THE MIX WE ARE IN MUSKOKA - AND THE NECESSITY OF WORKING TOGETHER FOR OUR COMMUNITIES
COTTAGER INFLUENCES HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT
AS A PREAMBLE NOTE, I JUST WANTED TO THROW A BOQUET TO THE TOWN OF GRAVENHURST, FOR THEIR LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE AT KINSMEN PARK, LOCATED IN THE SOUTH-END BUSINESS SECTION. IT'S GREAT TO, AS ALWAYS, SEE THE FISH-THEMED FOUNTAIN IN FULL REGALIA. THE VISITORS LOVE IT. WE LIKE IT. THE PARKETTE IS GOING TO BE A HUGE FUTURE ASSET, AND WHEN THE TREES THAT HAVE BEEN PLANTED, GAIN A LITTLE MORE STATURE, THIS WILL BE A WONDERFUL SHOWCASE GREEN ZONE TO PROMOTE THE WHOLE TOWN. I PREDICT THERE WILL BE A LOT MORE USE OF THIS PARK IF THE TOWN IS WILLING. IT'S A GREAT VENUE FOR ALL KINDS OF FETES. I ALSO HAVE NOTICED THE HORTICULTURAL VOLUNTEERS PLANTING GARDENS AROUND TOWN, PLUS ALL THOSE AREAS THE MUNICIPAL STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING ON, OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS, TO SPRUCE UP AFTER THE WINTER SEASON. I CAN APPRECIATE HOW MUCH WORK THERE IS AT HAND, AND JUST HOW MUCH IT ALL COSTS. IT LOOKS LIKE WE CARE ABOUT NATURE IN THIS TOWN. I'M COMFORTABLE THAT'S TRUE, ESPECIALLY AS I LOOK OUT OVER "THE BOG" THIS AFTERNOON, THAT WAS PRESERVED BY THE TOWN, THANKS TO INSIGHTFUL THINKING AND FUTURE MINDEDNESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WETLANDS. SURE, IT TOOK SOME NUDGING TO SAVE, BUT NOT TOO MUCH.
I'VE OFFERED A GENTLE CRITICISM OF THE CONDITION OF GROUNDS AT GULL LAKE PARK, AND THE FACT IT HASN'T BEEN RAKED YET THIS SPRING (MAYBE IT HAS BY NOW), BUT THAT'S SOMETHING LOCAL COUNCILLORS MUST MAKE THEMSELVES AWARE OF, AND FIND OUT WHY THERE HAS BEEN A RELUCTANCE TO DO THE SPRING CLEANING. THERE WERE A LOT OF VISITORS AND A SPECIAL EVENT AT THE PARK ON SATURDAY, AND IT DIDN'T LOOK AS WELL-KEPT AS IT SHOULD HAVE…..AS THE CENTRAL LAKESIDE PARK, SPORTING THE ROTARY NAME. THIS IS A PRIME SPOT FOR OUR VISITORS TO PICNIC AND SWIM. THE PICNIC AND BEACH CROWD WERE AFFORDED AN EARLIER START THIS SEASON, BUT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN READY NONE THE LESS. ESPECIALLY WITH THE EARLY SPRING AND LOW-SNOW WINTER. I TRUST IT WILL BE DONE FOR THE UPCOMING CAR SHOW IN MID JUNE. WAS THIS A BUDGET THING?
