"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 6 September 2015

NOM DE RAISON

Drove around Aurora east and down Leslie Street on Thursday. Development is forging ahead. A vacated property on the west side of Leslie just above Wellington is so overgrown the house is barely visible. 

Five years since, owner Mrs came to complain at a Council meeting that Director Al Downey hadn't done his job properly. Mr was there too but Mrs did all the talking. 

Their rear lot line abutted the new million dollar baseball diamond.They had  been in California five months while it was under construction.  In the dining room one morning ,after deciduous leaves dropped, part of a metal pole was suddenly visible, framed at a distance in the window. 

The house had been previously listed. Intention was to maximize profit from a new O.P. designation. Still, they hadn't been consulted and thought that was outrageous.

A question from myself revealed communication with former Councillor Mac Eachern had been extensive, In fact the Councilor was identified by Mrs as her friend.

A plan was made to plant $8,000 worth of conifers low to the ground to obscure the pole part 

I disagreed .

I had hip replacement surgery and missed a meeting. On that night Mr. Came to a public meeting and called me a liar. The lie wasn't specified in the news report. 

People don't need a reason to accuse someone of wrongdoing. 

York University offers a course called Modes of Reasoning. It identifies methods of non- reasoning.
First  on the list is Ad Hominem. That's when a person has no argument and  resorts to name-calling. I've mentioned it before. 

It always amazed me how the Mormac team managed to find people and program them to do this dirty work. With Morris in the chair,  it was a slam dunk. 

Staff were harassed, lost their jobs. Councillors were maligned in public meetings.Threats of litigation were constant. A past Mayor was investigated  for two years by an unknown procession of lawyers for transgressions never discovered. A probationary employee was pressured to file a bogus complaint and residents were sued by the very people elected to protect their interest.

A Code of Good Conduct was approved. An Integrity Commissioner hired and fired after his first finding that did not go in their favour. 

A procession of lawyers were steadily employed at town expense pursuing seemingly endless private vendettas.

It is not something easily forgotten nor should it be. It was the beginning of a twilight zone in Aurora politics. 

There doesn't have to be a reason for name-calling. In peurile politics, it takes the place of reason.


20 comments:

Anonymous said...

The only council invasions that have come even close to that posturing have been the nonsense about the ' dangerous '
playground equipment and the orchestrated evenings over the cell tower in King. The designated district attempt was a dandy, while Mr K's trees and the ' unsightly ' bus in a driveway get minor mention.

Anonymous said...


In Kentucky they have an elected Clerk who is refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay people.

This has become the stuff of national headlines.

She is four-times married but to only three men as she married one of them a second time.

The judge refuses her bail until she promises to stop her campaign against freedom of choice. And she can't be fired because she's elected. How about that?

In some circles she has become a national hero. Glad she's in the U.S.A. The land of fruit loops.

Anonymous said...

Geez. I forgot about that one. And now they no longer live there? They had a pretty good thing going that group of councillors in that term? Taking care of their friends and all those close. But those abuse of powers always come to a halt. Hopefully that center will one day have a for lease sign on its doors.

Anonymous said...

With all that imported legal talent floating about town and available via communications, the
results of the various initiatives should have been much more favourable to that group.

It posits a question about whether they might be sued their own lawyers had they been returned to office.
Morris was still suing the town last I heard. If that has been settled, it would be nice for residents to know.

Anonymous said...


Hey 19:32

The present Clerk's mother held that office for over 25 years and her son works in the same office.

Glad we don't promote nepotism in Canada.

All we promote are political failures who somehow keep getting re-elected.

Anonymous said...

Common, she's in jail without bail. How ridiculous is that? Put the narriage licences on the counter, or print them off online. Got to love how the media likes to stir up shit.

Anonymous said...

All she has to do is say she won't interfere with the granting of licenses.
How easy is that ? Getting big bucks for Kentucky. Part of that money is for doing the job.

Anonymous said...

They did try hard to get rid of Mr Downey. Mr Gallo made a few more attempts during his last term.

Anonymous said...

Why are they angry at Al??????

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Ahhhh. No.

Pot. Kettle. Black. said...

"...pursuing seemingly endless private vendettas."

And how would you characterize your agenda in the last term?

Anonymous said...

8:26- I can answer that one for you. Evelyn's agenda was to serve the Town's best interest, it was as plain and simple as that!

Anonymous said...

8:26
Being independent ?

Anonymous said...

8:26
Well it definitely wasn't to cater to those who feel were entitled.

Anonymous said...

13:47
Who are these entitled ones?

Anonymous said...

Everyone who isn't a Buckolyte, 07:47?

Anonymous said...

7:47- You really want to start this again?

Not Entitled said...

12:54

Why not, no one seems to have the answer to it. They talk about the "entitled ones" but never come out and say who they are.

Are they those that expect the Town to provide the services that they want/need? Are they asking for things that only a minority of residents want?

I don't use a number of tax-paid services but I don't call those with children the entitled ones because I fund their schools through taxes. I don't use the rec centres but I don't call those that take their kids to hockey or swimming lessions the entitled ones.

So, who are the entitled ones and why do you think that they are entitled?

Anonymous said...

No,, do not start that again please. Aurora's budgets are going to be more careful from now on. The
economy has finally got the attention of the treasurer,