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November 06, 2006

Comments

Richard Johnson

Joan: You are priceless. I can't get back to work, I am laughing so hard that I am crying !

Thank you.

I have to make yet another comment. I have been canvassing a lot and I am getting quite a picture of where we stand in Aurora.

I have to ask this... how bad is our political process when one can run on a platform of "planned growth" when there is no apparent plan after 12 years ? We have water shortages, power shortages and urban sprawl. The mayor is running on a platform of protecting the environment and yet he agrees to bull doze every square inch of development sites, while not preserving areas or putting in walking trails. He runs on a platform that says he will keep our taxes down and yet taxes have gone up 50% over the past six years. How can we have "smart growth" when the Mayor does not even return your phone call regarding an issue has the very real potential to impact thousands of residents ? There is no question that some people in the cocktail circuit love our jolly old Mayor, but for the rest of us peons that have issues that need addressing I think there is a slow but constant rumbling that is calling for change.

to give the guy some credit at least he is not calling for open, transparent and accountable government, because if he did he would definitely cross the "hypocritical" line.

Lets hope that voters do their homework and look past the expensive signs, glossy brochures and balloons filled with hot air.


Richard Johnson

It is my hope that no one in Aurora votes until they have seen the closing comments of the three mayoral candidates in Aurora, at last night's Rate Payer's Association all-candidates meeting held at our town hall.
It really says it all.

Anyone that does not see why we need change in this town could well fall into the category of being a "blind follower" as far as I am concerned. Check out re-runs of the November 7th meeting on Channel 10 for the closing remarks.

Based on my three years of experience, you should also take with a grain of salt (make that a bag of salt), the comments made by the Mr. Jones about his working with residents on pressing issues. FYI... at one point in the night Mr. Jones inferred indirectly that the power supply issue was as a result of one person. While I am not clear if I should be flattered, I am certain that he must have forgotten about the 750 people that showed up twice at two meetings in Markham and the 250 to 300 people that attended two meetings in Aurora on this topic. The on-line and hard copy petitions signed by nearly 3,000 people, the 653 letters to the Ministry of Environment and the OPA working group meetings attended by all of the towns in the Region and their citizen representatives for five full days of discussion must have also slipped his mind. He eluded to the fact that concerned residents are a "special interest group" at the first all-candidates meeting, so one has to ask how big an issue has to be for him to actually pick up the phone, go to a meeting or address issues proactively ? In the end it was left to residents to push for solutions to address our needs responsibly, with (thankfully) the support of a few more proactive and responsive elected officials.

If we want transparent and accountable government that does not run on personal agendas and vindictiveness the first thing we need to do is our homework, followed shortly thereafter by the exercising of our vote.

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Joan Ransberry

JOAN RANSBERRY

Veteran reporter Joan Ransberry has seen and heard it all in the many years of covering municipal, regional, provincial and federal politics. Not afraid to blow the whistle, poke fun or venture where others won't go, her blog takes a peek at the human, the stupid and goofy side of government.

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