THE TOWN ITSELF IS LOOKING VERY CHARMING THIS SPRING, WITH THE NEWLY RE-CONSTRUCTED MAIN STREET, AND WHEN YOU LOOK DOWN THE TREE-LINED ROAD, IT LOOKS BOTH HISTORIC, IN ARCHITECTURE, CHARMING WITH ITS CHURCHES AND MANICURED LAWNS, AND A WEE BIT SENTIMENTAL, AS A GOOD OLD TOWN SHOULD. I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, BUT THE WAY THE MAIN STREET LOOKS TODAY, IS A CREDIT TO THE ROAD AND SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION (AND ENHANCEMENTS)……AS PAINFUL AND EVENT-FILLED AS IT WAS. I'M SORRY ABOUT THE LOSS OF THREE BUILDINGS, AND THE TERRIBLE AFTERMATH FOR FAMILIES AND BUILDING / BUSINESS OWNERS. IF WE WERE THUSLY, TO LOOK DOWN THIS SAME STREET TODAY, AND SEE WHAT AMOUNTS TO A POOR JOB OF RECONSTRUCTION, IT WOULD MAKE IT SO MUCH HARDER TO RECONCILE WITH THE SACRIFICE, TO GET THIS FAR ON OUR MAIN STREET MAKEOVER. THERE ARE STILL STORE-FRONTS FOR RENT, AND NOW-VACANT LOTS TO BUILD-ON, BUT AS FAR AS PRESENTING A GOOD LAUNCHING PAD FOR THE FUTURE, I THINK THIS HAS BEEN DONE. EVEN WITH THE VACANCIES AND OPEN SPACES UPTOWN, SEEING THE CORNER PARKETTE (FORMERLY WHITE PINE LOT) FULL OF FOLKS EATING THEIR LUNCHES, MAKES THIS KIND OF A HAPPENING-PLACE, ON AN ATTRACTIVE PIECE OF MAINSTREET REAL ESTATE. IT MAKES THE TOWN LOOK FRIENDLY AND WELCOMING, AND ISN'T THAT WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE? FOR ALL THOSE WHO HAVE PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE, IN MAKING THE MAIN STREET LOOK BRIGHT AND OPEN-FOR-BUSINESS, CONGRATULATIONS ARE OVERDUE. TO BUILDING OWNERS AND BUSINESSES, WHO HAVE SPRUCED-UP THEIR PROPERTIES, AND JAZZED-UP THEIR WINDOW DISPLAYS, THEY DESERVE THE COMING WAVE OF PROSPERITY. AS FOR NAYSAYERS, WHO FEEL WE AREN'T LIVING UP TO EXPECTATIONS, HOPEFULLY, ON THIS NEW PROGRESSIVE COURSE, WE'LL ALL BE DELIGHTED TO PROVE THEM WRONG. THIS ISN'T THE TIME TO FEAR THAT THE SKY IS FALLING. WE'LL JUST NAIL IT BACK IF DOES. WE'VE GOT SOME FOLKS TO WELCOME BACK TO OUR REGION. I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO LIKE WHAT THE SEE. LET'S MAKE THEM FEEL WELCOME.
AN EARLIER DAY IN THE BUSINESS OF REPORTING ON MUNICIPAL COUNCIL
I WAS EDITOR OF THE HERALD-GAZETTE AT THE TIME OF SEASONAL-RESIDENT UNREST IN THE TOWNSHIP OF MUSKOKA LAKES. I HAD BEEN A NEWS EDITOR, BEFORE THIS, AT THE MUSKOKA LAKES-GEORGIAN BAY BEACON, WHEN THE COTTAGERS OF THE TOWNSHIP OR THE ARCHIPELAGO (GEORGIAN BAY), ENDORSED CANDIDATES FOR THEIR FORMATIVE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. IT WAS, I THINK, IN ABOUT 1980. IT WAS A DIVISIVE TIME IN THE REGION, AS "SECOND HOME OWNERS" REARED-UP, AND DEMANDED LOCAL COUNCILS FINALLY AND RESPECTFULLY PAY ATTENTION TO THEIR CONCERNS. AS THEY WERE WELL AWARE OF THE FISCAL WEIGHT OF THEIR ANNUAL TAX CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE MUNICIPALITIES, THEY WANTED TO PLAY A GREATER ROLE IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. THEY ORGANIZED AS THEY SAID THEY WOULD, AND IT DID CREATE A SUBSTANTIAL DIVIDE BETWEEN PERMANENT AND SEASONAL RESIDENTS. THE REACTION, BY THE COTTAGERS, WAS THE RESULT OF PLANNING AND LAKESHORE DEVELOPMENT ISSUES, SUCH AS THE ROSENEATH RESORT DEVELOPMENT, THAT HAD BEEN PLANNED IN THE MILFORD BAY AREA OF TOWNSHIP OF MUSKOKA LAKES. FUTURE LAKEFRONT DENSITIES, AND THE EXPANSION OF THESE LARGE-SCALE RESORTS, WITHOUT STRICTLY ENFORCED LAKEFRONT POLICIES AND A HIGHLY RESPONSIBLE, PRO-ACTIVE COUNCIL, BECAME A HUGE ISSUE BETWEEN COUNCIL AND BOTH COTTAGERS AND PERMANENT RESIDENTS. I SUSPECT THERE ARE STILL SOME HARD FEELINGS BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND THIS MANIFESTED BACK IN THE EARLY 1980'S.
