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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1988-07-13, Page 12PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 1988. Opinion What a democracy The fate of the members of the original members of Brussels council that was elected three years ago this fall may not be typical of all rural councils but it certainly is representative of the kinds of problems that are throwing democracy into risk through poorly thought out regulations. When Councillor Betty Graber had to resign from council last week because with the closing of the family business she was no longer a qualified voter, it meant that of the council that began the three year term in 1985, only one councillor held his original position. In the beginning, through no fault of the councillors, democracy wasn’t even fully served when this council took office. Perhaps because the length of the three-year term frightens off some potential candidates, the entire Brussels council (as were most of the local councils) was acclaimed to office without opposition. The attrition soon began. One councillor resigned because of business pressures. Squabbles within the council caused the original reeve to resign when he couldn’t face the thought of two moreyears of personal pressure. Now theenactmentofa Provincial bill that means Councillor Graber can’t even finish out the last few months of her term, means another of the original councillor is gone. Although some of the reasons for the changes in Brussels council are unique, the results are often the same in other councils. In the area covered by The Citizen, nearly all councils have replaced at least one member in the present three-year term. Most of the councillors on most of the councils got their position by acclamation. It’s time people at the provincial level took a serious look at the situation. The three-year term is just not working to the benefit of residents of smaller communities. Municipal councils which, being closest to the people, should be most democratic are becoming the least democratic. Where's free speech? Those rebel Progressive Conservative backbenchers who voted against the federal government’s language bill last week were an embarrassment to Canadians who believe that harmony between English and French-speaking Canadians is the only way this country can exist, and they were certainly an embarrassment to Prime Minister Mulroney but they were also a beacon standingfor the belief that Members of Parliament are elected to conduct open debate. And for all that he showed a love of country in trying to reconcile the two founding people of the country Prime Minister Mulroney did a disservice to democracy in the country by squashing the dissidents like pesky insects. The rebellious MPs may be so paranoid about French Canadians taking over the country that they can’t think straight, but they still believe what they say. Furthermore, rightly or wrongly, they represent the fears of a good many people across the country. If a party with the largest majority in Canadian history, can’t stand the dissent of nine of its members when it knows that bill will pass anyway, how can it claim to really believe in free speech. Not that the other parties are that much better. Don Johnston recently announced he wouldn’t run for parliament in the next election because there is no room for him in the Liberal party when he can’t support his leaderonMeechLakeandFree Trade. Something’s gone wrong with our political system. The nine were victims of a silly Canadian institution called party solidarity. The leadership of the party stakes out a position and the caucus is supposed to leave its mind behind and follow like sheep. But the Mulroney government seems to go even further than normal in its fear of free speech. Not only did it use its huge majority to cut off debate on the free trade bill last week, but has also refused to allow the Parliamentary committee to travel across the country to hear testimony from ordinary Canadians. By holding its hearings in Ottawa, only the huge, vested interests, will be heard by the politicians. There’s a disturbing “we know what’s best for you’’ attitude on the part of this prime minister and it’s not healthy for his party or the country. In the end, those nine rebellious Conservatives who have the bravery to stand up for their beliefs despite the price they know they’ll pay in their leader’s displeasure, are serving their country better than the prime minister. Coo! isn't it? Mabel’s Grill There are people who will tell you that the important decisions in town are made down at the town hall. People in the know, however know that the real debates, the real wisdom reside down at Mabel s Grill where the greatest minds in the town [if not in the conn try] gat her for morning coffee break, otherwise known as the Round Table Debating and Fili­ bustering Society. Since not just everyone can partake of these deliberations ht vv/Z/ report the activities from time to time. MONDAY: Hauk Stokes was ask­ ing Ward Black howitfelttobe part of the privileged minority, politi­ cians, that gets to live by different rules than the rest of us. It isn’t bad enough, he said, that politicians get to set their own salaries even if it’s a 48 per cent increase like those school trustees in Toronto. It isn’t bad enough that federal politicians get free rides on airplanes but now, unlike other advertisers, politicians don’t even have to keep their promises according to the courts. Yeh, said Billie Bean. If a car company says it has cars from as low as $8,000 and doesn’t make any of the $8,000 cars, they get charged with false advertising. The tobacco companies get sued for ruining people’s health even though it’s on the box that smoking is bad for your health. But here the Prime Mini­ ster can run for office and promise anything and when somebody goes to court, like that guy from Kitchener, the judge lets the politician off the hook for not keeping his election promises saying: “they were in the business of attempting to be elected.’’ “Look,’’ Ward said, “if politi­ cians don’t make promises you say we haven’t got any plans or ideas. If we make too many promises you say we want to spend too much. Just put it this way, whatkindof election campaign would it be if none of the politicians promised anything. It’d be boring. “It’s already boring,’’ Billie said, “but at least that kind of campaign would be cheap.’’ TUESDAY: Julia Flint was saying that she thinks Toronto’s getting a bit carried away going after the convention business. “Imeana conventionofanarchists?’’ She was talking about the international anarchists who attended a conven­ tion in Toronto then went on a demonstration that ended up in a Continued on Page 7 The Citizen P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 P.O Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 The Citizen is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario, by North Huron Publishing Company Inc Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $17 OO/yr ($38 00 Foreign) Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited Advertising Deadlines Monday, 2pm - Brussels, Monday, 4pm - Blyth We are not responsible for unsolicited newscripts or photographs Contents of The Citizen are S Copyright Serving Brussels, Blyth, Auburn. Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships. Editors. Publisher, Keith Roulston Production Manager, Jill Roulston Advertising Manager. Dave Williams Second Class Mail Registration No. 6968