DON'T LOOK FOR TROUBLE THAT ISN'T THERE

The new system is effective in blocking spam. Phew !  That's a relief. Writing a blog has many facets. Not least concern is readability. The only way it can be measured is by numbers of visits. 

The narrow focus on Aurora affairs  inevitably keeps readership down. From time to time,I am reminded of readers beyond our borders . Still growth was finite. Municipal political junkies are a rare breed. 

Readership  has more than doubled since posts about the federal election.  It's a good thing. Feedback from the blog is important. Now that spam is eliminated, I can fully trust the figures. 

Stats indicate the post entitled  "With Due Respect" has had fifteen times the hits and counting. It's the one I wrote about the social media revolution and its impact.

At some point I may have to think of a new name for the blog but for now I am leaving  well enough alone.

Last week-end's news had a couple of  other interesting items .

The first was  UK  concern about the function of the House of Lord's in their system. It's equivalent to the Canadian Senate. Seems the Brits have also been contemplating reform. Natives in the U.K. are restless. 

The House of Lords has eight hundred members Some hereditary peers, most appointed. 

They are not paid. They can claim up to $300 a day for expenses. They play dress-up in ermine and red robes and  they have defeated  ten votes of the Conservative government. 

So....although Prime Minister David Cameron campaigned on need for constitutional reform of the House  of Lords ,he has just  had to appoint .forty-five more members to ensure passage of government legislation. 

Necessity is the political imperative. 

But that situation is ridiculous. 

The second item of interest was a C.T.V. feature on Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynn. 

Approval numbers have gone way down. No leader can feel secure in the situation. It makes the leader vulnerable and gives opposition an edge. Even if their own numbers are not impressive. 

The Premier has been in charge since  2013. The hard reality is no leader can blame a predeccessor for ongoing problems. The public has notoriously short memories and the media are of the moment. 

Be that as it may, no fair-minded person would deny  financial problems Kathleen Wynn has had to deal with were not of her making. Dalton McGuinty's name seldom surfaces. He is likely enjoying  his privacy and comfortable pension while Ms Wynn gets to carry the can. 

The interesting aapect of the news feature was  attention to the Premier's private circumstance . 

The Premier appeared in several slides with her life partner. They spoke of difficulties anticipated because of their relationship. 

While I watched, I thought....what difficulties ? The relationship was never a secret. It did not impact on election to the Office  of Premier or re-election of Liberals to form the government. 

It can be argued Tim Hudak handed the election over on a plate. 

It can never be argued the Premier's domestic arrangement was an impediment to being elected or recognized for personal competence and integrity. 

Whatever problems the Premier of Ontario has to contend with and there are enough , personal choice of a life companion is not one. 

Responsibility of office is huge. Serious problems defy easy solutions, Criticism is cheap and easy. 

But the burden should not be increased because of prejudice that is neither real nor apparent in the Province of Ontario. 

The Premier should be re-assured of that.