THE PERMANENT RESIDENTS DIDN'T LIKE THE FACT GROUPS LIKE THE MUSKOKA LAKES ASSOCIATION, WERE STICKING THEIR COLLECTIVE "OAR" INTO WHERE IT DIDN'T BELONG. MANY OF THE LOCAL YEAR-ROUND POPULATION, SAW DEVELOPMENT, WHETHER ON THE LAKESHORE OR NOT, AS AN ECONOMIC BOON, NOT TO BE DISCOURAGED BECAUSE OF THE FEAR MONGERING OF COTTAGERS, THAT THE WATER QUALITY WOULD BE PERMANENTLY COMPROMISED. OR THAT BOAT TRAFFIC WOULD BE TOO DANGEROUS, AS A RESULT OF OVER-DEVELOPMENT OF LAKESHORE RESOURCES.
IT WAS LARGELY ABOUT JOBS, AND I DARE SAY, HOME TOWN ADVANTAGE. LOCALS NEEDED WORK. LOCAL BUSINESSES NEEDED MORE BUYERS OF THEIR WARES. CONTRACTORS, CARPENTERS, PLUMBERS, ELECTRICIANS, LANDSCAPERS WERE DELIGHTED BY THE NEWFOUND INTEREST IN MUSKOKA. DEVELOPERS HAD LOTS OF CARROTS TO DANGLE, AND NO ONE COULD BLAME RESIDENTS FOR BEING ENTHUSED TO SEE THE FRENZY OF INVESTMENT INTEREST. THE COTTAGE ASSOCIATIONS WERE BECOMING ALARMED AT THE NUMBER OF NEW RESORTS BEING PRESENTED TO LOCAL COUNCILS, FOR THEIR APPROVALS, AND WERE WORRIED THAT WITHOUT CHALLENGES, AND NOT JUST FROM PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE DEVELOPMENTS, THE RURAL COUNCIL WAS GOING TO ACCEPT WHATEVER CAME ALONG.
