor Mike MacEachern: Although the two term mayor has been the subject of some ribbing on the pages of Mouseland, MacEachern has accomplished more than any mayor in the history of the Town. By virtue of his management style, there is virtually nothing in the manner that New Tecumseth is operated that doesn't have his fingerprints all over it.

2. Joe Sperdutti: "Joe Who?" you ask. Sperdutti is vice-president of administration at Honda of Canada in Alliston and the "face" that most commonly represents Honda in public. More often than not, Honda gets what it wants. In recent years the wish list has included the rapid closure of a major road (Tottenham Road) and the negotiation of favourable water rates.

3. Lou Biffis: There are not many individuals who can pick up the telephone and get the mayor or warden or MP or MPP on the line. I expect Biffis can. Each year Biffis, his family, and staff devote considerable hours to oversee a massive fundraiser on behalf of the Nottawasaga Foundation. Each year a new record seems to be set. The foundation has been a lifeline for many local charities that have benefited from its generosity.

4. Jim Wilson: Our MPP has never lost. He's never even come close. He routinely wins by some of the largest pluralities in the province. He's the most influential conservative in the area and, unlike his federal counterpart, his competence has never been questioned. One builds a great many relationships over the course of an 18-plus year elected career.

5. Jamie Smith: When this Alliston councillor and lawyer speaks at the council table the others stop and listen. Any councillor seeking to engage him in battle does so at their peril. His vocabulary alone is liable to leave 99 per cent (if not more) of the population scratching their heads in wonderment as to whether they had just been insulted.

6. Cassandra DeGrace: The spouse of Mayor MacEachern is his closest confidante and sounding board. No major decision is made without her input. Whereas MacEachern tends to be conciliatory in approach, Degrace has no hesitation expressing her views and opinions in a forceful yet coherent manner.

7. Richard Norcross: Yes, he has been spoofed in the "Mouseland" columns. Nevertheless, if one were to compare the tax revenues generated from his ward with the capital expenditures made in it, the latter would far exceed the former. By that measure alone he has been an extremely effective councillor for Beeton. Further, other than MacEachern, no councillor is more skilled at securing necessary council votes.

8. Hart/Marilyn Holmstrom: There is very little that goes on in this Town that doesn't involve one or more Holmstrom. Their reach extents from the Gibson Centre to the Stevenson Memorial Hospital Foundation to the Lion's Club and the local conservative establishment.

9. Mary Galbraith: The Alliston lawyer and former Ward 2 councillor is one of Mayor MacEachern's most trusted friends and advisors. Beyond the serious exterior, Galbraith has a lethal wit. Although one cannot be certain, she appears to possess a "Who's Who" of New Tecumseth society among her list of clients.

10. Darrin Shannon: Notwithstanding his accomplishments, the former National Hockey League professional and coach of the Alliston Hornets is remarkably humble and widely liked. Although Shannon is not known to publicly express his opinions in relation to town business, he is on the list by virtue of the weight his views would have if/when he decides to do so. I suspect that no name would strike greater fear in an incumbent politician (at any level) than Shannon.

The Good. The Bad. The Funny.

Initially published in the Alliston Herald on November 21, 2008

The following is the most recent installment of "The Good, The Bad and The Funny."

The Good: A couple of years ago the Alliston District Chamber of Commerce was nearly broke and at risk of being evicted from its' rental premises. Around that time Michael Keith was elected president of the chamber and, with the assistance of an able board, helped correct the ship.

Last week the chamber voted to amend its bylaws to permit a president to serve more than two terms. Given the absence of anyone willing to step into Keith's shoes, it was a wise and prudent move.

The Bad: The New Tecumseth ward structure is 18 years old and in desperate need of an overhaul. The structure ignores the enormous growth that has taken place in recent years with the result that there is a significant disparity in the average number of eligible voters that each councilor represents. Further, the practice of having the residents of Alliston (Ward 1) and Tottenham (Ward 5) elect two councilors at large is a silly and obsolete practice that ought to be trashed. At the very least new boundaries should be drawn for these wards to eliminate the practice of "one resident, two votes".

The Funny: It would appear as though Simcoe-Grey Conservative president Andy Beaudoin has taken it upon himself to serve as the principal attack dog and protector of all that is right and good with the local Conservative Party and its beloved MP. In recent weeks Beaudoin has circulated letters to editors throughout Simcoe-Grey.

The problem with Beaudoin assuming this role? He is about as fearsome as a 17-year-old blind Chihuahua.

The difficulty for individuals who adopt a fiercely partisan approach is that it becomes hard for the public to take them seriously. A person, regardless of political stripe, who is unwilling to acknowledge the errors/mistakes of his/her party or MP/MPP, will eventually lose credibility. As a wise counsel once told me, "always acknowledge the obvious."

The Funny - Part II: Town Square II is almost complete. There was, however, a teeny weeny problem. Apparently someone forgot to install the custom-made staircase between the first and second floors before the walls and doors were constructed.

When the staircase arrived it did not fit though the door! Welders had a crack at it but it still wouldn't go and the staircase suffered the indignity of lying outside for several days before the problem was remedied.

The Bad - Part II: The deep thinkers at Simcoe-County really don't want the public to know how many tax dollars have and are being wasted by the completely unnecessary move of CONTACT and Ontario Works from their former Wellington Street premises to temporary accommodation at the old liquor store before yet another pending move to Town Square II.

Back on Sept. 3 I made a Freedom of Information request for copies of certain documents in the possession of the county related to the cost of these moves.

Last week I received a letter from County of Simcoe Warden Tony Guergis in response to my request. He wants to charge $560 to have six County employees undertake a "search" of their files (is he concerned the tooth fairy may have absconded with them overnight?). He estimates the search will take in excess of 60 hours.

For a moment I was tempted, with tongue planted firmly in cheek, to send Guergis a letter to the effect that I had a better idea: I would offer 10 to one odds that my pet monkey "Sparky" would be able to locate the documents in 10 minutes or less... One indeed wonders why (or how) the county continues to exist in its present form.

Beaudoin "Baffled"

Andy Beaudoin, the Simcoe-Grey Conservative Association President, wasn't particularly fond of my columns related to Ms Guergis.

Yesterday, the Alliston Herald published a letter from Rob Holliday in response to Beaudoin that speaks from the perspective of someone who voted for the Conservative Party in Simcoe-Grey. As the letter is not posted online it is set out below:

When the day came to vote in the 2008 Canadian federal election I felt strongly about two things. The first was that it was my duty to exercise my right to vote. The second was that Stephen Harper was the only leader worth voting for in this election.

For these two reasons I very grudgingly marked an X next to Helena Guergis' name on my ballot. I say very grudgingly because my view (and many others I talked to) of Helena Guergis is in agreement with that of Kevin Kemp. However in the Canadian voting system, in order to vote for Mr. Harper as leader, I had to vote for Ms. Guergis as MP.

