The Mayor coined an expression familiar to everyone in response to a jab by Councillor Ballard accusing him of inappropriate behaviour.
It is easy to imagine the former Councillor sitting at home jabbing pins into a wax figure of the Mayor.
There's a litany of families, particularly employees, who suffered at the hands of these two while occupying positions of trust at the Council table.
The former Councillor is no stranger to the art of inflicting cruelty on people who cannot defend themselves. This deviant behaviour is named after the Marquis de Sade.
I re-call a treasurer ,whose wife was dying of cancer ,being put through an Inquisition hearing, set up behind closed doors with the aid of a lawyer paid for with tax dollars, such as had never been seen before anywhere in the collective municipal experience of all present.
The stories attributable to this former pair of elected officials are legion.
They are in no position to throw stones.
From: Phyllis Morris [mailto:phyllismorris@me.com]
Sent: April 12, 2012 1:44 PM
To: Evelina MacEachern
Subject: Letter to the Editor - RE: Mayor of Aurora's comments
Sent: April 12, 2012 1:44 PM
To: Evelina MacEachern
Subject: Letter to the Editor - RE: Mayor of Aurora's comments
Thank you Evelina for publicly standing up and speaking for women & children (and their families and friends ) who are abused
Aurora mayor’s comment disgusting, not funny
FOR MORE INFO ABOUT organizations that help victims of abuse
An open letter to Aurora Mayor Geoffrey Dawe.
During the March 27, 2012 televised council meeting, you stated, “And I’ve also stopped beating my wife”.
If your comment is accurate, I feel terribly sorry for your wife and an assault charge may be appropriate.
If this was an example of your ill humour and/or you were being sexist,
you should be ashamed of yourself and should issue a public apology to every Aurora resident and every woman and family that has fallen victim to such a despicable crime.
As for your smirk following your comment, only you know what that meant.
Sadly, following your statement, a councillor can be heard laughing in the background.
Councillor Sandra Humfryes appeared annoyed, not by your declaration/comment, but, rather with Councillor Chris Ballard for asking a tough question.
It is shocking not one member of council raised an objection to your disgusting statement, reflecting poorly on the entire community.
It is shocking not one member of council raised an objection to your disgusting statement, reflecting poorly on the entire community.
Perhaps the others were shocked by your inappropriateness, leaving them speechless or their silence indicates they saw no harm in your disgusting statement.
Please remember, during a televised council meeting, you are not sitting in your living room with your friends.
Please remember, during a televised council meeting, you are not sitting in your living room with your friends.
You are sitting in our living rooms with our friends, neighbours and family members.
Evelina MacEachern
Aurora
Aurora
As someone who finds abuse of any sort unacceptable
If anyone else feels the same way - I encourage them to contact the Aurora Mayor and seek a public apology from him
His Town Hall office telephone is # 905 727 1375
Emails can be sent to him at : mayor@aurora.ca
Posts
20 comments:
"It is easy to imagine the former Councillor sitting at home jabbing pins into a wax figure of the Mayor."
If you live in a fantasy world perhaps.
I have never been a supporter of Ms Maceachren. However, since her departure from council, I have had opportunity to know her in a social setting that has changed my opinion of her as a person - not nessesarily as a councillor.
Mr Dawe's comments were not politically correct. A joking question to a person "Do you still beat your wife?" or "Do you still kick your dog?" do not have an answer that can be made without further grief.
I think Evelina, as a PRIVATE CITIZEN now, took offence to the comment. Wife abuse was a common thing not long ago, especially in the anglo-saxon world. Perhaps some do not consider it a big deal?
Utterly speechless!
Good Grief! Does Evelina not having anything better to do than set up storms over a remark in response to a pointed attack and accusation by Ballard? She must be getting tired of seeing her puppets lose vote after vote.
Bitter, nasty and totally out of proportion.
What about husband abuse, Evilina girl?
A Blast From The Past
" There once was a Councillor called ' Mac'
Who treated each lie like a fact.
Like a trooper she swore, threw staff out the door,
It's too bad Mac won't ever be back. "
How ironic this is! The former Town Hall Garbage-Mouth is now heading up the Language Police. Gotta love it!
Evalinas concern about a comment made in council reflects what blowing things out of proportion will do and reflects her past behavior on council. While our Mayors phrase was never intended to insult, and we all know that, they were off colour for public office. Mind you, if it was me, I'd be wanting to stuff Mr. Ballards mike down his throat for implying that our Mayor forced the ACC into an agreement. Mr Ballards actions towards our mayor and statements on his blog are very disturbing, and we either don't give him the time of day, or give credit to his inflammatry statements( which looks like how Mr. Dawe is behaving) or we can all go up in arms like Ms. Maceachern and write letters to the public to wave the flames higher. Coming from an abusive background, I didn't find our mayors quip insulting at all. It actually helps diffuse the stigma. I find letters like Ms. Maceacherns more offensive as it makes a big deal out of something that is not. I commend our mayor for his handling of Council the last few meetings. Councillors have had alot of freedom to express themselves, and yet, he has been able to show civility, respect and humour in some very frustrating situations.
