The Best of Times
I was overcome this weekend with an urge to re-read Charles Dickens’ masterpiece, A Tale of Two Cities. I suspect it’s because of its brilliant, powerful opening. That opening epitomizes…
election
Lessons From the Campaign Trail
I always learn something new, something valuable from every municipal election campaign. I learn from talking to people, I learn from community meetings. I learn from comments and emails I…
Carrier’s Attack Ad
Former mayor Chris Carrier has a big, nasty attack ad in the Connection this weekend. He promises “facts” and attacks the current mayor’s “spin.” But any reader who has followed…
The Real Facility Costs
Another misleading statement was made during one of the all-candidates’ meetings last week: that our new recreational facilities – the Central Park Arena and the Centennial Aquatic Centre – cost…
Your Election Choices
As the ballots start to trickle in, the campaigns wind down. The Collingwood election is essentially over – we’re just waiting for the results now. But if you haven’t cast…
The Myth of Block Voting
I was amused by a recent comment I had voted “95%” the same as others on council. This was followed by the inevitable accusation of “block voting.” The complainer apparently…
Promising to do What’s Already Done
It’s good for councillors to know we’ve already accomplished so much that everyone wants to emulate us. Listening to the all-candidates’ speeches and reading the campaign literature is a real…
My Speech at the All-Candidates’ Meeting
Here’s the two-minute speech I gave Wednesday night at the Collingwood Legion, plus the wrap-up: In two minutes, I can’t list everything this council and staff have accomplished on your…
Ke Ji Feng Gong
Back in 2007, I first wrote about those Chinese symbols in the image above. They spell “Ke ji feng gong.” This is an update to that older piece, because it…
My Rogers’ Cable TV Speech
Each candidate was given three minutes to speak for a spot on Rogers Cable TV recently. Here is what I said (in about two minutes): Municipal politics is really quite…
My BIA ACM Speech
This is the speech I gave at the BIA-ACO all-candidates’ meeting, Wednesday evening. The question all candidates had to answer was, “What is your vision to ensure that Downtown Collingwood…
The Dogs of Ford
The term “dog whistle politics” refers to politicians making a public statement, which also has a deliberate unspoken message for a targeted group of supporters. Like a real dog whistle,…
I Am Hoping for NDP Voices in the NB Legislature to Help Families Advocate for An Adult Autism Care Facility
The picture above is from Conor’s 2nd Birthday on February 2, 1998. The next day we received his autism disorder diagnosis, described initially as Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified,…
Our City, Our Choice
Today doctors at Mt. Sinai hospital will update Toronto on the health of Rob Ford. There are reasons to think the news will not be good, perhaps even gravely so.…
Dangerous Games
I have called Rob Ford a coward. I have a criticized his politics, his ability to govern, and his morals or lack there of. I have made jokes about his…
Our Loss, Not His
The problem when you commit to “politics in full sentences” is you find out how many people don’t read. David Soknacki’s campaign was best known for well thought out, detailed…
Progressively Worse
Toronto seemed gripped in a mix of terror and disbelief yesterday. Rumours Wednesday night were a new poll would show Ford in the lead. Yesterday the poll while having Tory…
Will Adult Autism Care Issues Be Considered During #nbvotes 2014?
New Brunswick election 2014 is underway with the NDP, Liberal, Green and PANB parties going all out to replace the PC party. Party signs are proliferating around the city of…
ConCalls: Michael Sona Found Guilty of Being Pierre Poutine in #RoboCon
While Sona’s been found guilty of one charge, questions remain about how he would have managed to have log files removed from CPC Headquarter’s computer database known as CIMS. "There…
The note to Justin Trudeau
Exclusive! The note left in Justin Trudeau’s residence after the breakin. Filed under: comment Tagged: Canada, election, politics, satire, satire already sheesh