I'm sure Mr. Beaudoin is well ware of how the voting system works and it is disappointing that he would misrepresent the 30,000 votes cast for the Conservatives as evidence that all these people support Ms. Guergis. 30,000 people supported the Conservatives in our riding but I haven't personally met one who did it because of Ms. Guergis.

Rob Holliday

Stephen Fishman of Wasaga Beach had a letter to similar effect that included the following excerpt: "...the so-called attacks against Helena Guergis were not based on partisan politics, but on her record as our MP."

Ironically, Beaudoin appears to have borrowed liberally from my November 7, 2008 column in a letter to the Collingwood Enterprise Bulletin. It's great to see that Andy is a regular reader!

Mouseland: Part II

Initially published in the Alliston Herald on November 14, 2008

There was trouble in Mouseland.

The TNT hockey mice were fighting. The Alliston soccer mice were fighting too.

The head mouse of Mouseland did not like fighting. He liked it best when all the mice got along.

The head mouse liked to use his ears to listen for fights. He would then try to stop them. He would have meetings and say, "We need to do the right thing."

The head mouse sometimes dreamed that he was the head mouse of Utopia. In Utopia the newspapers only said nice things. In Utopia everyone would share and hold hands and hug and get along. In Utopia even the mouse called "Dorland" (who used to be a member of the Mouse House) would not talk too much. The head mouse wished Mouseland was more like Utopia.

The youngest Mouse House mouse from Tottenham also had dreams.

He would dream that he was the head mouse or the deputy mouse of all of Mouseland. He dreamed that cats and rats from all over would rub his tummy and take him to lunch just like they did with the real deputy mouse. This made him happy. It made him smile in his sleep.

But each morning the youngest mouse from Tottenham would wake up and realize it was just a dream. This is why he scowled. He scowled most of the time when he was awake.

The mouse from the Briar was not the oldest mouse in the Mouse House. He just looked like it.

This mouse was an eager and earnest mouse.

He liked it when other mice would rub his head and say nice things like: "You are a very important mouse" and "You are the most clever mouse in all of Mouseland".

One time, this made the Briar's mouse head get big like a balloon. It almost got as big as the noisy mouse from Beeton. He almost floated away. Honest.

After this happened the Briar mouse began to say and do silly things. He seemed to have mouse fever. He quit all of his Mouse House committees. He said the head mouse was a poor leader of mice. One time he even walked out of a Mouse House meeting before it was over. He did not get his way. He was very upset. He turned red like a lobster.

The boisterous mouse from Beeton loved being in the Mouse House. It was his most favourite place to be. But the Beeton mouse had a problem. He wanted all of the mice in Mouseland to like him. He did not want any mouse to be angry or cross with him. This made him worry and fret.

This was a problem for the Beeton mouse. This was because sometimes some mice wanted him to do one thing and different mice wanted him to do another. It was hard to do both things.

The Beeton mouse found a solution. He learned that he could stick his head in the sand. Like an ostrich. In Mouseland sand is called muck. It looked really funny to see the large mouse from Beeton with his head in the muck. But it seemed to work.

Sometimes, when he took his head out of the muck the problem was all gone and all of the mice in Mouseland still liked him.

To be continued...

The Green Candidate's Innuendo

Initially published in the Alliston Herald on November 7, 2008

Our society has made great progress on issues of gender equality from the days of my childhood. In consequence, the future for my seven-year-old daughter is much brighter than it was for women of my generation.

There nevertheless remains room for improvement in the elimination of paternalistic thought and attitudes that regard the role of a woman as subservient to a male. It is an attitude illustrated by a memory from my youth when a neighbour commented that he would never vote for newly elected Progressive Conservative leader Joe Clark because he could not "control" his spouse, Maureen McTeer, and ensure that she took his last name.

In my column of October 17, 2008 I referred to remarks made by perennial Green Party candidate Peter Ellis at the Collingwood all-candidates debate. I wrote that, in the course of his opening statement, Ellis referred to the pending marriage of Helena Guergis and posed a rhetorical question as to where she would ultimately reside. I was critical of the comments and the arguably sexist innuendo that a woman would "follow" the man.

The day following the debate the Wasaga Sun reported that: "Ellis told Simcoe.com he was just wishing her (Guergis) the best but said that one could ask the question, where is she going to live."

Ellis evidently took offence to my remarks and circulated letters to editors throughout Simcoe-Grey questioning why I would "invent" a story about what he said.

Ellis claims that at the Collingwood debate he told the audience about Guergis' upcoming marriage and congratulated her. I do question the absurdity of Ellis using scarce time in his opening statement to raise the issue. If he wished to congratulate Guergis could he not have done so in private? Was he hoping to score points with his genteel manner and knowledge of etiquette?

From the cynical perspective, a more likely explanation is that the remarks were a misguided effort to score political points with the innuendo that Guergis would not reside in Simcoe-Grey after the wedding.

Remarkably, in his letter Ellis also pronounced, "At no time did I pose a rhetorical question as to where Guergis would ultimately reside."

Although Ellis denies asking a rhetorical question, the quote he gave to the Sun certainly appears to expose his motive in raising the issue.

Oddly enough, Ellis' letter perhaps unwittingly reinforces my initial criticism. He writes, "I wish them [Guergis and Jaffer] the best and I am sure they will enjoy western Canada." He adds "...why did Guergis not tell the public that she was going to marry a person from Edmonton...".

Once again, these remarks seem to reflect a paternalistic attitude and/or assumption that Guergis will "follow" the man and move to Alberta.

In reality, there is not a scintilla of evidence that Guergis intends to move to Alberta. Although I have been critical of Guergis and her performance as a Member of Parliament, I do not believe that she would abandon her constituents in this manner. If she were to do so the residents of Simcoe-Grey would certainly have a right to object. Not before.

The issue of Guergis' marriage and any archaic assumptions and/or innuendo that go with them are best left in the dinosaur age.

Unfortunately, Ellis' letter suggests that he still doesn't "get it." His remarks were a disservice to his candidacy and the local Green Party effort.

Significantly, some Green Party insiders felt the tactic detracted from their message and objected to it being an issue. Ellis apparently ignored such counsel and continued merrily along. My advice for the Green party: It's time for a new candidate.

Limited Choices

Initially Published in the Alliston Herald on October 31, 2008

Sadly, being selected as a member of federal Cabinet often has little to do with one’s ability. This is due to fact that the twin giants of gender and geography invariably factor large in the decisions of a prime minister.

Perhaps the most obvious beneficiary of this Canadian nuance is our own Helena Guergis. The gender/geography phenomenon resulted in Guergis being elevated to Cabinet in 2006 in priority to many superior candidates (both female and male) from across Canada.