AS REPORTERS, WE WATCHED MANY OF THESE SLICK PRESENTATIONS, AND WE HEARD THE MUMBLING OF PLANNING STAFF, IN AWE OF THE BIG NAMES IN THE PROFESSION, SIDING WITH PRESENTERS. WITH THE DEVELOPERS CAME SOME HEAVY-WEIGHT ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT, FROM WELL KNOWN (EVEN LEGENDARY PLANNERS, TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION, THAT ON OCCASION, TRUMPED BY A COUNTRY MILE, THOSE WORKING ON BEHALF OF THE MUNICIPALITY. WE SAW IT MANY TIMES. BIG NAMES FROM BIG, BIG URBAN OFFICES, REPRESENTING THEIR DEVELOPER-CLIENTS. IT WASN'T A FAIR MATCH. UNFORTUNATELY, COUNCILLORS AND STAFF SEEMED A LITTLE BIT OVERWHELMED, BY THE SHOW OF EXPERTISE, SUPPORTING A PROJECT, AND SOME FROM THE COTTAGE ASSOCIATION, I THINK, WORRIED ABOUT THE QUICK SURRENDER OF COUNCILLORS……TO SUPPORT A PROJECT, BASED IN PART ON THIS EXPERT REPRESENTATION. FOR THEIR EVER-ESCALATING PROPERTY TAXES, COTTAGERS FELT IT WAS THE RIGHT TIME TO MAKE THEMSELVES CLEAR, ABOUT WHAT RIGHTS THEY WERE GOING TO ASSUME, AND HOW COUNCIL(S) WAS GOING TO TREAT THEIR CONCERNS. THE EXPERTISE WITHIN THE COTTAGE ASSOCIATION WAS OF PARTICULAR VALUE TO THE MUNICIPALITY, AND THE ENTIRE DISTRICT, AND CAME AT AN IMPORTANT TIME IN THE EXPANSION PERIOD OF THE TOWNSHIP. DID THEIR PRESENCE IN THE TOWNSHIP SCARE OFF SOME DEVELOPERS. MANY PERMANENT RESIDENTS MAY HAVE FELT THIS WAY, BUT I DON'T REALLY BELIEVE IT WAS THE CASE.
It was an interesting period of Muskoka history. At the time, as the editorial staff of The Herald-Gazette were all permanent residents, the knee-jerk reaction, was to feel the cottagers were over-stepping their boundary. They were here to enjoy the recreation and relaxation of cottage country life. Not get involved in politics. I'm not confident about this, but I expect we did employ a few editorials, to make it clear, that we knew how to run our region, without their two-cents' worth. As time went by, however, we all came to see that, what groups like the Muskoka Lakes Association were actually supporting, and interested in, was exactly what we all should have been interested in restricting, and refusing of lakeshore development. It wasn't the case, as some locals had argued, that the cottagers on the Muskoka Lakes, were only interested in their slice of paradise, and not having it compromised with huge resorts placed helter-skelter around the lakes. What had seemed border-line offensive to us, started to make a lot more sense as time and arguments went by, and hearings were held about some of the more contentious resort developments, such as Roseneath. There were a lot of statements made in the press that were inflammatory, for no other purpose than to keep the flames fanned.There was all kinds of weird stuff happening, at that time, and allegations that were unfounded, about the local versus cottager feud. It was always presented back then, as much larger and more divisive than it actually was on the battle front. The battle front was usually in the council chambers in Port Carling, and a few times, during the peak, at Muskoka Lakes Association general meetings. The reporters would sharpen their pencils for a really big showdown, and then it would gradually fizzle into, at best, a substantial disagreement. Not much of a war. Of course, it was the word on the street, and the exaggerations that made it seem that an imminent showdown was coming. But it never did, as far as I was concerned. A lot was learned in those years, on both sides, but it never came to blows.
When the cottager associations began endorsing candidates, and actively pressing their membership to vote in the municipal election, in the Township of Muskoka Lakes, it created a huge wave of dissent, that made for great news coverage. It was the most interesting and colorful period in local municipal history. By the way, covering municipal council was determined, before this, by drawing the short straw in the newsroom. After it got interesting, reporters begged to cover council meetings. The township council itself, had been indifferent, and quite consumed by its self importance. When the cottagers began showing up in larger numbers, to make presentations to council, I was in the press gallery with my cronies, to watch the self-importance, and arrogance diminish, meeting after meeting. Councillors went from being perturbed by the cottager interventions, to being a little bit anxious, about what kind of fight was coming next. I never once felt the members of the Muskoka Lakes Association asked for anything extraordinary, or that they weren't legally entitled, or should have been entitled, under the circumstances. They had concerns the township was in over its head, with planning applications for large-scale developments, and could see a time down the road, when they'd make some serious planning errors without an informal partnership of concerned property owners. Part of it was based on the newfound prosperity the township was facing. Resort projects were popping up all over the place. In retrospect, it was the right time for the cottagers to let the local council know, they wanted to be better informed about what was going on in their bailiwick. They wanted to be part of the governance model, and by the value of taxation, they brought to the municipal purse, they demanded to be heard and respected. They never used the word "obey," but that is the word that some locals suspected was behind the sudden interest in Muskoka politics. Suspicions raised cause a strain in relations, and in retrospect, it had to happen the way it did. It was a little rough for awhile, but I think a much better relationship was forged as a result.
