To Complete The Picture

One more item related to the Moraine needs to be told. It harks back to the last election campaign,

Susan Walmer, the Mayor's friend and supporter,organised a Coalition of Ratepayers' Association.

An all-candidates meeting was sponsored by the organisation. Both Mayoralty candidates expressed misgivings about impartiality. Ms.Walmer was understood to be Ms.Morris' campaign manager.

Boycotting an all-candidate's meeting is not an option for a candidate. Attendees are not necessarily part of the plot.They come to listen to the candidates. Participation does involve some risk but failure to participate is a waste of an opportunity.

The late Dick Illingworth was invited to participate and he did with his usual grace. He pulled "random" questions out of the hat.

At best, an all candidates format is always contrived . Questions are someone, other than the candidate's, idea of relevant issues.

My question was about the Oak Ridges Moraine. Would I approve development proposed on the Moraine.

I answered the question was not as simple as it seemed. Certain parcels of land within the Moraine already had planning designations. They had been identified in the Moraine Act and despite the general impression, the Act would prohibit all development within The Moraine, that was not in fact correct. The municipality cannot deny an application for development on land with a legal designation.

Candidate Al Wilson was asked the same question . His voice rising, as per usual, he declared vehemently, he would never agree to development on the Moraine. He got the anticipated hearty round of applause.

I could not have given a different answer without distorting the facts as I knew and understood them.I could have added half the Town of Aurora is in Oak Ridges Moraine. Does that mean we should all fold up our tents and vanish in the night? I don't think so. People are critters too.

Without experience, Candidate Wilson could conceivably claim to be unaware of the facts.

Our disparate answers did not alert me.

But then:

Candidate MacEachern was asked if she had any knowledge of an incumbent ever having acted in a conflict of interest.

Ms MacEachern responded she could not believe she was the one to be asked that question.

She stated candidate Jones had on one occasion failed to declare a conflict of interest. He abstained from voting when increases in employee salaries were being discussed in-camera and failed to abstain when the second vote was called in public. Mr. Jones spouse is an employee of the municipality.

Councillor MacEachern was right. It was more than interesting she would be asked that question.

Of all the candidates on the ballot, the only one who could have responded that way to that question was Ms. MacEachern.

The town has a three year labour contract. The last contract had been negotiated in 2003, when Councillor Mac Eachern was not a councillor. The previous contract would have been 2000, when neither Morris, Gaertner nor any other candidate in the 2006 election campaign coud possibly have come up with that answer.

The first vote cast would have been in camera. How Mayor Jones voted,only a member of council could claim to know. There would be no public record to verify the statement.

Under the Code of Conduct, such information is the property of the municipality. It is not the property of a person in attendance at a meeting by virtue of being a Councillor. It cannot be used for the purpose of said Councillor.

That was when I knew, the misgivings of the Mayoralty candidates other than Morris were bang on. The questions were contrived for the benefit of some candidates and against the interest of others.

The meeting was rigged.

An example of what was to come.

The least appealing aspect though was that they used the character and reputation of the late , former Mayor and highly esteemed Dick Illingworth to lend credence to their nefarious but not particularly clever plot.

On the other hand, for all their skullduggery, they were not completely successful.

I did get re-elected.

They did not elect their complete slate.

Morris did not win a majority of the votes cast.

On the other hand, of Councillors elected, a majority has provided a solid , consistent and congealed block of votes ...like in lumber.