In the 2006 election the Conservatives elected a total of four women from Ontario. Three of the four, including Guergis, made it into Cabinet. The fourth, Cheryl Gallant, was never going to make the cut as the result of her socially conservative views and rather controversial remarks made in the course of the 2004 election.

Given the dearth of choices available to Harper we should hardly be surprised by Guergis’ sad sack performance as a Cabinet Minister – a performance that has not escaped notice by the mainstream media (including those with a decidedly conservative slant).

Just last week the national affairs columnist for the National Post, Don Martin, referred to the multitude of newly elected Conservative women in a column headlined Harper’s Wealth of Women.

Now, before some of the local Conservative cheerleaders break into song and dance on the streets of New Tecumseth, they would be well advised to read more than the headline!

Martin writes: “The [election] results suggest the era of female MP’s being elevated into portfolios to meet some undefined fairer-sex quota, even if the task exceeded their experience or ability, would seem to be over.....That ‘yippee’ you hear is my teenage daughter, who is standing beside me insisting her gender doesn’t need preferential Cabinet consideration. I submit there could be no other explanation for Secretary of State Helena Guergis.”

Toronto columnist Grey Weston joined this chorus when he identified Guergis, who he describes as the “underwhelming junior foreign affairs minister”, as one of three Cabinet members who top the list of those most likely to receive a demotion or pink slip.

This week, Canada’s weekly foreign affairs magazine Embassy included an article that referred to the bungling Guergis as “...a lightweight and someone who resorts to personal attacks when questioned.”

If the reference to resorting to personal attacks sounds familiar, it should. On election night Guergis levelled a baseless allegation/attack (for which she declined to provide any particulars) that her opponent(s) had engaged in a “smear campaign”.

Along those lines, I expect that accusations of sexism and/or lacking respect for women will be levelled against any writer who dares to express an opinion that Ms. Guergis is out of her element and unqualified to be in Cabinet.

By the time this column goes to press Prime Minister Stephen Harper will have announced his new Cabinet. Hopefully, there will be more women. Indeed, I expect there will be as Harper has many newly elected and highly qualified women to choose from including Gail Shea (Prince Edward Island), Leona Aglukkaq (Nunavut), Shelly Glover (Manitoba) and Lisa Raitt (Ontario).

If Guergis is to remain a member of Cabinet I suspect it will be due solely to the fact that there remains a significant shortage of women elected as Conservatives in Ontario (there are now seven, up from four) and it is hard to imagine that Harper will reduce his female cabinet representation from this province down from three.

One should expect Diane Finley and newcomer Lisa Raitt (a former CEO of the Toronto Port Authority) to make the cut from Ontario. Given that Heritage Minister Bev Oda has also been a lackluster performer, and in light of the aforementioned numbers, gender and geography, it is entirely conceivable that Ms Guergis may remain a member of Cabinet.

The Hole in the Trans-Canada Trail

Initially published in the Alliston Herald on October 24, 2008

The Trans Canada Trail is a system of trails that wind its way through every province and territory of Canada. At present, the trail is approximately 70 per cent complete.

When it is finished it will consist of more than 21,500 kilometres (earning it the title as the world's longest recreational trail) and will link hundreds of Canadian communities from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic oceans.

New Tecumseth presently represents a "gap" in the trail system. In an effort to remedy this situation there is presently a local effort underway to ensure that New Tecumseth is part of the Trans Canada Trail, with links to the existing system to the north and south.

The project is supported by a diverse group of interests including cyclists, hikers, all terrain vehicle (ATV) users, snowmobile organizations and horseback riders.

Although details as to the exact path of a trail through New Tecumseth are scant, there is a belief that the most logical route is along the existing town owned rail lines.

Earlier this week I attended a public information session sponsored by the town. At this session Mayor Mike MacEachern expressed a desire to both connect to the Trans Canada Trail system and link together existing trails presently scattered in a haphazard pattern throughout our community.

Although the public meeting was not particularly well attended (there were approximately 65 people present), I was surprised by the absence of any significant vocal opposition.

The issue certainly does have the potential to become bitter. Some remarks by trail supporters at the session ("anyone who has a problem needs to get educated" and "we're in the dark ages here") hint at what lingers just beneath the surface and might conceivably become a nasty debate.

Similar efforts to develop the trail system were undertaken in 2000. On that occasion, however, the plans were shelved in response to a rather heated debate and vocal NIMBY ("not in my back yard") opposition by landowners with property adjacent to the proposed trail system.

Some of the objections at that time included suggestions that users might vandalize adjacent properties and/or harm crops.

Although I have yet to hear this position articulated in response to the recent effort, such arguments ignore the reality that the most significant users of the proposed trail system are represented by groups, that have proven to be responsible users of public land. The trails are not going to attract roving gangs of bandits and lunatics who terrorize our children and destroy our farms!

The trail system already consists of more than 14,000 kilometres of developed trail throughout Canada. Notwithstanding this fact, reports of problems or vandalism to property adjacent to the system are few and far between.

While the various groups that support the trail system are presently on the same page, there is certainly the potential for these groups to point their rifles inward as the plan comes closer to fruition. After all, it seems clear that hikers and snowmobile users or ATV users and horseback riders do not mix particularly well in shared space.

The development of the trail system is fully supported by Mayor MacEachern. In fact, MacEachern appears to possess the same zeal and passion for this project as he did with the acquisition of the Banting Homestead.

At this juncture the plan also appears to have the support of a majority of council. There are, however, one or two members of council who have acquired a reputation of imitating a turtle and hiding in their shell (or, alternatively, sticking their head in the sand in the same manner as an ostrich) in the face of vocal opposition. It remains to be seen whether such councillors will "turtle" when the inevitable opposition occurs.

The Good. The Bad. The Ugly.

Initially published in the Alliston Herald on October 17, 2008

Some random post-election thoughts of winners and losers, the good, the bad and the ugly:

Loser No. 1: Canadian taxpayers

The price tag for this election, which was not supposed to happen given the fixed election legislation, will ultimately cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

Loser No. 2: Stephane Dion

Dion clearly failed to inspire. The result is reflected in the worst Liberal performance (in terms of popular vote) since Confederation. I do feel bad for the guy. He apparently has several hundred thousand dollars of debt outstanding from his leadership campaign. If he doesn't leave voluntarily then one can expect the knives to come out in short order. However, I doubt Dion will even consider exiting voluntarily unless some "deal" is offered to assist with the debt.

Winner No. 1: Helena Guergis

One cannot argue with results and, whichever way you look at it, 55 per cent with an 18,000+ vote plurality is an excellent result.

The Bad: While Guergis' total vote percentage settled in at the aforementioned 55 per cent (up from 49.9 per cent in 2006), the 5.1 per cent increase was by far the lowest among Conservative incumbents in the area. Patrick Brown (Barrie) and Tony Clement (Parry Sound) each increased their percentage share of the vote by more than 10 per cent. Bruce Stanton (Simcoe North) and Peter Van Loan (York-Simcoe) hovered around nine per cent increases.

