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by Fred Kirby                              January 2,  2008

An important story for Kincardine in 2007 was the realization that the Community Medical Clinic had major defects resulting in the closing of the lower floor and a major disruption for staff. But the defects and shortcomings did not suddenly appear in 2007. The Clinic project was heading for trouble in the planning stages. The cloak of silence and secrecy under which the present Council functions has been present since the planning stage. Now that the Municipality has sued the architect and the construction company, it is to be hoped an aggressive lawyer acting for the defendants will bring out the truth. It would be useful to know what the roles of the manager of Public Works and the manager of Building and Planning were. Did changes in design by Glenn Sutton, Sandy Donald and Guy Anderson play a role in compromising the design; the defendants should want to know that. The defendants should also want to know what was meant by the statement, “We had no choice.” Did the committee think they might be heading for possible trouble from the very beginning? Did their decisions play any part in the future problems at the clinic? Though Glenn and company will not talk now, testifying under oath could prove informative and, perhaps, good theatre.

Council may think it can manipulate public opinion by its current silence, followed in January by formal public statements and, possibly, staged public meetings, after which it will carry on with its own plan. I say “manipulate” because there are more open ways the information can be made available allowing more citizens to participate. Council could have met with our local radio station and newspapers, sharing with them Council’s deliberations. There is nothing wrong with Council sharing its ideas, the various opinions within Council, and any changes made as it moves along. Strengthened by this information, citizens can make their own comments of the plans as seen at the time. Similar to having someone else proof read your writing; the results are always an improvement over the original. The openly sharing information may be messier than the current one of ignoring the dumb beasts, but it is far more democratic. I have never read of a dictator or dishonest person preferring openness in their business, so why does Council choose the method of crooks and dictators rather than the openness which is essential to the democratic process?

January 9, 2008

I ask readers to bear with me as I write on a personal note. The universities’ winter break was, once more, a particularly pleasant occasions for me as students dropped in for a visit or were in touch with me. Allow me to introduce some of them to you.

When I became chair of the area’s Amnesty International Group, the leader of our KDSS Amnesty International Group was Melanie Hains. She was a solid leader selling a tough message. Melanie went on to study archeology and now lives and works in Kitchener. Through the years Melanie has continued her interest in Amnesty International and, when I am unable, she will write my Urgent Action letters for South Bruce Group’s Labour Net. Intelligent with a sound foundation of personal and social values, Melanie shows us what true citizenship and community truly mean.

Jessica Lahrkamp is another leader of the KDSS Amnesty Group who went on to the University of Windsor to major in German and Spanish. During her time at Windsor, Jessica went on an exchange to study Spanish for a year at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. Jessica is currently studying for her M.A. at the prestigious Monk Centre for International Studies (University of Toronto). No doubt a Ph.D. is in her future followed by a career in international affairs – whether teaching or the Foreign Service. Jessica has those solid values that assure us she will make a contribution for good in this beat-up cynical world. You will be reading her articles on international affairs, from time to time, in the “Rights, Responsibilities and Justice” column.

Meaghan Daniel was introduced to me by a CFUW member following Meaghan’s graduation from the University of Western Ontario where she earned a degree in English and Women’s Studies. I asked her if she would organize a fundraiser for the Women’s House sponsored by Amnesty with the Canadian World Youth young people doing the collections. Meaghan did a superb job. When the Kincardine Independent began the column “Where Are They Now”, Meaghan was its first writer. She then enrolled for law at the University of Manitoba. Since starting her first year, Meaghan has been near or at the top of her classes and now in her final semester has been chosen for the National Mooting Team to compete in the Wilson Moot. This is a contest where you have to argue a full appeal before a Supreme Court judge. Meaghan will do her articling at the Ontario Supreme Court. A social activist with a fine disciplined mind, Meaghan will use the law for the benefit of us all.

Sandy Bridge first came to my attention when he organized a peace march just before the Iraq War began. A social activist is a rare breed in any secondary school and I wanted to meet him. Dave Trumble, labour leader and strong advocate of human rights, introduced us. Sandy went on to the University of Guelph to study psychology and continued to be active in student affairs and justice issues. Graduating in the spring of 2007, Sandy is now studying law at the University of Windsor. Having a good inquisitive mind, Sandy is prepared to question the status quo and challenge all conventional thinking. It takes a particular courage to be prepared to stand alone and challenge with new ideas a society as complacent as Canada’s.

