How DId Gravenhurst Council Achieve A Town From A Hamlet

HONESTLY, HOW IN THE WORLD DID WE MANAGE GOVERNMENT IN THE OLD DAYS -

WITHOUT THE COMFORT BLANKET OF CODES OF CONDUCT AND MUZZLING PROTOCOLS

     I WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST OR THE LAST CITIZEN OF GRAVENHURST, TO WONDER OUT LOUD, HOW THE HELL COUNCILS OF THE PAST MANAGED TO ADVANCE OUR COMMUNITY FROM HAMLET TO TOWN, WITHOUT THE NEED FOR NECK-HIGH PROTOCOLS, AND A MOUNTAIN OF BYLAWS, THAT BY AND LARGE ARE IRRELEVANT AND SELDOM IF EVER ENFORCED.

     IT'S PUZZLING HOW THOSE POOR OLD, ILL PREPARED, UNDER-PROTECTED COUNCILS NAVIGATED FOR ALL THOSE YEARS, THROUGH TWO WORLD WARS AND A GREAT DEPRESSION, AND NUMEROUS RECESSIONS, AND SURVIVED AND PROGRESSED, TO THIS SUPPOSED NEW AGE ENLIGHTENMENT. THE TOWN WE HAVE TODAY WAS NOT BUILT BY THIS PRESENT COUNCIL, OR THE COUNCIL BEFORE THAT. SO HOW DID IT HAPPEN, THAT WE MANAGED TO CREATE A VIBRANT COMMUNITY WITHOUT THE APPARENT BENEFIT (PROTECTIVE PROTOCOLS) OF AN INSULATING CODE OF CONDUCT……A COMMUNICATION PROTOCOL, THAT TELLS OUR REPS HOW , WHEN, WHY AND WHY-NOT TO LIP-OFF.

     TODAY, OUR MODERN COUNCILS, THROUGHOUT THE REGION, SEEM SO PARANOID ABOUT LAWSUITS, THAT THEY WIND UP, IN PROTECTIVE MOOD, MAKING MORE MISTAKES ELIMINATING THE LOOPHOLES. IN THEIR BID TO OPERATE EFFICIENT, NON-CONTROVERSIAL FOUR YEAR TERMS, THEY SUCCEED IN DOING THE OPPOSITE. WHERE COMMON SENSE AND RESPONSIBLE, EDUCATED DECISION-MAKING, ONCE SUFFICED, TO RUN THE MUNICIPALITY, NOW THERE ARE SO MANY PROTOCOLS TO HURDLE OVER, TO FIND WHAT'S GOING ON, THAT MOST CONSTITUENTS SIMPLY REFUSE TO GET INVOLVED. DO YOU THINK I'M KIDDING. I TALK WITH LOTS OF FOLKS ABOUT OUR HOMETOWN EVERY WEEK, AND I'M SHOCKED BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ADMIT THEY DON'T EVEN BOTHER VOTING. WHY? THERE ALL CUT FROM THE SAME CLOTH, THEY SAY. I THINK INFORMATION LIKE THIS SHOULD STRIKE A CHORD WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. IT SEEMS DEMOCRACY ISN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE, IN THE MINDS OF CANADIANS, AND THAT'S SAD. PART OF THE REASON FOR THIS, AND IT IS MANIFESTING WITH THE BLATANT DISREGARD FOR DEMOCRACY BY THE FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS, IS THAT THE ONLY DEMOCRACY WE SEEM TO BE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN ANYMORE, IS VOTE CASTING. AFTER THAT, DEMOCRACY IS A PALER SHADE OF WHITE.

     THE HALL MARK OF RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT THESE DAYS? IMPOSING A CODE OF CONDUCT ON THEMSELVES (COUNCILLORS), PRESUMABLY BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO ACT RESPONSIBLY. JUST GUESSING HERE! OR TO GIVE THEMSELVES A REASON NOT TO TALK TO THE PRESS ABOUT ANYTHING THEY DEEM PRIVATE AND SENSITIVE……OR THAT MIGHT GET THEM IN HOT WATER, HAVING TO ACTUALLY EXPLAIN, TRUTHFULLY, HOW THEIR ACTIONS EITHER CAUSED OR RESOLVED A CRISIS. I GET THIS FEELING THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO BE SCRUTINIZED UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL. FUNNY THING THAT, BECAUSE IT'S NOT WORKING. WHEN DO YOU ABANDON A BAD IDEA? SINK WITH THE SHIP? OR SWIM?