Winner No. 2: Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams

This Progressive Conservative Premier embarked with a vengeance on an "Anybody But Conservative" campaign and merrily quoted from Harper campaign literature ("There is no greater fraud than a promise not kept") at every opportunity! Newfoundland listened and shut out the Conservative Party. In the process, Williams established himself as a formidable foe and a dominant voice in Atlantic Canada.

Loser No. 3: Stephen Harper

Stephen Harper called this election in order to attain a majority. He did not achieve his objective.

The Ugly: Typically, a winning candidate will congratulate and commend his/her opponents. Ms. Guergis took a different approach. In an election night interview she accused unnamed candidates of a "smear campaign". When asked for particulars she refused to elaborate.

The Ugly - Part Deux: The Simcoe-Grey Liberal vote has plummeted from 40 per cent (2004) to 31 per cent (2006) to 21 per cent in spite of a conservative candidate who has experienced no end of fumbles and criticism as a junior cabinet minister.

Quasi Winner: The Green Party (local)

The Green Party's share of the vote in this electoral district has steadily increased each election. The l0 per cent this time around represents a significantly better performance than the 6.8 per cent polled by the Green Party across Canada.

The Ugly - Part Trois: In the course of the campaign Wasaga Beach resident Mary Jane Vaughan wrote two letters to the editor of the Alliston Herald. The letters were so effusive in their praise of Guergis that one may have mistaken Vaughan's words for a prayer! Vaughan really ought to have disclosed that she is a board member of Guergis' constituency association.

The Good: The Conservative Organizational effort

Elections Canada statistics reflect that more than 8,500 Simcoe-Grey residents took advantage of the advance polls. This placed Simcoe-Grey among the top 10 electoral districts in all of Canada in terms of number of advance voters and speaks volumes of the Conservative organizational effort to get out the vote.

The Ugly - Part Quatre: At the Collingwood debate Green Party candidate Peter Ellis referred to Guergis' pending marriage to (former) Alberta Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer and posed a rhetorical question as to where Guergis would ultimately reside. The comment, and the arguably sexist innuendo associated with it, was not appropriate and did not reflect well on the local Green Party effort. We have made great strides from the days when some grumbled they would not vote for Joe Clark because he could not "make" his spouse, Maureen McTeer, take his surname. Comments such as these, which were raised again in at least one letter to the editor, only represent a step backwards.

Sitting One Out

Initially published in the Alliston Herald on October 10, 2008

In 1974 Robert Stanfield was running in his third General Election as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. It was in the course of this election that I, aged 10, made my first political statement and prepared a crude homemade sign with coloured markers to show support for Stanfield.

It was a bad year for that 10 year old! Not only did the Boston Bruins lose the Stanley Cup final to the Philadelphia Flyers in six games, Stanfield suffered his third consecutive loss to Pierre Trudeau.

To this day I remain of the view that he is the best Prime Minister we never had.

My involvement with the Progressive Conservative Party continued through the years and included trips as a delegate to the 1983 PC leadership convention that elected Brian Mulroney and the 2003 convention that elected Peter McKay.

Following the merger of the Progressive Conservative and Canadian Alliance parties I actively supported the new Conservative Party.

However, I have chosen to “sit out” this election. Remarkably, it would seem that I am not alone. Many other New Tecumseth area residents who were once involved with either the Progressive Conservative, Reform or Canadian Alliance parties have similarly remained on the sidelines.

These individuals include Alliston businessman Wayne Hutchinson (who was a key Ontario organizer in the early days of the Reform Party); Beeton residents Iain MacKay (an original member of New Tecumseth town council) and Shauneen MacKay (who once ran as a Reform candidate); Cookstown area resident Floor Kromhout (who served as president of the provincial Simcoe-Grey Progressive Conservative constituency association for the better part of a decade); and, Alliston lawyer Jamie Smith – an individual whose father served as a Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament for this area and who, in past elections, routinely canvassed with former MP Perrin Beatty on Alliston’s Victoria Street.

Interestingly, former Progressive Conservative Lynda Mitchell , who was employed for a time in the Alliston constituency office of Helena Guergis, recently accompanied a candidate along Victoria Street. I nearly fell off my chair when I learned that it wasn’t Guergis that she accompanied but rather Liberal candidate Andrea Matrosovs!
I do not know the reason why the individuals noted above are on the sidelines.

Personally, for the reasons previously outlined in this column, I am unable to bring myself to vote for Helena Guergis. Thus, for the first time in many years (I never voted for Brian Mulroney!), I will not vote Conservative.

Peter Vander Zaag (Christian Heritage Party) is an individual who exudes integrity. Among this field of candidates his education qualifications are second to none (he has a Ph.D in agriculture) and he undoubtedly has a deep understanding and appreciation of the needs of Simcoe-Grey farmers.

Vander Zaag has previously commented, quite correctly in my mind, that he would likely be elected if he ran as a Liberal or Conservative. However, he has not done so out of concern that he would not be able to speak his conscience. It is not hard to admire such conviction.

It would not surprise me to see many conservatives, who are unhappy to see the Harper government break promises and abandon some key Reform principles, to mark their ballot for Vander Zaag.

I have had the privilege of meeting each of Peter Ellis (Green Party) and Andrea Matrosovs (Liberal Party). Both seem intelligent, well-spoken and sincere. Although I have not met NDP candidate Katy Austin, she appears, from a distance, to share these characteristics. All three have teaching backgrounds.

At the end of the day, my vote will go to the candidate who has the best opportunity to defeat Helena Guergis – an individual who has not served the residents of Simcoe-Grey well and who has been an embarrassment on the national stage.

As recently as last week Stephen Harper claimed the economy was sound. Now, in a time of economic crisis when our savings are disappearing, Harper has acknowledged problems but tells us to “stay the course.” It is a position parroted by Guergis in a radio interview on Tuesday. The thing is, how can we possibly have confidence in this approach when last week these same parties claimed everything was fine?

The candidate who clearly has the best opportunity in this regard, and whom I believe will make an outstanding Member of Parliament, is Liberal Andrea Matrosovs.

What's Good for the Goose....

Initially published in the Alliston Herald on October 3, 2008

In the course of the 2004 General Election Conservative candidate Helena Guergis complained about our then Liberal Member of Parliament, Paul Bonwick, having a newsletter (also known as a householder) arrive on doorsteps after the election had been called.

Remarkably, Guergis has now engaged in conduct identical to that which she previously found so objectionable. In particular, this past week the residents of Simcoe-Grey received their own, rather large, four page householder courtesy of Guergis.

