"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

Wednesday 17 October 2012

In Politics

Last night's Council meeting was interesting.  Streaming has begun.
I first proposed it in 2003/2006.term of office.
It only took seven  years. It's  a six month trial. It will continue if it is well received and used I 'm sure.
We could have turned a corner in communication. 
It was an interesting evening. Councillor Pirri was in the chair. He may be the only one on Council who understands what debate looks like. It's not how we do it. 
So ,with his limited opportunity he tried to make a difference. I'm not sure what it would take to bring Aurora Council back to a semblance of debate. But I don't think it's going to happen any time soon. 
Maybe we should hire a tutor. Somebody  from outside the political process. 

I ticked off a record number of Councillors last night. Councillor Pirri might have been one, 
Councillor Ballard stated I was nottelling the truth at one point.  The rules do not permit a Councillor to accuse another. 
I called for withdrawal and an apology. The Councillor was obliged to conform. 
The Mayor was ticked off because I referred to private meetings to promote a scheme held outside  the domain of Council. 
He said if something is repeated often enough people  tend to believe it. And so they should if that repeated is true.And it was true.
Councillor Abel  complained  I was making insinuations.
I was doing no such thing.
I was saying straight out.
Councillors should not be  meeting individually with a bunch of snake-charming  real estate promoters with an eye on our Hydro fund , subjecting themselves one by one ,to three-on-one blandishments.
It's a  tactic. 
The Culture Centre Board did it.
The Arboretum Group did it. 
Now  a couple of  fast talking  would-be promoters and President of the Historical Society have  tried  it.
I received an invitation. I didn't go. 
Councillor Gaertner didn't receive an invitation and didn't go.
The movers and shakers compiled a list of prominent citizens ,including the Mayor, in  support  of the project and informed all and sundry , the project  had Councillors' support .
There had been no public meetings so the conclusion is obvious.
Councillors were stroked.
They fell into the trap.
It  should turn out to be one of those hard lessons, one can only  learn by doing.      


 

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Promotors are using a trick from grade school. It doesn't take kids long to learn that the fanciest, most elaborate presentation gets the most votes and will likely win over something with more substance.

Anonymous said...

Ah. In the trade, it's known as " Mock-ups to Draw the Big Bucks. " Sorry, Evelyn, the pun was unavoidable.

Anonymous said...

Does the historical society's membership support it? All 59 of them?

Anonymous said...

good for you Evelyn maybe, just maybe one of these days these neophyte politicians will take a page from your book and begin to realize the error of their ways ,

Anonymous said...

You say streaming has begun. Can't find anything. Do you mean that it has just been started ?

Tyler said...

if anyone knows how does one watch the meeting I cannot find any web links on the town website. Thanks&

Anonymous said...

I find the mayor's and councillor Abel's comments very interesting. I don't have to say "it often enough" so that people may begin to believe it. I was a witness to it - 4 times with different individual councillors no less!
Makes me think they "doth protest too much" in their attempts to convince us that it didn't happen.

Anonymous said...


Council needs to pass a by-law requiring that lobbyists are required to register with the town.

As a part of this registration lobbyists would have to divulge the identity of their patron(s) and the dollar amount per annum they receive for these activities.