Ms. MacEachern is entitled to her opinion of course and obviously spousal abuse is a serious matter.
Perhaps those present were too shocked or fearful of the mayor's merciless retribution certain to be meted out to miscreants.
Oops sorry - that was the last council.
Or perhaps the mayor's comment was not challenged by those present because they were aware of the situation and the context. Mayor Dawe simply made a prickly response to a prickly challenge by Mr. Ballard.
I'm sure the members of council would have found a protesting voice had the mayor invited the group to while away some quiet time by sharing their best "wife beating" jokes.
Perhaps community groups such as Yellow Brick House, who actually have experience at the sharp end of domestic violence, are quite capable of deciding for themselves if the mayor's comment was offside rather than relying on Ms. MacEachern's faux outrage as a call to action.
Perhaps Ms MacEachern's 'crusade' wouldn't smack so much of cheap self-righteous politicking if she wasn't so hopelessly overdrawn at the credibility bank.
Would dearly love to see a time stamp on Morton-Leonard's , Ballard's and Evalina's letters as well as the conditions under which they were written. Late Night Epistles to the Apostles?
Lived here for decades and can only recall a single councillor forced to apologize for the use of foul language before staff and Council members. Guess who?
Let’s take the clock back to the Aurora Town Council meeting of March 27, 2012. The Mayor, in response to Clr Ballard’s question, “Can you give me your assurance that the Aurora Cultural Centre board was not 'forced' to agree to these terms?” (Clr Ballard's use of the word "assurance” was nothing more than an effete attempt to be coy; deliberately using the same phraseology the Mayor had used, when on Feb 28 the Mayor had posed a "question of honesty" to ACC board member Robert Layton, whose hesitance to respond actually spoke volumes), responded with the paraphrased “and I’ve stopped beating my wife.” This particular turn of phrase has been around for some time. The actual diatribe refers to a questioner asking their subject, “Have you stopped beating your wife”, where there is no option for a positive yes or no answer to this query. It’s a prime example of a loaded question, as it presumes guilt before any answer is even given. It’s a cheap-shot tactic, used by small-minded people.
But I strongly suspect Ms. MacEachern knows this. This is what makes her letter so repulsive. Attempting to hoist herself up on the back of the very serious and grave issue of domestic abuse, is both disgusting and detestable. By corrupting such serious subject matter in the manner that she has, Ms MacEachern has fouled the sincere efforts of those in the industry who have spent their lives raising awareness on the evil nature of spousal violence.
How dare she.
Then, to further her vindictiveness, she goes on to refer and post web links to groups and societies who are genuine in their quest to assist those who suffer, educate our communities, and shed awareness on this crime. This is grandstanding at its lowest, most repugnant level. So it comes as no surprise to see the former Mayor jumping right up onto Ms MacEachern’s noxious bandwagon.
If she has achieved anything in her failed attempt to discredit the Mayor, Ms. MacEachern has served to reinforce the decision made by the good people of Aurora to send her packing, to no longer allow her abusive, insulting self to occupy an honoured seat at our council table. I view her comments as nothing more than a continued series of thinly-veiled attempts to try and bring down those who I’m sure she blames for her political demise.
You do not fool us Ms. MacEachern. We see right through you.
When Phyllis and Evalina make a public apology for all the abuse they have poured onto Town residents and staff, for abuse of the legal system and abuse of town funds, then maybe but not likely, we might listen to such garbage. The sheer audacity to demand Mayor Dawe make an apology of any kind is beyond belief.
Gee Whiz. Looks like Friday the 13th was not a good day for Ballard or Evalina. Now, ain't that a damn shame?
I had heard that morris is looking at having to write another large cheque. Could that be what had gotten their knickers in a twist? Surely this can't all be miss-direction to take negative attention from Ballard. It is 'way out of proportion and shouldn't have been enough to rattle their cages. Sorry about mixing metaphors - words do not paint the picture because we cannot fathom the un-thinking visceral rage being rolled out or why now.
A town divided comes together when it is attacked.
Should be interesting. Worth pondering what happens if an individual throws a tantrum and no one pays any attention.
Would the 'rubes' to whom Ballard refers included residents to whom he hoped to sell tickets to his own over-priced, not-for-profit Gala? If so, his letter seems counter-productive if not downright stupid. Are you certain he was ever a working journalist for any length of time? He keeps writing himself into corners.
Ruby says
I was not offended by Mayor Dawes quick retort. I was, however offended,in my home,with friends, in my living room when the former Mayor and her minions allowed the public flogging of Councillor Buck by Ms.Kitts before the awards ceremony for children that evening many months back. Abuse at its finest...no one stopped it, not even the former Mayor.That in itself spoke volumes.
Watch out for Evalina. She is not going to take this reaction well. I can actually see her launching a complaint under Code of Conduct against Mayor Dawe. He has to toughen up his stance or she will try to clobber him. Hell hath no fury like a woman sellacked.
Spousal abuse is not something to joke about. MrDawe should not have used that term. This has nothing to do with the previous Council it has everything to do with a public figure representing Aurora making a inappropriate remark. Should he apologize that is up to Mr. Dawe to decide.
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