The literature makes multiple references to Guergis being an MP - something that is prohibited by Elections Canada rules for campaign literature - and contains no less than 17 photographs of our MP (out of a total of 20) with various people including the majority of mayors in our electoral district.

We should not be surprised by this behaviour. As previously referenced in this column, Guergis has a history of saying one thing but doing the opposite if it suits her purpose and/or advances her career.

When interviewed by the Herald about the promotional literature Guergis declared, "I've had it in the hopper probably about a month and a half now." She made similar claims in the course of the recent Rogers cable television debate when she blurted, "It was ready two weeks before the election call" and that it was not possible for her to "stop it."

These representations require scrutiny. The reason? Well, on the very first page of the householder Guergis states, "I recently (emphasis added) unveiled a historical plaque dedicated to the accomplishments of Sir Frederick Banting."

What's remarkable about this little tidbit is that the government did not announce there would be a plaque until Fri., Sept. 5, 2008. The election was called on Sun., Sept. 7, 2008.

How can literature that was ready two weeks before the election call be edited two days before the election call, but not stopped? Is it possible the government householder went to press after the election was called?

Sadly, this appears to be the latest example of Guergis' abandonment of previously stated positions/principles for the sake of personal gain. In particular, conduct that Guergis earlier criticized is now justified as entirely acceptable.

The Herald/Rogers comments, in the face of apparently contradictory evidence, demonstrate what happens when Guergis is required to go off script and think on her feet. It does not go well!.

Some in the national media have identified this and other problems and tagged Guergis as an embarrassment. For example, earlier this year MacLean's magazine writer Aaron Wherry authored a blog entitled, "Helena Guergis Irrelevancy Watch".

Indeed, whereas it is a rather simple matter to continually parrot party policy and read a prepared text, it is quite another to respond to unexpected questions in a lucid and coherent manner. One questions whether her inadequacies in this regard are the reason why she is has avoided some all-candidates debates and interviews with the media.

The pattern of avoidance has apparently extended into her employment. Last month Embassy magazine, Canada's respected and widely read foreign policy newsweekly, reported that, "Consular affairs has been an orphan of the government for the past months. The saga started when Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Helena Guergis abruptly and unilaterally announced to PMO (Prime Minister's Office) that she would no longer be handling consular files..."

Yikes! Are you kidding me? Who gets to bail out on some of the critical aspects of their job? It's like a Tim Horton's clerk announcing that he/she no longer intends to pour coffee or a Honda associate advising they will no longer work in the stamping department. It's not acceptable!

The first sign that Guergis was in over her head may have been apparent in 2004 when she was quoted as saying: "...there is not much difference between beauty pageants and politics because of all the public service and travel required."

Umm... will someone please tell Guergis that serving as a cabinet minister is, in fact, different from a beauty pageant? If it doesn't happen soon the rest of Canada, if not the world, is liable to conclude that the residents of Simcoe-Grey belong in a scene from the Beverly Hillbillies.

Mouseland

Initially published in the Alliston Herald on September 26, 2008

In the 1940s Saskatchewan Premier Tommy Douglas would occasionally tell a political fable known as "Mouseland." With apologies to the late Mr. Douglas, the following is the first installment of the New Tecumseth version of "Mouseland."

There were troubles in Mouseland. The mice in the south were upset. The mice from the south often complained that the northern mice got all the shiny toys. They said the mice in the north had all the nice places to shop and play.

Mouseland had a great big hose that brought the mice fresh water. Well, most of the mice. The Tottenham mice didn't get the fresh water.

It was so bad the mice in the south didn't even have enough places to put their doo doo.

Mouseland's Town Hall was called the Mouse House. There were nine mice elected to the Mouse House.

The head mouse was a really clever and wily mouse. He had big ears that helped him listen and learn.

The deputy mouse used to be the head mouse. Although he was the deputy mouse, he always thought he should be the head mouse. He wanted to be the head mouse again.

There was a really large and noisy mouse from Beeton. This mouse always seemed to get his way.

Alliston had two mice in the Mouse House. They were very different mice. The boy mouse liked to use big words. Not the girl mouse. When the girl mouse talked in the Mouse House she liked to giggle.

Tottenham also had two mice. The oldest mouse from Tottenham mostly liked to talk about where all the doo doo in the south should go. The youngest mouse from Tottenham was sometimes tired and sleepy. That's because he often carried Mouseland's Member of Parliament from place to place on his back.

In the north there was a kingdom within Mouseland called the Briar. Many mice here had grey or white or blue fur. Some had no fur at all.

The unofficial ruler of the Briar was a mouse called Lou. Each year Lou had a party where hundreds of mice came to play on the grass. But the mouse who was elected to the Mouse House from the Briar did not like to play on that grass.

There was also a mouse from the forest. Sometimes this mouse seemed grumpy. Mostly she had smart things to say.

Outside of Mouseland were many cats and rats. The cats and rats wanted to pave all of Mouseland and build mice nests for thousands and thousands and thousands of new mice. This would make the cats and rats lots of money and help them buy more cat nip and rat treats.

The deputy mouse liked the idea of Mouseland being paved. He liked to have meals with the cats and rats. He liked when the cats and rats talked nice to him and said they would help him become head mouse again.

To be continued...

The OMB Bugaboo

Initially published in the Alliston Herald on September 19, 2008

Local developers were recently involved in a rather intense lobby effort to persuade New Tecumseth town council to defer a decision to increase residential development charges (DCs).

Initially, it appeared that the robust efforts were going to succeed. In fact, shortly before the New Tecumseth committee of the whole meeting of Sept. 9, 2008, a majority of council were poised to vote in favour of a delay.

However, in response to a question from Mayor MacEachern, CAO Terri Caron advised that a delay in the DC decision would likely result in the loss of approximately $1.7 million of revenue. In particular, a deferral would mean that developments ready for approval would proceed under the lower DC rates.

Quite understandably, this revelation led the majority of councillors who were initially prepared to defer the decision to sensibly change direction. After all, a loss of revenue of this magnitude would ultimately result in the residents of New Tecumseth taking it on the chin in the form of either higher taxes or reduced services.

Notwithstanding this disclosure, but not surprisingly, Deputy Mayor Rick Milne appeared determined to accede to the developers' wishes. Milne has, after all, a reputation of being the most development-friendly councillor and has a lengthy history of advocating on their behalf.

In support of his position Milne invoked what is perhaps best described as the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) "bugaboo"!

A bugaboo is "an imaginary monster used to frighten children" or "an object of obsessive, usually exaggerated fear or anxiety." The OMB bugaboo is, for all intents and purposes, a scare tactic.

The tactic essentially advocates letting developers have their way in order to avoid the "horrific" prospect of a potentially expensive and lengthy appeal to the OMB. It is a form of appeasement that would undoubtedly find favour with former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlin (the pre-WWII British Prime Minister widely criticized for his policy in dealing with Germany).

