"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Tuesday 19 October 2010

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum Last Night

Last night was  Grand  Opening of Library Week in Ontario. Aurora's Library was chosen for the Formal event by the Minister of Culture and Community Services.


Our library is  often chosen for such affairs. I think because it's handy for those from northern parts and the south, We had a Councillor, Librarian and trustee from Georgina Island there last night.

We have the space  and it's probably handy for officials who live close by. The Minister lives in  Markham.

So,  at six- thirty, special guests hoping for a word with the Minister  about library needs were there in strength.Every library except Richmond Hill was there at the time of the roll call.

There was a beautiful flower arrangement on a table. Cheese and crackers and vegetables and dips were artistically arranged by Sue Matheson  a  library staff member  on tables in the Magna Room.

Cake, chocolate and vanilla, and Coffee was served later in the library for the public audience. The cakes  were  donated by Longo's,  as it was last year in the same week.

But at seven o'clock, the Minister had not  yet shown.

It turned out, the Mayor and select Councillors were meeting with the Minister in the Church Street Culture Centre.

Now...there could not have been a mistake. The Mayor had previously declared a proclamation for Library Week in Ontario. Invitations were sent out.

But last week, an e-mail from the Mayor's office was circulated asking Councillors, had they received  invitations to the library event. One response  was circulated from Councillor MacEachern with the   simple answer "No" 

So the hammer fell again.

The Minister was hijacked from the  Formal Opening of Library Week in Ontario  to the Culture Centre in Aurora on the same evening at an over-lapping time.

To which event, no doubt  an oversight,  neither Councillor Collins Mrakas nor myself were invited.

Fortunately none of our  guests from other library communities seemed to notice. Ministers are often held up by votes in the house or traffic or a dozen other  normal circumstances.

Who  would ever guess the Mayor  of  Aurora  would  stoop to revenge  by sabotaging  Grand Opening of Library Week in  Ontario, by hijacking the Minister  on the way to the forum?

4 comments:

Robert the Bruce said...

Typical!



Fuimus

Anonymous said...

Evelyn:

Possibly the Minister, whose own government will soon be facing the electorate, felt it advantageous to mingle with Aurora's 'power structure', while it lasts, in order to meet and greet, kiss and shake, some of those whose votes will be solicited when his turn comes.

A fundamental rule, and particularly so in politics, is never break an appointment without at least calling well in advance to apologize with full explanation and in the course of so doing establish another appointment date, possibly for double the time of the first.

No politician who is considered successful, and mormac certainly do not fall into this category, will go out of his or her way to offend any person who might one day render or return a favour.

Anonymous said...

If I say that I'm not surprised by this, but I am shocked at how ridiculous the whole thing is, am I going to be hunted down by lawyers trying to squeeze some money out of me for having an opinion? (Along the same lines, perhaps if 4 of the GOS HAD an opinion they wouldn't feel the need to sue people that DO have one).

Anonymous said...

I do hope and pray that after this election is over both councillors Collins-Mrakas and McRoberts reveal some truths about how it has been to serve on this council under this regime. Perhaps it would finally squash the delusions of 'functional council" that the mayor continues to insist on.