A CONVOLUTED OPERATIONAL PROTOCOL

     Is democracy well served these days, with all the insulation being thrown on top? I often envision our council cowering, peering through tiny slits in the town hall palisade, looking for approaching enemies……which could be anyone who wishes to challenge their position on an issue. In this case, any one, especially a journalist with a few questions to ask. All our levels of government appear to feel similarly threatened, and most of us free thinkers, might seriously think "they're covering something up." They apparently feel it necessary to revise democracy, and our right to know, because of some legal precedent, of the modern ages, that apparently wasn't around for previous councils……and if it was, they ignored it, and followed sensible protocol, and provided answers to what we needed to know (without the run around or related evasive measures). Today it's just ridiculous what falls under the heading, "private and confidential." Personnel matters I understand. Union negotiations. I get it. Sensitive negotiations when a deal is about to be inked, I can agree with; being kept out of the public domain during the most fragile period, where a deal might collapse because of an information leak. We just rely on the fact, these elected officials will make the right decision on our behalf, or else.

     I see a sprouting interest in dictatorial rule, and councils becoming more party-like in their politics, and voting strategically to show solidarity. I like dissenters. I just wish there were more of them. My question is, shouldn't free-thinking elected officials feel smothered and fettered by these imposed encumbrances, that seem, at least from the outside (looking in), to discourage councillors from speaking out on issues they feel strongly about? While there has been a case recently, of a councillor speaking in opposition to a council initiative involving the implementation of a strict new town policy, it does seem relevant to bring up the allegations our representatives will be muzzled by the new protocol. You hate to think this can happen, dissenters being discouraged from going public with their grievances…..or when a council will vote as a party, based on a strategy, and not as individuals representing a diverse cross section of constituents in their wards.

     When the press asks for explanations about certain council actions, and reactions, they are fed ridiculously word-smithed excuses, and cliches, each assuring us we've got nothing to worry about……when in fact, in the past two years, we've had a lot to be concerned with, about whether the government is working on our behalf…..or to our general disadvantage. If democracy was best served with council attendance at photo ops and ribbon cuttings, we'd be a shining star of responsible government. If we actually swallowed the plethora of amusing anecdotes and analogies that some officials spew, to put out fires, we'd be the perfect "mindless" constituents, taking our medicine without a whimper. But we kind of see beyond the rhetoric of the day. When we are told that we moving forward through rough seas, I think of the Titanic. "What iceberg?" Geez, even when we hit one, can see it, smell it, touch it, and sense the water coming through the cracks the impact created, our leadership believes the best strategy, is to divert attention away from the crisis, and suggest we should all be looking at the big picture……even as we sink like a stone. "Keep them thinking everything is great," is what I'd expect in North Korea. But I'm not in North Korea. I'm in Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada, and if there are problems at town hall, causing employees to come and go at an unusually brisk clip, we should have a town spokesperson ready to deal with the truth of the matter…….in an open and honest fashion. We have respect for confidentiality, in personal matters, but sometimes things impact hard on town pride……..and right now, many citizens are starting to doubt the present council can handle our municipal management. If you keep track of who is coming and who is going, over the past two years, yea, we have a lot of unanswered questions, and we do have to ask the press to help us out.

     With two years to go in the present municipal term of office, I don't expect a single change in the strategy from council; minimize problems and divert attention, internalize and sanitize, in order to give the impression town hall is a slice of heaven on earth. But by golly, we know differently, especially today, when we read about sudden resignations and curious dismissals…..but everything is just fine. No need to worry. We won't let little inconveniences block our forward momentum. To believe this however, would mean being deluded ourselves, and I don't think this is the case.

     I am disappointed, as usual, that election promises served only as a means to an end, and democracy proved useful on election day. As for the b.s. about transparency, now talk about being delusional. There are quite a few of us voter-kind really unhappy with comments like, "We can't discuss this matter." Well…… we know this can, and will be challenged by freedom of the press……and the public's right to know. One of these days, councillors are going to realize, they've got a voice, and the right to an opinion, and the democratic privilege to present it, barbs and all, for public consumption. For the first two years, only a few have taken advantage of the democracy they represent.

     I stress again, that municipal governance has nothing to do with team-play, or party politics. We are not served well by status quo and complacency. You have a voice. Use it or lose it. It's time to break rank.

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