The bugaboo is, of course, counter-intuitive. The best analogy is perhaps that of an elementary schoolyard. So long as one student repeatedly succumbs to the threats or demands of another then this unfortunate conduct is almost certain to continue. It is only when the student demonstrates the absence of fear and resists the threats and demands that the conduct is likely to end.

A municipality that endorses and/or advocates the OMB bugaboo exposes itself as weak, feeble and an entity ripe to be abused.

Oddly, when Deputy Mayor Milne articulated his concern over the prospect of an OMB hearing he cited the interests of New Tecumseth taxpayers. I confess that the statement left me scratching my head as it completely ignored the lost revenues associated with the deferral. Fortunately, councillor Barb Huson picked up on this flawed logic and, in a rather lethal rebuttal, turned in Milne's direction and deadpanned that an OMB hearing would not cost taxpayers $1.7 million dollars.

To their credit, at the committee meeting councillors Dennis Egan, Barbara Huson, Richard Norcross, Jamie Smith and Jim Stone considered the negative impact a delay would have on New Tecumseth taxpayers and voted to approve the new development charges.

Mayor Mike MacEachern only votes in the event of a tie but clearly would have voted with these councillors if called upon. Councillor Christine Brayford voted against the DC's at the committee meeting but reversed her position (for reasons unknown) approximately one-half hour later at the special council meeting. Councillor Jess Prothero declared a conflict and was unable to vote.

In the category of "what was he thinking," it seems that Deputy Mayor Milne either failed to appreciate the impact of a delay upon New Tecumseth taxpayers, or didn't care, as he sat on his hands for both votes.

The Guergis Gaffes

Initially published in the Alliston Herald on September 12, 2008

With a premature federal election now upon us, I am especially curious as to the strategy that will be pursued by those who seek to unseat our current Member of Parliament, Helena Guergis.

In particular, will the contest follow Marquis de Queensberry rules or will it digress to a "down and dirty" battle the likes of which haven't been seen in this region since George McCague snagged the provincial conservative nomination from Wally Downer back in the 1970s?

One politically active friend recently mused that if he were running a campaign against Guergis he would almost certainly "go negative".

There is no question that over the course of the past year Guergis has taken a rather severe thumping in both the national media as well as the increasingly prominent "blogosphere".

Back in March Don Martin, the respected national affairs columnist for the The National Post, described Guergis as the Conservatives' "greatest lost cause" and "over her head as a Cabinet member". Remarkably, it got worse. Martin added that Guergis should be removed from Cabinet before her "...amateur antics and strange behaviour trigger an international incident."

Perhaps concerned that he hadn't yet made his point, Martin referred to Guergis' "many gaffes" and "diplomatically stunted behaviour" before concluding that the Prime Minister should return Guergis to the backbench as a place better suited to her abilities.

The national television media have not been any kinder. In a W-5 feature related to Guergis' handling of the Brenda Martin affair (the Canadian woman who languished in prison in Mexico on rather questionable criminal charges), Guergis was not, to put it mildly, cast in a favourable light. In fact, those who viewed W-5's "attempted" interview of Guergis during a press conference at a Canadian Tire store might legitimately wonder whether she was moving faster than Donovan Bailey circa 1996 in her effort to avoid the television cameras!

As the result of her "hot-foot" from the cameras Guergis did not proceed with an announcement of funding for sport for underprivileged children. Nevertheless, the botched announcement cost taxpayers in excess of $3,000.00.

Perhaps the most vicious criticism of Guergis has come from numerous internet blogs which are loaded with uncomplimentary adjectives. One individual has gone so far as to post a "YouTube" video that shows an authentic video clip of Guergis answering a "kwestion" (satirically spelled) in the House of Commons. However, the voice dubbed over the video is not that of Guergis but rather the infamous contestant from South Carolina who, in the course of 2007's Miss Teen USA, notoriously bumbled (to be kind) a question on foreign affairs.

Much criticism of Guergis relates to her apparent unwillingness and/or inability to depart from a partisan script. Those who attended the local debates in the course of the last election will recall that the Conservative policy book was never far from hand. Spontaneous she was not!

From the cynical perspective I am not particularly bothered by a politician's fervent adherence to partisan rhetoric. Guergis is not the first politician to conduct herself in this manner and she certainly (unfortunately) won't be the last.

However, my personal trepidation with Guergis relates to a concern that she is too willing to compromise her own values and beliefs if they might interfere with the advancement of "her career". Indeed, if Guergis is prepared to place personal advancement in priority to her own principles, there is no reason to believe the values and principles of the residents of Simcoe-Grey will fare any better.

Two examples in particular highlight this concern. In 2003, when Guergis was a provincial Progressive Conservative candidate in the Toronto riding of Trinity-Spadina, she was quoted at an all-candidates debate as being in support of same-sex marriage. However, as the Simcoe-Grey Conservative candidate in 2004 (a more socially conservative area) Guergis reversed this earlier position and asserted her opposition to same-sex marriage.

Once again, when Belinda Stronach crossed the floor of the House of Commons in 2005 to join the Liberals an indignant Guergis expressed her outrage and advised of her intention to advance a private member's bill to prohibit future floor crossings. However, when David Emerson crossed the floor to join the Conservatives in 2006, Guergis' indignant outrage rapidly dissipated. In a twist of irony worthy of a Monty Python skit, Guergis abandoned her previously stated beliefs and chose personal advancement as a junior minister to Emerson.

To borrow (and slightly alter) the gist of a quote from Winston Churchill: Some change their party for the sake of their principles; others their principles for the sake of personal gain.

The OHA Prevails

Initially published in the Alliston Herald on August 29, 2008

It would seem that the provincially appointed supervisor of Huronia District Hospital in Midland, Dr. Kevin Smith, is going to attempt to foist a similar form of governance structure upon that hospital as has been imposed upon the members of Stevenson Memorial Hospital (SMH) by its' supervisor, Mark Rochon.

This model mandates that the existing members of the hospital society will be deprived of their right to vote on all matters of hospital business including the election of new board members.

In making his announcement, Smith pronounced that he has decided upon a "skill's based board" to address "accountability and transparency concerns." As if reciting the mantra once was insufficient, Smith added that the board would be "fully transparent".

Does all of this sound vaguely familiar? It should. Mark Rochon has been quoted as saying his model will ensure a "skill's based board" and has similarly made multiple references to "transparency".

Might these two be working from the same script?

Whereas the residents of New Tecumseth and surrounding area appear to have accepted their disenfranchisement with barely a whimper, the reaction of those in the Midland area has been the polar opposite.

The latter have initiated a petition; planned a protest that will make its way to the legislature; and, have expressed their condemnation of the proposal as "asinine", "unacceptable", "elitist" and "condescending."