I spent a number of election nights, at the town hall in Port Carling, waiting for poll results from the wards. There was a huge tension, and at times, it was like the original Canada-Russia hockey series. It was a clear case of "them" against "us". There was a lot of fear and anger, in the rural clime, that had never experienced such media attention. I know there was a heaping-helping of rhetoric bouncing all over the place, and a lot of sighs when cottager-endorsed candidates started winning council seats. Not all of them, but enough to realize, a new era had been born in local government. What the reporters experienced, was something unique with national implications. Seasonal residents throughout the country, on news of the cottager victories, in Muskoka, won deserved respect as taxpayers, and had reinforced the right to challenge authority, even if the local population preferred them to lay on their docks, swim, boat, and spend money to assist the business community. The "pay your taxes and shut the hell up" time was over. It was ground breaking in many ways, but what it accomplished was huge for the time, and to this day, because cottagers banded together in protest in the 1980's, a partnership emerged from the misspent anger, that most couldn't have predicted…….but most have benefitted from, in one way or another. There is much more respect for the influence of cottager associations, because of groups like the Georgian Bay cottagers, in the Townships of the Archipelago (circa 1979-80), and the Muskoka Lakes Association, who imbedded themselves in the governments of the day. I think it worked. I always had a lot of respect for groups like the Lake of Bays Association, when I used to cover their annual meetings, and I know the work of the Muskoka Bay Association, amongst others, here in Gravenhurst. Some locals still see these groups as self-serving only. It's their mandate after all, but from what I've learned over the years, they seem like the kind of folks who are willing to defend our region in many ways, especially the environment……and show cooperation with municipal councils. The MLA certainly cut this pathway to a better relationship, through this precarious period of the 1980's.
Reporters from my era, wanted to go to Muskoka Lakes Association annual meetings, in Port Carling, because it put local politicians on the hot seat, including members of parliament, provincial and federal. I'd get enough story leads to last me for the rest of the summer season. But I never once, in many meetings covered, felt the association had been unfair, or had ganged-up to bully local councillors in particular. It was uncomfortable for mayors, and they probably didn't like what they heard, or the questions they were asked, but their protocol was always bang-on, and all sides practiced respectful conduct, even when the audience was visibly angry with some of the speeches, and answers to enquiry. I think maybe we would have liked a little more verbal berating, and angry retorts, but it just didn't happen that way. It's true, there were nasty comments from some members in attendance, but you could hear ignorant comments in the peanut gallery in other public meetings in the region during this period. We knew it. So we sure as hell weren't going to exploit that just for a headline.
Muskoka has had a long relationship with the "them" and "us" living arrangement, and for the most part, it has been highly successful and long enduring. We have differences, but there's not as much reservation about making it public, as it was prior to the early 1980's, when cottagers from many locales, decided it was time to speak up about taxation issues, services they weren't getting, school taxes they were paying, but not using, and developments that they were going to have to live with, that were also detrimental to the lakeland generally. It brought up some ugliness and for a couple of years, the relationship was very strained. While other municipalities were touched by the situation in Muskoka Lakes, they largely escaped outright confrontation. Yet it was close enough, for municipalities like Bracebridge and Huntsville, to get the message about the rights and privileges of second home owners, to play their part in local governance. To this day, I feel that what happened during this period of unrest, has shaped the future, and the dynamic of local government to be more inclusive of all residents of Muskoka. What began as "how dare they," has become part and parcel of the democratic process, and you will find very few headlines that show a similar tempest swirling in the proverbial teapot, as it once did, in the Township of Muskoka Lakes.
