I referred to a fellow blogger as a communication guru. I understand the word to mean a person of knowledge. I meant it in that context. Opinion is not the same as expertise. Opinion varies; subject to vagaries of personal experience and perspective.
The second argument is that rules in politics are meant to be exploited for advantage.The reference was to a call for a re-count after the 2003 election.
The Elections Officer is in charge of elections with legal authority and responsibility to conduct it according to the rules. Municipal politicians do not make nor are they allowed to influence the rules. Nor should they.
One clause I the Act rules a division of less than twenty-one votes automatically requires a re-count.
If the difference is less a re-count may be requested, usually by a runner-up in the election.
In 2003 , an outgoing Councillor requested a re-count. She argued she had not agreed the election machines recommended were efficient. Councillors and candidates were invited to a demonstration. The machines had been used successfully in other jurisdictions. Council debated the motion and a majority approved a re-count.,
The re-count was estimated to take three days and cost $22,000. It took longer and cost more. I was there throughout. It was a grueling and stressful undertaking. Results were the same.
Two things were proven :The machines were perfectly efficient.The Elections Officer's recommendation was sound. More than twenty-two- thousand dollars we're needlessly added to cost of the election.
An apology was certainly due to the Clerk /Election Officer and to taxpayers.
It was not forthcoming.
Second I had indeed won the right to take a seat at the table.
A Councillor-elect, in seconding the motion for re-count ,said he did not want to spend the next three years at the table opposite a person who had no right to be there.
I did have the right to be there. I won a sufficient number of votes,
The comment was egregious. It was an angry rejection of the result of the election that elected him.
By any rule of order, civility or grace the result of the re-count called for withdrawal and an apology.
The comment to the blog suggests politics is about denying and exploiting any and all rules whatever the intent.
Many would agree.The idea dominated Aurora politics since the mid-nineties.A fragment still remains.
My understanding of the function of elected office is not the same. I want to see the dignity of
elected office return to what it once was and what I believe the community has a right to expect.
It's why I came back in 2003.
When I record past events in the blog, my intent is to move things away from what was, to something better.
It can't change unless the need to change is recognized
It's not digging into the past so much as cultivating the future.
A garden flourishes only if it's tended regularly.
It takes digging and delving,
Planting seeds and pulling out weeds
That greedily absorb nutrition.
And adding fertilizer.
Ya gotta love it.
It was the reason I came back in 2003. I think I made a difference.
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15 comments:
And this is the time of year to turn over the beds
Enjoy the great weather.
Guru: any person who counsels or advises; mentor:
a leader in a particular field:
By those definitions I would have to disagree with you.
That one does not like Mr Watts. Maybe he dared to disagree long ago,
Who cares about the word ?
The guy knows his onions.
14:51, by those definitions I would have to agree with you.
You certainly did make a difference. Didn't know what the hell was really going on until I started reading your blog and then started paying more attention municipal gov't, not just this Town but throughout the Region. Thank you Evelyn.
Change will come when the electorate have had enough with government serving only 30% who vote. When services really start diminishing and the only way to sustain even the basic needs of everyday living is to continuously raise taxes and servive fees.
I think the 70% who don't vote should have to pay 100% of the taxes.
Maybe people could become interested in the democratic process and would VOTE!
It seems that the 70% who don't vote do 100% of the bitching.
I agree with 19:32. Sustainability will be ending soon. You can only take from Peter to pay Paul for so long. You won't see it at this Federal election. The Conservatives have done a pretty good job at keeping major problem at bay. We're sitting quite well economically compared to the rest of the world. So not much hope for more of the electorate to be running to the poles this time around.
11:14
We started out better too. I disagree on your comment about " pretty good job ". They have
lost a heck of a lot of money over just the past few years. And, to the electorate, too many scandals and
individuals leaving their front benches for safety. It speaks of a tired government.
Ahhh the Liberals have had their share as well. As far as " lost a heck of a lot of money" What do you consider "a lot". All levels of Gov't lose money. You just have to take a look at our own backyard for that example. And lets not even talk about the billions the provincial Liberals lost, and they still got elected with a majority gov't. I think the Conservatives are sitting pretty good considering overall performance.
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2015/09/17/harpers-economic-record-the-worst-in-canadas-postwar-history.html
8:22
Really buddy? You're referencing an commentary from The Star? Written by two guys that belong to one of the biggest unions? Pleez!
Really, 11:18. Yes, I know you neo-cons are anti-Star and anti-unions - that's a fact in their favour in my book.
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