Whitney Bonnett is now in her final year of Health Sciences, majoring in Midwifery at McMaster University. Last year, Whitney journeyed to Zambia where she worked on a maternity ward in the Mukinge hospital in a small African town, Kasenga. At a time when too many young people are concerned about their rights, Whitney accepts her responsibility to use her training where it is most needed, not where it is most convenient or pays the best. I look forward to a long association with Whitney.

Lindsay Buckingham completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology, worked at L’Arche Community, where doing so is a spiritual passage in its own right, and is now enrolled in the Master program for Community Psychology at Sir Wilfred Laurier University. Lindsay will be sharing her thoughts on community and its issues in the near future. In this world, we need the Lindsay’s whose values and dreams rise above our self-centred, “me first” society.

When I first met Dave Vasey, he worked at Bruce Power and was engrossed in environmental issues. Dave decided to study environmentalism and was accepted at the University of Manitoba. He has been writing his exceptionally informative column, The Eco-Geek, for The Independent since starting at the University. He also has been studying Aboriginal Issues, participating in many Aboriginal rituals. Dave has been recommended by the faculty for entry to the Master’s program in Environmentalism but that may not be Dave’s goal at this time. He has a strong desire to return to Bruce County and eventually operate an organic farm. He is keen to get the community involved in environmental issues. As a strong advocate for the environment and for aboriginal rights, Dave’s message will, at times, be unpopular but, unlike politicians, he continues to deliver his refreshing unvarnished message.

Beverley Anger was leader of the KDSS Amnesty Group and wrote the “Where Are They Now” column for The Independent. Bev was an excellent, award-winning student who is now in her first year at the University of Windsor in the Bachelor of Arts program and preparing herself to qualify for a Teaching Certificate from the Ontario Teachers College. Bev wants to work with the early grades. I shared lunch with Bev when she was caring for a hyperactive child and brought the child to lunch. Bev handled what could have been an embarrassing situation with such skill, lunch passed without one incident. I know there are many child care workers who could not do as well. Yet this was a grade twelve student I was observing. Beverley will make a terrific teacher and the children entrusted to her will have a wonderful learning experience.

My newest Young Knight is Caitlin Everett who writes the “Letters from La Sorbonne”. Caitlin is attending the University of Waterloo in their concurrent education program and now is fulfilling the University’s mandatory third year abroad, Caitlin was accepted at La Sorbonne where she is studying Modern Literature (all classes and texts are in the French language) and teaching English to 17 and 18 year old students. Post-graduate studies are a natural goal for her. Someday Caitlin will be teaching French Literature either abroad or at one of our own universities.

These wonderful young adults who I call Young Knights teach me much about their world.

January 16, 2008

The future of The Community Medical Centre is to be discussed at Council on January 23. Representatives from Conestoga-Rovers & Associates will attend to present solutions. The danger is that this construction engineering firm will only address the questions asked by Council, focusing only on the present site and building. The first question Council should be asking is whether or not the present site is suitable at all for the Clinic.

If Council built the Centre to benefit the community, attract and keep doctors, it failed miserably. In its rush to cut expenses (how much has this cost the taxpayers to date?) Council and its committee led by Glenn Sutton completely ignored the original mandate. The Centre the medical community originally thought they were getting was not pie in the sky or food for their egos. What was wanted was a place open to expansion, a Centre where very busy people working in an atmosphere of free-floating anxiety could work in relative ease, where burnout would be rare and efficiency high.

Equally important, Council was to build a Centre that would attract doctors. Well, none of this happened, nor can it happen when there is no vision. A story appeared recently in the Toronto Star that reported on a survey conducted for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. The headline, “Young MDs scaling back work hours” is an observation already known and should come as no surprise. The survey also tells us, “4,000 doctors are slated for retirement in 2 years….” Fifty-five per cent of new doctors younger than 35 are women and that has implications for appropriate accommodation in any Clinic being built. Council does not understand that if you are competing with other sellers, and that is what this boils down to, you have to have a better product than your competitors to be successful.

