Just Watch Us

someone who loves this town more than politics has left a new comment on your post "A Different Perspective":

Evelyn,

Great post, as always

I have always appreciated that Otto Von Bismarck quote you posted "Politics is the art of the possible."


That was until I read John Kenneth Galbraith's "Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists in choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable."

It is unfortunate that prominent Canadian-born US economist Mr. Gailbraith is no longer with us to argue his point.

But from an outsider's perspective witnessing the past term of council and the laughable "Promenade study" I have to agree.

I look forward to this council, and your participation to prove us wrong.

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John Kenneth Galbraith was advisor to the U.S. government. I'm not surprised he had a negative view of the possibilities of politics despite the fact he was a very positive individual with great wit.

I think the Province made Toronto an impossible unit of government when they amalgamated the Boroughs.

There is true irony in the situation.

In the sixties, during the John Robarts regime, a study was completed and presented at the Queen Elizabeth Building at the C.N.E. Every municipal representative, elected and appointed and all the newspapers of the region were invited to the presentation.

It was entitled the Metropolitan Toronto and Region Transportation Study.

Development would be directed along the lake front from Port Hope/Cobourg to Niagara because of the obvious ease for servicing. It would arch in a horshoe from there to Barrie and back down to Niagara.

Resting within the upper arch of the horseshoe serving recreational and agricultural needs and separated by a Green Belt Parkway from the great megalopolis lay The Region of York.

Ontario would not make the mistakes of others. Toronto would be governable and livable and set the pattern for all other Ontario cities.

The plan was overwhelmingly appreciated. Everyone present and commenting thereafter recognised its supreme merit.

Alas! John Robarts didn't stay to see it through. Regional governments became unpopular. The ones skirting Metro were rushed through before opposition could gather steam. To our great loss,the M.T.A.R.T. plan was never realised.

It's one of the reasons I believe in municipal government in a town like Aurora.

It has the greatest possibility for success.

Things can still go wrong. But they can be fixed. Together,with shared intent, people can fix them.

Watch us.