There are Gravenhurst Councillors, who think this has been a rough period in local municipal politics. I'm going to tell them quite the opposite. If they had been the council of the day, in Muskoka Lakes, they would have known what it was really like being in a pressure cooker, and having to perform with dozens of media reporters watching the dance. The council then, felt it was under attack, and for all intents and purposes, they reacted as you would expect. They became immediately defensive, and felt insulted and even humiliated by the suggestion, they were too inexperienced and feeble to handle the applications for development, rolling into the town hall. It was this defiant commencement to the new relationship, that caused most damage, because the rhetoric got out of hand. As team-mates in hockey, protect the goalie with their fists, the local population was drawn into the situation because of the "shooting from the hip," comments coming from councillors. I can't say it was becoming militant, but it was ugly, and I'm sure there were many confrontations between cottagers and locals, out of the reporter's ear-shot. The dilemma for us, like watching a Budist Monk setting himself on fire, was whether to report as we were supposed to, or ignore the inflammatory comments, and have them appear in another media's coverage. We knew what kind of questioning we'd get from our publisher, if we missed a big scoop like this. We felt the only way to soften the rough edges, was to create an editorial priority, to find another way to approach the growing divide, that was starting to look like a battle configuration. I know we took some shots at the Muskoka Lakes Association, but we also assessed some blame on local activists, who were admittedly, living in a past era, when it came to understanding the new profile of the cottage community.
What we all had a chance to experience, over the decade, was a far more congenial relationship overall, between what had been, for a short time, adversaries on the Muskoka Lakes. The mix of cottager endorsed candidates, and locally supported representatives, began to work toward the common good. It took awhile. Part of the problem was the media. We may not have blown the issue out of proportion, but admittedly we milked it for all it was worth. I have some nagging kickback about my own role in this, because I was at the helm. I was a part of an ugly scene, that did get better, and of this we should all be satisfied with the new and improving relationship between cottagers and permanent residents. At least this is my perception of what goes on today between Cottage and Lake Associations and regional councils. Strained at times, over some issues, but amicable generally.
GRAVENHURST COUNCIL AND PUBLIC OPINION
When I offer a caution to Gravenhurst Council about the prevailing mood of this community, beginning to sour, with a loss of good humor, I do so based on some experience, having dealt with this before in other municipalities. This isn't about any deficiencies in the relationship with cottager associations, or the suggestion that this period mimics the one I have just explained in the Township of Muskoka Lakes. There is however, an issue of indifference, many citizens and ratepayers are noticing, with our present council, that to me, seems perilously close to party politics. There doesn't seem to be much thrashing and vigorous counterpoint going on, and I once again have to bring up the debacle of the Terrence Haight bequeath. What some of us are wondering about is the lack of passionate debate. A "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," style oratory, by just one council member, that shows us some conviction to fight the good fight. I'm happy to know that some councillors voted against this, but where are the personal interviews with the press (Maybe there will be, this week), blasting the committee decision. It's a million dollars we're talking about here. A wonderfully kind and generous bequeath to benefit the residents of this community. Isn't this worth shattering status quo about? We don't need fireworks. We need to know that those opposed to a committee or council initiative, are willing to continue to argue against, as long as possible…..and making those opinions obvious to the ratepayers. We've heard from the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, but folks, every councillor has an equal opportunity to speak out, and let their opinions, whether supporting an issue or objecting to it, be known to the community they represent. We don't get this feeling there is much debate, if any, at council or committee meetings, yet there isn't always consensus. Is the press missing the really nasty stuff happening in the backrooms. I am more suspicious about quiet dealings, than when the public is clearly aware of the real point-counter point, in the pursuit of well thought-out council decisions.
