The Process is Proceeding.

So....last night, Friday, after family  and friends left I read  of the submissions  by residents taking up Council's invitation to fill  Council's vacant  seat.

It's 2.30 Saturday afternoon. I just finished reading the last six.

I will read them  a second time before Tuesday.

Collectively, they make  an impressive  and highly positive statement about life in our town.

The sincerity  of the candidates cannot be challenged.

I have been pre-occupied by the process since it began.

I did not expect to be so moved.

It makes the task harder. Increases my feelings of unfairness to the candidates.

In  terms of opportunity,  the town has so little to offer and the candidates have so much.

Eighteen people accepted an invitation . Seventeen will be publicly rejected.

I cannot in good conscience believe that's a good thing.

Richmond Hill did it in December 2013. They had the option of calling a By-election.
Apparently their decision was not well received in the community.

Toronto did it in July. The city  is governed by the City of Toronto Act.What they do is not always
comparable to how we do.

Aurora has not  done this before. I continue to contend  an election by  Council is not
required to make an appointment.

Secret ballot is at the core of democratic principle.

My concern is not about political expediency.

It's about protection of privacy of the individual.

I see no merit in the process. In the  absence of logic I tend to look elsewhere.

I may be wrong  but in this instance I would argue the philosophy

"Perception is the reality"