A little over one year ago I was one of a small group from the Committee of Concerned Citizens who met, on two occasions, with the Ontario Deputy Minister of Health, Ron Sapsford. In the course of these meetings it seemed to me that Sapsford looked upon the notion that a community would have a democratic voice in the operation of its hospital with enormous disdain.

As one colleague commented, "the Deputy Minister appeared to view democracy with the same prissy fastidiousness as a 'schoolmarm' would regard a fresh dog turd in the middle of her classroom."

This past week I, along with substantially the same group from the Committee of Concerned Citizens, met with Rochon to discuss the new governance model. Unfortunately, it was apparent within minutes that Rochon hadn't the slightest intention of modifying his foul and undemocratic design.

In my column of three weeks ago I noted that one should not be surprised with the governance structure imposed by Rochon given that he happens to be the chair of the Ontario Hospital Association ("OHA"). The column referred to the fact that governance is one of the key objectives/directives of the OHA. It also highlighted the OHA's emphasis on media relations as being of "utmost importance".

It was in this context that I was unable to hold my tongue when, in the course of the recent meeting, Rochon made reference to everything being about "good health care." With some agitation, I interjected with words to the effect that whereas "good health care" sounds quite lovely, there was absolutely no correlation between his governance structure and good health care. Rochon's response, "Fine. That's your opinion."

It remains my firm belief that thesecond vice chair OHA, a group loaded with hospital CEO's and administrators, regard democracy by members of a community in the operation of their local hospital as a malodorous intrusion into their turf.

However, what I find particularly objectionable is the use of fluffy language and words such as "transparent", "accountable" and "good health care" to apparently justify disenfranchisement as necessary. That's poppycock.

By the way, whereas Mark Rochon is the chair of the OHA, the Huronia District Hospital supervisor, Kevin Smith, is the second vice chair of that same organization. The Deputy Minister of Health, Ron Sapsford, was previously vice president and chief operating officer of the OHA.

Jim Wilson Unwilling to Budge

Initally published in the Alliston Herald on August 22, 2008

Somehow or other I have managed to find my way onto the e-mail distribution list of our MPP, Jim Wilson.

Typically, I'll give this type of missive a cursory glance and quickly move on. However, there was one e-mail in recent weeks that immediately grabbed my attention. The content did not include any of the standard partisan scolding or chest thumping that is so common with this form of communication (regardless of political stripe).

Rather, the e-mail simply attached a post written by a Collingwood blogger named Dale West.
Now, this particular post was so glowing and effluent in its praise of Wilson that I momentarily wondered whether Wilson's mother was wandering the streets of Collingwood disguised as West! The flowery language used to describe Wilson's popularity among colleagues, and his apparent first name familiarity, resembled the kind of gushing tone one expects from a proud family member.

The content of the blog was a rather indignant discourse critical of the notion (or rumour) that Wilson would resign his Simcoe-Grey seat to enable Ontario Progressive Conservative leader, John Tory, to enter the Legislature.

In fact, the blog's defiant headline proclaimed: "Why not John Tory stepping down for Jim Wilson?" and the piece concluded with an opinion that the prospect of Tory stepping aside as leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party for Wilson "...is no less absurd than asking Jim to make way for John."

Regardless of the short-sightedness of West's opinion, what is most significant in my mind is Wilson's apparent endorsement of the piece and the views expressed therein. The fact that Wilson circulated the content of the blog, without comment, to his entire distribution list can only be interpreted as approval of West's cheeky slap at the leader.

If Wilson is, indeed, supportive of the views expressed by West then I cannot help but regard him as selfish. Party politics is not, or at least should not be, about placing one's own personal advancement or status above the party and the cause to which you ascribe.

Indeed, there is an element of nobility or honour in making a temporary personal sacrifice for the advancement of the party and/or cause.

The fact is Simcoe-Grey would be an exceptionally good platform for Tory to enter the Legislature and acquire much needed experience and exposure in advance of the next provincial election. It is one of the safest Conservative seats in the province, is close to Toronto, and would carry little risk of an embarrassing loss.

Stepping aside for a leader does not mean the end of a political career. Elmer MacKay stood down for Brian Mulroney in 1983. Scott Brison did the same for Joe Clark in 2000. Each of MacKay and Brison made it back to parliament in the next general election and each was subsequently rewarded by the leader.

Righteous indignation aside, West fails to identify a compelling reason as to why Wilson's preservation as a Member of Provincial Parliament for the next two years is more important than Tory acquiring a seat in the legislature. Experience and popularity hardly qualify. It may be that Wilson has compelling reasons for placing his own personal interests above those of the party. However, it is incumbent on Wilson to articulate those reasons rather than circulate, and implicitly endorse, the ramblings of a supportive blogger.

The Demise of Large Item Pick Up

Initially published in the Alliston Herald on August 15, 2008

It was shortly after moving to Alliston in 1999 that I was introduced to the New Tecumseth cultural experience known as "large item pick up". It was quite a sight to see a caravan of vehicles drive through neighborhoods in search of "treasures" being discarded by others. In fact, it was not unusual to have streets picked clean of their large items before arrival of the waste disposal crews.

Over the years I came to appreciate the service as a means to dispose of a variety of items that our family had outgrown. I was therefore disappointed to learn of the decision taken by the County of Simcoe to eliminate the service altogether.

Large item pick up had long been available to each of the 16 municipalities in Simcoe County. However, those municipalities that wanted to take advantage of "trash to treasure" (as it was apparently called in Tottenham) were required to pay for it. Historically, several of the larger municipalities in the county, including New Tecumseth, Bradford and Midland, chose to use and pay for the service whereas many of the smaller townships such as Essa, Ramara and Adjala-Tosorontio, did not.

The "official" explanation from the county is that this action will divert more material from landfill. Unfortunately, the county memorandum outlining this theory is sorely lacking in details, facts or studies as to just how much material, if any, would actually be diverted from the county's six landfills.

Significantly, most items with even a minimal value (i.e. metals, furniture) will be "lifted" during the treasure phase of the process. No matter how much the county may hope, it is not as though the remaining large items, even if diverted from landfill, will make it to the Star Trek vaporizer and forever disappear! They will remain garbage somewhere.

New Tecumseth Counc. Barb Huson surmised that a significant volume will end up in ditches throughout New Tecumseth. Suffice it to say, the visual image of the scenic roads of New Tecumseth littered with urine-stained toilet bowls is hardly enchanting!

How did the residents of New Tecumseth come to be deprived of this valued service? From the cynical perspective, I believe there is an underlying political factor at play.

Politicians tend to be a rather thin skinned and emotionally fragile lot. They don't like to be embarrassed. They don't like to feel inadequate. They especially don't like to answer questions from residents about why they do not have the benefit of a service that their neighbour just down the road, in an adjoining municipality, does.

