"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

Sunday 11 August 2013

Things Can Only Improve

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Party Trappings and All That Jazz": I'm not sure if there was ever a province as ticked off at politicians as Ontario is at the moment. The lack of a viable alternative is partly responsible. Imagine having a kid who is bright, good at public speaking & hard-working & who suggests he/she might want to be a politician ! *********** We do not have to look much further than our own community or far into the past to find the source of the problem. Consider the persistent demands of a neighbourhood for the town to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to effect removal of a Bell cell phone tower erected in accordance with all the rules and regulations. A couple of decades such a demand would never have been taken seriously In the mid-nineties a base element of politics took hold starting at ground level. It was there before but never had the upper hand. The political element that encouraged residents to believe selfish and unreasonable demands were reasonable. The one that allowed an inadequate individuql to believe the only route to self-promotion was denigration of another. Every school child is familiar with the tactic. I scooted around Knowles Crescent the other day. It is one of the presttiest streets in town. Fifty-nine homes form a crescent. In the last term,a million dollars were spenton re-constructions. Curbs and storm sewers transformed it from rural to urban standards. A few homeowners became concerned and encouraged by a Councillor to believe, while the project was ongoing,their driveway grades were too steep. The Director of Public Works was pushed aside and a consultant hired to deal with the problem. A spokesperson told Council they wanted Councillor Mac Eachern to be their "go-to person" The project stalled for weeks. An additional $60. thousand was doled out in cheques to five property-owners to complete the driveways to their idea of elegance. One heque was for $10,thousand. The option, it was claimed.was for the town to be sued. Sued? For transforming an entire street into something beautiful with public resources. Hogwash!!! The cell phone tower issue is a replica of the same excess. There's no doubt some homeowners were encouraged by some Councillors to believe their demands are not ridiculous and excessive . No greater principle is involved here than the rudimentary conviction that all politics are base. Hand over the keys to the treasury and one's future will be secure. Never....ever....say No Your demand is not in the interest of the community. Even now we are paying fees, in addition to the cost of the town;s legal department, to advise that the cell tower is up. It will stay up. A contrived and extravagant witch hunt, in the form of a judicial review, to turn up a culprit within the administration won't change a damn thing. Council opted to pay for additional legal advice to avoid being held responsible for the obvious decision that had to be made. They failed the test of leadership. They flunked out. Last week I came back from Sandbanks Provincial Park to find an e-mail from a reporter in my inbox. He had been informed the Mayor and Council had received an offer of admission tickets to Rogers Cup Tennis Tournament. He had also been told because of their value, acceptance of the tickets was a breach of the Code Of Ethics and the Mayor's office should have immediately refused the tickets on behalf of the entire Council. There was no evidence anyone had accepted tickets or how much the tickets were worth. But that didn't aappear to be relevant. The reporter was adamant the Mayor had something to answer for. If I were asked to guess which Councillor was the snitch, I would say Councillor Ballard. Does it set him aside from the rest. Unfortunately no, not really. The fate of the last Council at the hands of the voters , for practising politics at gutter level and treating the electorate with total disrespect, seems not to have made any impression on the current Council. They follow precisely in their footsteps. I would encourage a young person who is bright, enjoys public speaking and thinks he would like to be a politician. There's a desperate need for candidates who believe the job is worthwhile or its own sake. It's a challenge like no other. Universities do not teach it. As newspapers duplicate the mistakes of the politicians and fail anyway. (Did anyone notice he headline about The Star unexpectedly losing 25% of revenue? ) As people switch attention fom T.V. to social media. The need can only grow for citizens willing to give what it take and accept the challenge.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...


Mention was made in a Globe and Mail article yesterday that MPP Frank Klees was a prominent member of the evangelical wing of the PC Party of Ontario.

This made me rush to the bathroom where I threw up.

These people are not nearly as narrow-minded and bigoted as their American equivalents, but they still leave a bad taste.

In order to be "successful" in politics today you have to be prepared to kiss everyone's ass and lie and squirm your way through a process that is virtually all gutter.

Anonymous said...

The Star's ' unexpected ' loss was during that quarter when they targeted Mayor Ford & expected revenue from ads & circulation to climb. People in TO say that the Star hands out copies in the subways. Weird since it's all on the internet. More dead trees for no reason.

Anonymous said...

Evelyn, you are going to be more specific. You got a note from a ' reporter '. There is really only one newspaper serving Aurora that employs reporters. Red herring in your in-box from that outfit that lost the town contract.

Anonymous said...

Those tennis tickets are small potatoes. What does that nurse who has been sitting under the noses of Councillors Gallo & Ballard cost?

Anonymous said...

@ 14:54
That is all a facade. How many of the Harris guys were still married when their term was up?

Anonymous said...

14:54... I think you are half right. I think that there are two types of successfull polititians in the world.

The first is as you describe.