Larry Kraemer was mayor when the original Clinic was planned and built. I have no reason to believe he has changed his opinion regarding location and accommodations. He and Guy Anderson, who was a member of the committee, believed that cutting out rooms, making the examination rooms smaller, not having a practical canopy at the entrance, etc. was acceptable. Citizens should be concerned that little of substance will come from this renovation.

If Council messes it up again, the ratepayers (known to our politicians as mushrooms) should consider impeachment.

January 23, 2008

Council once more has lost its focus. Council has forgotten the reason for looking at Huron Ridge. It was not sidewalks, which few want; it was not repaving roads, needed or not; it was the flooding along the lakeshore that required a solution.

Houses along the lakeshore are still in danger from flooding and, after Council has spent a few million of taxpayers’ dollars, the folks along the lakeshore will still be in danger of having raw sewage flood their property. With the manhole covers sealed, the danger is even greater since any buildup of pressure will cause a break at the weakest part of the system which may be the pipe itself, causing sewage to find its way to the beach and lake, or a resident’s backup valve pouring raw sewage into the house.

Giving residents in Huron Ridge a choice as to whether or not they disconnect their illegal hookups increases the danger of flooding and it will not be their houses which will be flooded but those along the lakeshore. It demonstrates a lack of moral courage for Council not to order all who are hooked up to disconnect now. Refusing to make the right decision for lack of moral fibre is not acceptable behaviour even from a schoolchild.

While throwing money at Huron Ridge, Deputy Mayor Laura Haight says the residents on Whisper Lane and vicinity are not interested in paying to fix the annual flooding they endure. The residents are not the cause of the flooding and the road belongs to the municipality. Why should they pay for fixing the problem? It is a similar situation with Shady Lane. As far as I know, Inverhuron is still part of the Kincardine municipality. Why is Council willing to throw a few million dollars at Huron Ridge while refusing to fix the flooding in Inverhuron?

Taxpayers also have the right for an explanation why there was money to build a short taxi way at the airport with four culverts and the strength to carry far heavier planes than will ever use the taxi way. Tell us why you needed a consultant for a simple paving job; tell us why you spent so much money for a couple of recreational planes.

Then tell us why you cannot pay to stop the flooding in Inverhuron.

January 30, 2008

The Paddy Walker House is going to have a dinner. It is the seventh Annual Heritage Dinner Show to be held at the Best Western Governor’s Inn on Sunday, February 24th. The theme this year is “The Scintillating Seventies” featuring displays, clothing, and songs of the 70’s. From what I witnessed at their Gala Evening for volunteers, it promises to be an entertaining evening.

The Walker House is a monument to the dedicated volunteers. From a burnt-out hulk, a splendid example of a 19th century tavern has arisen thanks to ten years of countless hours of work by volunteers. It takes leadership, vision, and hard work to achieve such a feat.

Though there is still much to be done, there is light at the end of the tunnel and completion is expected for early summer. A taste of the work being done is the kitchen. As Rick Clarke, Office Administrator, describes the project, the kitchen is being rebuilt from the ground up; gutted to the base of the original stone foundation. A new cement floor is being laid over the original dirt sub-basement floor and new floor joists will be installed followed by electrical, plumbing work and the ceiling is to be rebuilt. New kitchen equipment will accommodate catering for Walker House functions. Folks, this takes the time and skill of volunteers. It also takes money for material and equipment and, while you may not have the skills or the time, you can always donate money. Cheques large or small all go forward to purchase material or reduce debt to the Municipality. The Paddy Walker House may have been restored by the few but they did it for all of us.

This season’s opening exhibition in May will have as its theme the Irish Immigration featuring the early Irish families of Kincardine and surrounding region along with the Great Irish Famine of the 1840’s. The next one will be a Scottish Immigration exhibit of local families including the Land Clearances of Scotland that brought so many to Canada. A special exhibit will be held during July for the Old Boys and Girls reunion. On July 30, the formal opening of the Paddy Walker House will take place in conjunction with the start of the Reunion

Yes, Sunday, February 24 is the Paddy Walker House’s Heritage Dinner and tickets are available at the Governor’s Inn. So get a bunch of your friends together and join the many supporters of the historic Paddy Walker House in celebration. It’s your House, your heritage; support it, enjoy it!