My view is that an "idea" blossomed among some members of county council (which consists of the mayor and deputy mayor of each of the 16 municipalities) from smaller townships to snuff out large item pick-up altogether. After all, to deprive every municipality of the service would eliminate those unpleasant questions and feelings of inadequacy.

If this was an underlying motive then the actions are reminiscent of those of a petulant child who, when unable to play with the marbles at recess, kicks them away to ensure that no one else can. To deprive some of a service because you choose not to have it, or are unable to afford it, is disgraceful.

On June 24, 2008 the members of Simcoe County council voted, in their wisdom, to eliminate the service. The smaller municipalities largely voted to squash the service. Not unexpectedly, New Tecumseth Mayor Mike MacEachern and Deputy Mayor Rick Milne voted to retain it.
Alas, the next time you want to remove an unwanted large item from that basement, garage or backyard, but are unable to do so without renting or borrowing a truck, you needn't look much further than your neighbouring municipalities as you mutter select expletives.

A Worrisome Time

Initially published in the Alliston Herald on August 7, 2008

The Supervisor of Stevenson Memorial Hospital (SMH), Mark Rochon, recently issued a press release championing the hospital's new membership structure as a "21st century design". My first thought: The 21st century is apparently going to be a very worrisome time.

This disturbing "design" is right out of a George Orwell novel. The model mandates that the existing members of SMH will be deprived of their right to vote on all matters of hospital business. From now on, the only individuals who will be permitted to vote are those who comprise the board of directors. In addition to the 12 public members, an additional five individuals employed or affiliated with the hospital will have full voting rights. This select group will, in their sole and unfettered discretion, decide who will be permitted to join their exclusive number. Suffice it to say, anyone who doesn't agree with the status quo need not apply.

Perhaps the most offensive feature of this disenfranchisement is the absence of a compelling rationale to do so. The fact that 47 per cent of Ontario hospitals use this model is hardly sufficient reason to fall in line like a mentally challenged lemming.

Rochon also asserts that the model will attract "the best possible directors" who have the "requisite skills" to manage a hospital. There is a degree of irony in this statement given that one of Rochon's hand-picked "best possible directors" resigned shortly after his appointment following public statements that demonstrated a rather significant degree of ignorance as to how HIV is spread.

The inference to be drawn from Rochon's claim is that he believes the directors at hospitals who do not have this membership structure are somehow lacking and are not "the best possible." It is a perspective without basis in fact.

There have been many good things happen at our hospital of late. An obstetrician has been hired; the birthing unit opened; the emergency room renovated; an application for a CT scan submitted; and, perhaps most importantly, a popular and talented CEO hired. As was pointed out in last week's editorial, if this governance model had been in place a little over a year ago, most if not all of these positive changes would never have occurred.

The implementation of the new structure at SMH should not come as a surprise when one considers that Rochon is also the Chair of the Ontario Hospital Association ("OHA"). The OHA is loaded with hospital CEO's and administrators - the same group who, along with the Deputy Minister of Health, looked upon the recent events at SMH (when the Committee of Concerned Citizens encouraged residents to buy a membership and exercise their right to vote) with great consternation and disapproval. This is a group that no doubt regarded our exercise in democracy as a frightening and unwanted intrusion into "their" domain.

The new model is tantamount to giving a hospital administrator a job for life. Once a board is filled with "friendlies", and those friendlies have the sole discretion to decide who is admitted in the future, then the prospect of a CEO ever being turfed is extremely remote.

Significantly, "governance" is one of the five key objectives/directions of the OHA and it currently publishes guidelines to "assist" hospitals in this regard. Can there be any doubt that the undemocratic "design" announced for SMH is the preferred model of the OHA?

The OHA also identifies media relations as being of "utmost importance" and goes so far as to produce a publication "to help you communicate your point of view effectively to the media."

From the cynical side, my suspicion is that a significant part of this strategy involves the OHA and its members wrapping themselves in a motherhood issue such as the delivery of "safe health care" in an effort to acquire a moral high ground.

Sadly, in the case of SMH members, it would appear that the OHA agenda has triumphed at the expense of our right to vote.

They're at the Post:

Initially published in the Alliston Herald on July 31, 2008

Although the next municipal election is but a dot on the horizon for the vast majority of the public, the unofficial race to be the next mayor is, believe it or not, underway.

According to insiders, the likelihood of incumbent Mayor Mike MacEachern seeking a third term after 13 years on council is extremely remote. Rumours persist that he seeks a change and will ultimately pursue a federal or provincial nomination as a liberal.

This perception has resulted in some scurrying for position. The first off the mark is none other than Deputy Mayor Rick Milne. Yes, this is the same Milne who announced before the last election that he intended to run for deputy mayor and that this would be his final pursuit of elected office. The timing of this announcement was odd (some would argue tactless) in that it occurred at the ground breaking ceremony for the new arena.

Milne has an almost crusader-like zeal to regain the office that he held from 1988-1991 (pre-amalgamation) and 1994-1997. His belief that he could not defeat MacEachern kept him out of the race in 2003 although he was briefly poised to enter the fray when MacEachern voted against the new arena. When MacEachern reversed this position, Milne’s hopes of securing the powerful “hockey crowd” dissipated and he decided against the jump.

Milne’s Achilles heel will undoubtedly be his cozy relationship with Al Duffy, the principal spokesperson for the development of a 50,000-person city between Alliston and Beeton (the Capucitti proposal), and his previous public statements in support of developers and major developments. In 2003 Milne actively supported the Capucitti proposal in spite of widespread and passionate opposition.

The fact that he was re-elected by a healthy margin speaks volumes to his popularity and depth of support. Notwithstanding that support there is zero prospect that Milne will be acclaimed. His history and perceived “baggage” will ensure competition. Although no one has “informally” declared, frequent letter writer and rugby aficionado Gord McInnis is reported to have expressed interest. Local realtor Irving Newman has advised some that he is being pressed by certain members of the downtown Alliston business community to take the plunge.

Coun. Dennis Egan has long been identified as a potential candidate for the mayor’s chair too. The Green Briar/Briar Hill community, which makes up the majority of Egan’s ward, is a powerful and largely homogenous voting block that has historically provided Egan significant support.

However, Egan’s failed “power play” of earlier this year when he resigned from all of the town committee, has damaged his credibility and arguably rendered him a eunuch at the council table.
There are many who would like to see Alliston Coun. Jamie Smith enter the contest. Whereas Smith clearly has the ability to excel in the position, one questions whether he has the stomach to perform the many public and social functions expected of a mayor.

Beeton Coun. Richard Norcross wants to move up. Although there are some who have encouraged Norcross to pursue the mayor’s office, it seems far more likely that he will seek the position vacated by Milne.

Finally, one can never rule out a member of the Guergis family when it comes to seeking higher office. Given that Alliston Counc. Christine Brayford shares that unique genetic code, she must necessarily remain on the radar screen.