HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2006-09-07, Page 5Final Thought
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2006. PAGE 5.
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Better than New Jersey, eh?
i'm feeling just a smidgen of sympathy for
somebody I don't even know. This
nameless functionary is probably toiling in
the bowels of the Manitoba government as I
speak.
He or she is the beleaguered bureaucrat
responsible for coming up with Manitoba's
brand new provincial motto, which is — deep
breath now:
"Spirited energy".
That's it, Somebody — more likely a
committee — stood back and looked at
Manitoba's 650,000 square kilometres of lakes
and rivers, boundless flatlands and majestic
rolling hills, took into consideration its
million-plus inhabitants and the rich tapestry
of historical figures including everyone from
Neil Young to Tommy Douglas, from Marshall
McLuhan to Deanna Durbin...
And came up with...Spirited Energy.
Not surprisingly, Manitobans reacted with
spirited, energetic expressions of disbelief and
dismay.
John Gleeson, a Winnipeg Sun columnist
wrote: "The first thing that struck me about the
phrase is that it hardly rolls off the tongue. Try
saying it three times and you might choke to
death. The next thing I realized about the
slogan is that it really sucks."
Which is true, but perhaps a little hard on the
unfortunate wretch or wretches who coined
the even more unfortunate phrase. After all,
most of Canada's provincial mottos — err —
suck, as it were.
Take Nova Scotia's motto, for example.
B ackroom politicians exert huge
influence on behalf of their parties, but
they also often look after themselves:
This was the case with the most influential
in recent decades, Progressive Conservative
Eddie Goodman, who has died at 87 and has
been lavishly praised as shrewd and public-
spirited.
Goodman was the most influential because
he exercised power almost throughout the
Conservatives' unparalleled 42 consecutive
years in government up to_1985 and for part of
it was the man a premier turned to most for
advice.
Goodman was prominent enough in the
1950s that premier Leslie Frost asked him to
recruit new blood for their party and those he
persuaded to run included London lawyer
John Robarts, a former law school classmate.
Seven years later Robarts was still on the
backbenches and musing about quitting unless
he got in cabinet and Goodman put in a word
with Frost, who made him a minister.
Robarts went on to become premier and
Goodman had a friend indebted to him in the
top job. It did not harm him in politics or his
law practice to be known as someone who
helped create a premier.
Goodman ran a federal campaign for prime
minister John Diefenbaker, but quarreled with
him on policies and strategy and became
renowned for speaking his mind.
When William Davis, who succeeded
Robarts and was the longest serving premier
of recent times, quickly lost popularity, he
made Goodman his chief political adviser and
from then on he had a hand in almost all major
decisions.
Among them, Goodman persuaded Davis to
slow growth of government, particularly
regional governments, which alarmed
residents.
Goodman pushed Davis to bring in rent
controls advocated by the New Democratic
Party, which had gained support of many
tenants.
Goodman talked Davis into dropping a plan
Spem reduxit it proclaims in a language which
no one has spoken seriously for a couple of
thousand years. It means "Hope was restored".
Oh? Had someone stolen it? Has anyone
told the Mounties?
Then there's British Columbia's motto:
Splendor sin occasu. That translates as
`splendour without diminishment'.
A pretty sentiment, I suppose...although
more than a tad lofty for a chunk of terrestrial
geography that gave the world Todd
Bertuzzi, Pamela Anderson and Bill Vander
Zalm.
Alberta's motto Fortis et Liber (strong and
free) is, if nothing else, as blunt and
straightforward as Ralph Klein after his eighth
beer.
And Quebec's motto — what was that again?
Oh, yeah — I remember — Je me souviens.
It also illustrates that government-mandated
mottos don't have to be in Latin. Montana's
no-nonsense, follow-the-money motto is in
Spanish — Oro y plata — gold and silver.
The state of Maryland has an Italian motto:
Fatti maschi, parole femmine.
It means "Manly deeds, womanly words."
to ban teachers' strikes, which helped the
Conservatives hold support they had among
union rank and file.
Davis's government was suspected on good
grounds of giving favours to companies that
donated to the Conservative ,party and
Goodman prompted Davis to limit donations
by a formula that still allowed his party to
collect all the money it needed.
One measure of Goodman's influence over
Davis is he persuaded the premier not to run
for federal leader when most of his inner circle
was pushing him to run.
When former prime minister Joe Clark
failed to get the resounding endorsement he
wanted for his continued leadership and a new
race started, Davis's long-time election
campaign chair Norm Atkins and others
pressed him to run on the ground he owed it to
the country and almost convinced him.
But Goodman countered Davis had made his
contribution, owed nothing, would be starting
too late to build an effective campaign outside
Ontario, was unlikely to win and, if he did,
There are as many nights as days, and the
one is just as long as the other in the year's
course. Even a happy life cannot be without
a measure of darkness, and the word
`happy' would lose its meaning if it were
not balanced by sadness.