When it comes to hugely contentious issues, facing council, one does expect the occasional serious disagreement. I've got a lot of experience in this regard, and even though I'm not sitting in the press gallery, or interviewing councillors on a regular basis, I do recognize the clear difference between councils of old and new. There is a shying-away from aggressive anything, yet we seem to have a lot of unresolved issues. Has a Gravenhurst Councillor gone down to inspect the condition of Gull Lake Park recently. Out of the entire council, having just one councillor raise the issue of maintenance, would seem mildly appropriate, in the answer to criticism. There are other people noticing the condition of the park, wondering what's going on. What about the fact there isn't a sign on The Barge, to explain even in a few words, that it is being restored by the Town…….and not torn down. It just seems logical that these issues might be seriously debated at the council table, but unless the press persists on these matters, not much is ever known…..questions not answered. It probably does seem people like me are always nagging about this and that, but the perception situation, is wrong minded; because ladies and gentlemen, I'm just one of many, and I happen to have a blog. To think that it's a small group of the disloyal, asking these questions, is naive to the extreme. I don't think honestly, they feel it even necessary to inform us about much of anything. Possibly they are interpreting the Municipal Act their own way, finding more privilege in information with-holding.
The point is, the conditions are right for social activism. In Canada. In the province. And in our municipality. I've seen it before. Maybe that's a big advantage of being an historian. What the Federal Government is doing, as self-serving as it appears, will end badly, and biographies will be written, and many of us will look back on wasted effort, misspent money, and the lost time on ridiculous ventures. Even the province is picking fights they won't win. They're putting their dukes up, but they couldn't land a punch for love nor money. If the Feds think they're going to implement the changes to Unemployment Insurance with nary a glitch, or a hundred, well sir, we're going to see social activism blossom as we haven't seen it in decades. The very idea of Omnibus Bills, as the Trojan Horses, of government policy change, is just a debacle unfolding, and more kindling for the fire. If you screw around long enough, you find out what makes Canadians….well, Canadians! I often hear and read definitions about what it means to be Canadian. A lot of politicians in this country, are reaching points of no-return for their parties, as even the elderly will be marching on parliament. Our representative governments are now known as Conservative or Liberal. I've always thought of them as our governments. Working on our behalf….our country's behalf. Previously, in my life anyway, I didn't feel I had to belong to the party that won an election, to feel it was the government that represented my family, my neighborhood, my town. Every time I hear or read our governments described by the party in power, I feel disenfranchised as a citizen. So who is representing me? Guess I'd better join the governing party, if I want to feel like a connected Canadian. You see, this is what's wrong. The meddling with our national identity, and what will eventually inspire a change of government. A failure to listen to the people you represent.
It's true dear friend, many Canadians have stopped voting in elections. They have lost faith in democracy. This is so profoundly terrible, when you see the masses of eager voters, in countries like Egypt, having an opportunity, finally, to exercise their democratic right, to vote for the candidate and party of choice. Yet here we are, even in this charming municipality, in beautiful Muskoka, feeling totally uninspired by our opportunity to elect the representation we desire. "Who cares," I've heard citizens ask. 'It doesn't matter who you vote for…..they're all the same. They do what they want, not what we want them to do!" When I read statements about denying the public, a chance to participate in the use of the million dollar Haight bequeath, I think about this apathy today. It will certainly be a test for this town, to see how many citizens react to the council intent, and submit their objections. Maybe there will be one or two, maybe a dozen. What number of submissions will be deemed significant enough to change council's proposal, to use the money to pay down the municipal debt?
Or will it, like election day, prove that citizens just aren't interested in fighting all the live long day, just to feel they've exercised their democratic right to object? I don't want to think this. I really don't. What I'm hoping for most of all, is for council to reject the committee's recommendation, and allow the public of this town, to have a say in an important decision. What a wonderful moment for transparent government to shine.
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