From The Beginning

At the first meeting of this Council, after being recognised by the chair, I had not said five words when Councillor MacEachern interrupted with a point of order. Five words further along, Councillor Wilson interrupted with a point of order.

Councillor Wilson adopted a habit of lolling his tongue out the side of his mouth and letting his eyes roll, each time I spoke. I never witnessed it myself. I normally addressed the chair. Viewers and grandchildren, watching at home informed me of the Councillor's bizarre behaviour.

It was before we adopted a Code of Conduct containing a clause about treating each other with respect.

It was after that, realisation dawned that few holds are barred in politics. What you give is what you get. One way or another it comes back to you.

That's when the squawking began.

When I first expressed firm opposition, they advanced upon the town solicitor, Shelley Pohjola demanding she suss out a law of prohibition.

Eventually, the opinion needed to be in writing:

"Councillor Buck has every right to express an opinion." it said. "She goes right to the line. She does not cross it."

The next complaint was about e-mails in response to e-mails.

The Mayor attended a conference. Councillor McRoberts also went. The Mayor circulated an
e-mail informing of Councillor MacEachern's appointment as Deputy-Mayor in their absence.

The Mayor had to be respectfully informed, it was not within her right to appoint a deputy-Mayor. Only Council has that authority.

The Mayor responded, a resolution to appoint would have been presented had there been time. I expressed relief it hadn't happened. I would have been obliged to oppose the recommendation. Councillor MacEachern does not enjoy my confidence.

A fire destroyed a rental town house. The Mayor arrived on the scene after it had been extinguished. The family had departed. Neither they nor their circumstances were known.

It was Saturday.

The Mayor circulated an e-mail. Councillors MacEachern, Gaertner and herself planned a fund-raiser for the family's benefit.

I commended the concern. I noted personal resources and facilities would have to be used. The Mayor's office and town resources could not be used for that purpose.

The fund-raiser never happened. Nothing further was heard.

Except for bitter complaints from the Mayor about not being allowed to think or do her job.

Efforts continued to find a law to prohibit my "interference" and efforts to "frustrate" and "undermine " council decisions by the simple act of expressing and often a solitary vote in opposition.

Nada.. Nil ..Zilch and Zero. Nothing was found.

So a law had to be created.

But first, there had to be legal advice to Council recommending its creation. Ergo George Rust D'Eye and creation of the Code of Conduct.

It was better than a Code of Ethics because penalties can be imposed. Remuneration can be suspended for three months.

If a seat is empty for a period of three months, it is automatically declared vacant.

No government at any level allows itself to be viewed as attempting in any way to unseat a duly elected representative.

Nevertheless, an Aurora Councillor found in Breach of the Code and having a penalty imposed of three months suspension of remuneration, would have the following options.

Work without pay.

Not work without pay.

Let the seat be declared vacant by not showing up for the period of suspension.

Or show up only to be recorded as present to prevent the seat being declared vacant.

In the meantime, an election was held in 2006.

Voters elected representatives for the next four years.

Apparently, it's alright for a council, acting on legal advice, to contrive a law, to frustrate voters rights and undermine their authority, by doing everything possible to rid Council of a duly elected member.

In the last election, I made a commitment. I asked for trust. I didn't promise voters would always agree with me. I promised they would always know where I stood. I would keep them informed.

As it was in the beginning, is now and always will be.

It is the single promise, I know I can deliver.