— Carl Jung
Perhaps something was lost in translation...
But I think the most unfortunate
geographical motto belongs to South Carolina.
Dum Spiro spero, it proclaims.
Which translates better than it sounds. In
English it means 'While I breathe, I hope'.
Unfortunately, it reads like a searing
indictment of President Richard Nixon's
infamously felonious Veep, Spiro Agnew.
But South Carolina, Maryland, New
Brunswick — yea even spiritedly energetic
Manitoba — can all take solace in one
indisputable consolation.
At least they ain't Joisey.
That state recently asked its citizens to come
up with a new state motto to replace the stale
and slightly pompous "Liberty and
Prosperity".
Six thousand New Jersey-ites responded.
Many of the submissions were dignified and
noble, but several were obviously written with
tongue in cheek and with references to New
Jersey's reputation for pollution — both
environmental and political.
"Come to New Jersey" one suggestion read,
"We can- always use another relative on the
payroll".
Another one said: "New Jersey: It's not as
bad as it smells".
And my favourite, the Tony Soprano-tinged:
"You want a$%#@* motto? I got yer
*&^%$#@ motto right here!"
Hey! There's a motto for Manitoba.
FRIENDLY MANITOBA: IT'S 'WAY
BE T'I'ER THAN NEW JERSEY, EH?
would feel out of place in the far-right federal
caucus. Davis stayed out.
Most in Davis's team later also wanted him
to lead their party in one more provincial
election and retire soon after. But Goodman
warned he would be asked how long he would
stay and have to commit to at least two more
years. Davis was unwilling to stay that long
and retired.
Goodman undoubtedly contributed a lot to
the political forum, but like so many insiders,
took care of himself.
It was oftensaid he was the lawyer to see for
those seeking .liquor licences, which was not
strictly true, but his close ties to government
implied he had influence and this helped his
business.
Goodman and other lawyers in his company
often argued cases for business clients for
huge fees before boards appointed by the
province, who knew he might be having
breakfast next day with the premier and could
drop in a bad word about them, and his firm
grew from two to 200 lawyers.
Goodman also had a newspaper reporter
covering the legislature transferred back to
head office for criticizing him — all his
influence was not exerted for the public good.
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The best, the worst
Well, just can hardly believe that's
over. Now, I know what you're
going to say. Officially the end of
summer is still a couple of weeks off.
But let's be honest, shall we? The summer of
2006, for all intents and purposes, is already
history.
And to paraphrase Charles Dickens, mine
would probably best be described as the best
of times and worst of times. Tragedy marked
our season early, and while lingering sorrow
has then ultimately clouded it in the weeks
since, summer also gifted us with some
beautiful, unique occasions.
Yes, it was a different summer, one that
seemed full of extremes. The highs were way
up there; the lows about as bad as can be.
Saying farewell to Sarah was one of the most
difficult things I've done. But in looking for
her now, my eyes have taken notice of all the
wonder that exists around me.
As well, the circle of loss encloses a tight
group of people and binds them even closer.
However, it also opens the door to friendship
in a variety of forms. The circle relaxes and the
bond is shared with new acquaintances.
As we moved through those first few weeks,
I saw that the weather too seemed to exemplify
the mood swings of my summer. The actual
hot phase just didn't seem to last all that long
to me. But when that sun came out and the heat
arrived, it was intense.
Summer as always was also about getting
together with people. Yet here again, leisure
time was spent diversely. Softly quiet hours
were interspersed with some of the best parties
I can recall. It seemed a season for thoughtful
introspection and sudden awareness.
This summer brought family together at new
and different places. And for many of these
people so dear to my heart, it has, rather than
following the same predictable course, been
marked with opportunities for change and
growth.
Like the gardens bringing colour and bounty
when I think back to this summer it will be to
see that it has truly been about life in all its
forms. There have been beginnings and
endings. There have been accomplishments
and disappointments. But mostly and
gratefully there has been beauty and richness.
Which makes it even more sad to think that
it's over so quickly. Certainly 'there will be
plenty of days to come, temperately pleasant,
full of sunshine cheer, that will keep summer
lingering in our senses. And I will listen,
inhale, ingest, touch and savour every one of
them, believe me.
But there's no escaping the return to school,
the talk of hockey, the shortening days, the
changing colour of verdant leaves to burnt
orange, brilliant saffron and bold red.
I've been told that the older you get the
faster time goes. My response has been that if
that's the case I might just as well stay in bed
because the hours between rising and sleeping
already seem far too brief.
Time is fleeting, no more so than in the
season of light. (Most living in the Snowbelt
would agree that the clock does tick down a
little more slowly in the dark winter months).
Fleeting as it may have been, however, this
past summer will stay with me for a long, long
time. I will never forget what it took from us,
and will always remember gratefully, what it
gave.
Insider always helped himself