The second type is the hard-line type that continually says that they are against taxes being used the wrong way, or things should be their way, etc. This type is successful because they have a following of supporters that are felling the same way about mis-spending or stupid spending. However, down the road, those same supporters have a pet cause that finds them running counter to those that they supported and there is a falling out.

The reality is that it is easier to garner support with honey than vinegar. The "ass-kisser" has a potentially longer career in politics ahead if they stay ahead of the curve. The "hard-ass" type can have a long career if they have enough supporters to cover their ass long enough.

The good thing is, eventually the public tires of both types and they fade away. Sometimes this does not come soon enough.

Anonymous said...

Oh, golly gee ! Pammy is going to return some of the money with interest ! And Hudak declines a review of his leadership ! What a lovely day - not.

Broderick Epps said...

@1454

"Mention was made in a Globe and Mail article yesterday that MPP Frank Klees was a prominent member of the evangelical wing of the PC Party of Ontario.

This made me rush to the bathroom where I threw up.

These people are not nearly as narrow-minded and bigoted as their American equivalents, but they still leave a bad taste"

Does that mean I can belittle Kathleen Wynne and her Lesbian status along with her attempt to subvert the curriculum which sickened me or do we live in George Orwell's Animal Farm,
and its hands off sexual orientation?

Anonymous said...


The embattled, embittered Tim Hudak has rejected any leadership review of the Ontario PC party.

Where will this leave Frank and the evangelicals?

In a gripping press conference-statement Pamela Wallin earlier today questioned the fairness of the Senate rules on expenses, especially, as in her case, for the years 2009 - 2011 she reported on the basis of then-existing rules and now finds that changes made in 2012 have been made retroactive in the case of her Deloitte audit. This is patent BS but typical of the workings of politics.

She has stated that she will personally repay any amounts deemed inappropriate, together with interest, and will do so from her "own resources." Not like a certain pudgy PEI Senator.

Deloitte is one of the four largest accounting firms in the world and their work does not come cheap.
Since it is the Canadian taxpayer who is footing the bill, I feel it fitting and appropriate for the Senate Committee to make available this information on a Senator by Senator basis alongside the amounts that these audits have revealed that must be repaid. Frankly, I question whether the incorrect expense claims will come close to the cost of determining these.

But then governments and their branches are not known for efficiency.

One parting thought - possibly we should refer to Senators as "the Senator from Manitoba" or wherever, rather then stigmatizing them with party labels.

Anonymous said...

I think I have pretty much decided to sit this one out. Let the Senate, the provincial Liberals & the provincial Conservatives implode. Then we can deal with whatever remains in peace & tranquility.

Anonymous said...


Pierre Trudeau once famously said - "there's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation."

I am of the antiquated opinion that people may do whatever they wish, to or with each other, so long as they do it in private.

It is offensive to see battalions of thrill-seekers displaying/exhibiting their various body parts, tattooed or not, in joyous revel on our streets.

They should display and exhibit these in some private place where they can attain the ecstasy they so obviously seek.

Anonymous said...


It is doubtful if Tim Hudak could lead his party to victory running against a fence post.

Anonymous said...

"Does that mean I can belittle Kathleen Wynne and her Lesbian status..."

No, sir, you may not. I should've thought that in this day and age you wouldn't need to be told, Mr Epps.

*facepalm* said...

Sure, you go right ahead, Broderick...meanwhile, we promise not to mention intolerance and bigotry.

Anonymous said...

22:08 and the rest of the politically correct...

I think that Mr Epps was demonstrating - and quite effectively - the inequality that exists. Someone tags Klees as an evangelical wing member and it seems okay.... why can't he make a statement about Wynne's sexual orientation?

How is it different? Why is one okay and the other not?

Well done Mr Epps, you can say whatever you want.

Anonymous said...

Evelyn's Blog is not a single entity. It consists of all those who contribute including Mr. Epps. He may not be aware of our resident nasties who do not like anyone or anything.....the nature of the beast.

Anonymous said...

Could we just agree that the perception of a gay agenda and/or one linked to evangelicals can cause unease, and let it go at that ?

Anonymous said...

Who gives a continental?
" It's the Economy, Stupid. "
James Carville.

Anonymous said...

Okay, 08:41, help me out here - who exactly are the "nasties," the intolerant ones or those calling them out on it?

Anonymous said...

@ 13:16
" To each his own "

Anonymous said...

Sad answer, 18:50. It should be obvious.

Anonymous said...

13:16

There are some here who think that they know who the "nasties" are. They think it's former councillors or former mayors. Hey think they are disinfranchised bloggers or blog commenters. It's fun to watch them twist in the wind trying to figure it out. Of course, direct questions like yours will never be answered because they really do not know who anyone is.

Anonymous said...

To 09:29
May I call you on that one, please?
You are speaking of a ' they ' which does not exist. Just for myself, I do not believe there are any ex-councillors or former mayors contributing to the ' nasty collection ' of non- constructive negatives.

Anonymous said...

15:09
I totally agree. It is a single individual.