THE HARD OPTION OF FIGHTING TOOTH AND NAIL! OR DO WE HAVE WHAT IT TAKES!
HIGHWAY EXPANSION HARDSHIPS ARE REAL AND THE ECONOMIC IMPACT WILL BE SEVERE
THERE'S A SCENE IN THE MOVIVE "HAPPY GILMORE," WITH ADAM SANDLER, THAT COMES TO MIND, WHEN PEOPLE LET ME KNOW THEY'RE INTERESTED IN RUNNING FOR POLITICAL OFFICE. ESPECIALLY ON THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL. I LOOK AT THEM, SENSE THEIR PREVAILING AURA, LOOK INTO THEIR EYES TO CHECK OUT THEIR SOUL, AND EITHER NOD OR SHAKE MY HEAD…..WHICH THEY DON'T PARTICULARLY CARE FOR. TOO BAD. THE SCENE I'M REFERRING TO, IS THE ONE WHERE "HAPPY GILMORE," GETS INTO THE BATTING CAGE, WITHOUT A BAT, AND TAKES THE PITCHING MACHINE "FASTBALLS" WITH HIS CHEST. THE IDEA, OF COURSE, IS THAT IT WILL TOUGHEN HIM UP TO PLAY HOCKEY. WORKS FOR GOLF AS WELL, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE MOVIE IS ALL ABOUT. MY POINT IS, WHEN I GET A CHANCE TO PROVIDE A LITTLE ADVICE, ON THE SUBJECT, OF WHAT KIND OF STAMINA AND RESOLVE IT TAKES TO BE A MUNICIPAL COUNCILLOR, I TELL THEM THE HAPPY GILMORE STORY. I ASK THEM HOW TOUGH THEY THINK THEY ARE, AND AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, I TRY TO DISCOURAGE THEM FROM GETTING INVOLVED IN WHAT CAN SHORTEN ONE'S LIFE, AND AT THE VERY LEAST, CAUSE ULCERS.
NOW IT CAN BE SUGGESTED, THAT I'M LIKE THE PITCHING MACHINE, FACED BY THE GOOD MR. GILMOUR. I CAN BUY THAT. I WON'T APOLOGIZE FOR RAPID FIRE CRITICISM, AND I'M ALWAYS WILLING TO DEFEND AND DEBATE ISSUES THAT I RAISE. IT'S NOT LIKE I FIRE OFF STUFF FROM AN ARMCHAIR, AND HIDE AT HOME. I'M OUT IN THE PUBLIC EVERY DAY, AND EVEN HELP AS A STORE CLERK IN OUR SONS' VINTAGE MUSIC AND ANTIQUE SHOP, ON MUSKOKA ROAD. IT'S NOT TOO HARD TO FIND ME. I DON'T VALIDATE CRITICS WHO DON'T LIKE IT WHEN THEY'RE SINGLED OUT. WHAT IS GOOD FOR THE GOOSE, IS GOOD FOR THE GANDER. I DON'T EXPECT ANYONE TO TAKE CRITICISM WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO DEFEND THEMSELVES. I BELIEVE IN CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM, AND I HAVE OFFERED EVERY COUNCILLOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEBATE ISSUES, ONE ON ONE, AND AS REGULAR READERS KNOW FOR FACT, I HAVE EVEN OFFERED TO INTERVIEW THEM FOR THIS BLOG-SITE……ALLOWING COUNCILLORS A FREE RUN TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD…..THAT THEY MAY FEEL IS UNFAIR TO THEM, BUT ADVANTAGEOUS TO ME. I'M OLD SCHOOL JOURNALISM, AND WHEN I INTERVIEW SOMEONE, IT'S NOT AS A COLUMNIST OR A BLOGGER…..BUT AS A REPORTER. OPINION IS NOT WELCOME. IF I'M NOT CONDUCTING AN INTERVIEW, IT'S MY WAY BABY!
THE POINT OF THIS OPENING DIATRIBE, IS TO SUGGEST, THAT GRAVENHURST COUNCILLORS HAVE A CHOICE HERE AND NOW…….AT LEAST THE WAY I SEE IT! IF THEY DON'T FEEL TOUGH ENOUGH, OR ARE STARTING TO GET REGULAR INDIGESTION, AND ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE COMING STRESSES, THEY SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER RESIGNING. I DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS, BUT THE NEXT TWO YEARS ARE GOING TO BE BRUTAL…..AND THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME. COUNCILLOR LOLA BRATTY WAS ABSOLUTELY BANG-ON, WITH HER OVERVIEW OF THE WAY MTO IS APPROACHING THE HIGHWAY 11 CORRIDOR RE-ALIGNMENT, AND THE EXPROPRIATION PROCESS. THE MUNICIPALITY IS UNDERSTANDABLY CONCERNED, AND PROBABLY HAS TRIED TO NEGOTIATE WITH MTO, ON THE KINDER SIDE OF PROTEST; BUT THE WORD ON THE STREET, IS THAT COUNCILLOR BRATTY WAS THE CLOSEST TO CALLING THE ISSUE….. A DEBACLE OF EPIC PROPORTION. AFFECTED PROPERTY OWNERS ARE LIKELY FEELING AS IF THEY ARE ON AN ICEBERG IN A BIG, BIG OCEAN, FLOATING WITH THE CURRENT TO NOWHERE IN PARTICULAR…..AND CERTAINLY NOT WHERE THEY WANT TO GO. ARE COUNCILLORS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LOLA BRATTY, TOUGH ENOUGH TO BARE-KNUCKLE-IT WITH THE CIVIL SERVANTS, PUSHING THE MEAN PENCILS? BACK TO HAPPY GILMORE. THIS IS HOW TOUGH AND MEAN WE WILL HAVE TO GET. I'M SORRY IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE LANGUAGE, BUT IT'S AS BASIC AS I CAN MAKE IT, AND STILL GET THE POINT ACROSS.
THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY HERE, WITH THE LIBERALS IN DISARRAY
Town Council must, in this case, have sensitivity to the property owners, businesses and residents, who are in the affected area. Even though they will find aspects of the re-development project significant to the future of moving people into, and out of our region, they have a moral obligation at present, to side with constituents, who probably feel isolated and abandoned by their municipality……and left to fend for themselves. What we do hear and read about is the financial impact, which is important of course. But it is the personal tragedy of this realignment and expropriation project, that we need to focus on…..because it is the most immediate crisis of confidence. We know the project is well down the road, but the area has been contaminated by future potential…..and it's not something that will become more palatable as time goes on.
With the Liberals in self imposed exile, with a lame duck Premier, and a crap-load of problems to deal with before the next election, in the spring, this is when Gravenhurst Council needs to decide on their future. They have an obligation to act on behalf of constituents. We've already ascertained this, but what I'm concerned about, frankly, is whether the present council has the stalwart, aggressive capability, to take this matter "political" as far as they have to……with whoever they must, to let the bureaucrats at Queens Park know, there's an earthquake quivering up here. Not a tremor. A tremor of effort won't do a damn thing, to help these people voice their concerns at the highest level. For the coming two years, this will be a huge ongoing issue for councillors, and it will be emotional for all concerned. The iron is hot, folks, so it's time to strike. Gravenhurst doesn't need to be polite. They need to be planning out a strategy, to get the attention of other political parties in this region, to let them know, this is going to be a big deal in South Muskoka for the imminent spring election. It needs to be made clear, we might be considered kindly, peace loving constituents, until you hurt our own. And our own have been hurt by this MTO intrusion. So as far as taking sides, it should be clear from the onset, that no matter how council perceives the good qualities of the realignment…..there is every need to work out problems with our citizens in this precarious situation…..locked between governments rocks and hard places.
If Gravenhurst Council was to vote on my performance as a blogger, well, I'm pretty sure my marks would be low. I'll work harder, but not to gain your trust. Just to be sharper and more responsive to big news and current events. I don't care whether council trusts me or not. If they trusted me, at present, they would have provided answers regarding the Opera House roof delays, or offered to give my idea of an Opera House Advocacy Committee a whirl at open council. If I was to offer them a mark, on their two year performance, I would have to be a conscientious objector, because I want to give them an opportunity to prove themselves, dealing with this Highway II nightmare for property owners and residents. This is their big opportunity to step up, "move forward," and take a swing at the ball. Forget the past two years. Forget what may have gone wrong and right for that matter. This is the most important council opportunity, to put up, or resign. These constituents need a committed council, unwavering, unfaltering, and full of courage, to take on civil servant bullies, who think there is no opposition big enough to get in the way. They have short memories. If our municipality gets behind this debate, and negotiations, on behalf of constituents, it will make a huge difference to the fear and trembling running unabated. Town council needs to be the cavalry. They need to appreciate, they are the last line of defense. Many of those affected, won't have the money to fight the province. Even combined, the court battle could drain hundreds of thousands of dollars, from those who can't afford the luxury of a lengthy case…..which most will see as pointless anyway.
This needs to be made an election issue. When the parties start prepping for election, which is now in fact, councillors can and should speak their mind. They should be doing some up close and personal interviews with the candidates, and reporting their findings to us. The community at large needs to know about this, and it may well become a huge election issue. Council has some time to mull this over, but not a lot of wiggle room.
There may be councillors who aren't interested in this, other than to follow the will of others. They may admit to having a marginal interest, but will not sign on to the cavalry concept, or lead any kind of protest charge. As representative of their ward, they will have to live with the fall-out of opinion. If there are councillors, who are not prepared to fight, because they are pacifists, then they should resign and allow their places to be filled by those who are committed to seeing those affected constituents treated fairly and legally, in this turbulent period. Every council position is important in this initiative. It will be challenging and emotionally draining, as the battle-lines are drawn in earnest. So the first sign of courage, for a councillor not prepared to fight for constituent rights, is to bow out gracefully. I would have much more respect for a councillor who wishes to abstain from this protest-yet-to-be, than stay in office, and fail to deliver what constituents need the most. First and foremost…..a committed council, unwilling to allow bullying on their watch.
Yes indeed. There have been a lot of difficult challenges to the present town council. Yet, it is unimaginable, that they didn't know the potential was there, for ongoing trials and tribulations. If they'd been watching this blogger, like I begged them to, two years ago, they would have known I painted a rather bleak picture of what it was going to be like over four years. I'm not clairvoyant. Just a good news hound. So my conscience is clear.
It will mean a lot for these affected residents and business owners, to know that their municipal representatives, are prepared to fight for their rights……and carry this protest right to Queen's Park. Are our councillors game for this kind of fight? Personally, I hope so. That is my trust in Gravenhurst Council……and as its most prolific critic, I think I just endorsed them as having the right stuff to carry-on! We shall see!
Thank you all for joining me for this blog. We really need all hands on deck for this issue…..that is hurting our friends and neighbors. Please join me again for updates, and overviews of current events
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