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June 16, 2004 Maybe I am old fashion but I hold this quaint idea that the press should be the champion of free speech and watch over government. Apart from a few large circulation papers, there is little hard commentary by papers on the behaviour of government. That should not be. When I despaired over the lack of response to our Council’s behaviour, I was told, “Nobody cares.” That is the surest way to lose a community. That brings me to the ‘silent majority’. If these people did not have the right to vote, I would consider their opinion and argue on their behalf. That is not the case in this country. If people cannot bother to vote when elections are called, why should their opinion be considered? If people do not care sufficiently to be involved with an issue, why should they be sought out? Their opinions may well be uninformed, carelessly thought and carelessly given, skewing the results. There are two necessary ingredients for a healthy and pleasant small town: first, a Council whose members have no private agendas and practice openness and fairness to all citizens and organizations, and, second, active volunteers who through their many contributions give life to the community. Kincardine is fortunate with its core of volunteers and all those who participate and support the many activities in the community. Reunion Park comes to mind where volunteers have shown more creativity and added more value to the property then was ever imagined by Council and its consultant who’s only value-added was to his fee. This occasional column will look at the issues that bubble up. I do not pretend to have all the answers; if I did, I wouldn’t have to seek information. Full, clear, and unequivocal answers from Council members are welcome. Loose canons will be given tickets to Iraq where they will be welcome by all sides. The opinions are mine; don’t shoot the messenger. Reading of the possibility of war in the municipality, I thought for a moment I was reading about Afghanistan with its unyielding tribal structure and generations of inbreeding. But no, it was Kincardine with its narrow parochialism in action. The deputy mayor, to his credit, did speak out against this trivializing of war when thousands are dying daily around the world. We shall muse about our ward system another time. Meanwhile, practice good citizenship – keep informed |
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