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Shelburne County's natural, built and human resources provide a promising base for planning and launching development plans and initiatives. Combined with our unique cultural, geographic, environmental and socio-political attributes we see fertile ground for visualizing a bright new future for our communities as well as future generations.

 Your comments in support of this effort are welcome. Off topic comments will be rejected.

Thoughts on Civic Activism....

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Dear Reader: I recently had a discussion with a friend about the sometimes frustrating loneliness of civic activisim as well as the exhileration felt when the lethargy of government and bureacracy is overcome and movement in the right direction takes place. It reminded me of my philosophical grounding and the underlying motivation that prompts people in free societies to challenge the status quo.

As you probably know by now dear reader, I believe that individually none of us is large enough to take on the establishment by ourselves. Nonetheless, acting individually as citizens I know we can have an impact by pushing, prodding and at times annoying the establishement into do the right thing.... and motivating others to join us.  

Our efforts can result in changes ... as support grows for the obvious solutions needed - however long and labourious the journey might be, if we all act .....

That starting point is at the heart of this tiny blog..... I draw for this reasoning from my reading of history and philosophy ... and the development of modern thought respecting organized society.

Plato's account of the famous Greek philosopher Socrates' trial is the first and most famous  illustration of this essential concept behind the working of democratic societies and the key role of citizens and an unfettered  press in a free society.

SOCRATES

One of the most famous trials in history ocurred in 399 BC. Socrates was tried and convicted by the courts of democratic Athens on a charge of corrupting the youth and disbelieving in the ancestral gods (challenging conventional wisdom). Reading the history of the day it is clear that Socrates was seen as one who challenged the political establishment throughout his life.

Plato, his erstwhile follower describes how Socrates at trial defended himself as a small irritating, persistent gnat determined to move a large lazy horse. During his defense when on trial for his life, Socrates, according to Plato's writings, pointed out that dissent, like the tiny (relative to the size of a horse) gadfly, was easy to swat, but the cost to society of silencing individuals who were irritating could be very high. "If you kill a man like me, you will injure yourselves more than you will injure me," because he claimed his self-proclaimed role was that of a gadfly, "to sting people and whip them into a fury, all in the service of truth."

"Gadfly" is a term used to describe people (our social consience) who upset the status quo by posing irritating, upsetting or novel questions.  In modern and local politics, gadfly is a term used to describe individuals who persistently challenge people in positions of power, the status quo or a popular position. The word today is sometimes used in a pejorative sense, but the historical use over the centuries by people like Benjamin Franklin was as a descriptor of honourable work or performance of civic duty.

Today, as local politicians are jockeying to re-define (or not) the development agencies in our region, it is time for all of us to become gadflies, pushing, prodding and directing politicians and civil servants to do the right thing.... nipping at their heals and rumps so to speak!

My two cents....

Back to blogging!

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Dear Readers,


As you may or may not know ..... I recently started a business and economic development consulting company here in Shelburne called Strategic Perspectives Consulting Associates and its been busy since last January.
In addition .... I am a Director and agent for a Nova Scotia company called International Resource Development Corporation with its office here in Shelburne and its headquarters in Montreal. Last January the President of IRDC and I put together an international consortium with companies in England, Denmark and Holland and bid on a major standing offer contract with the government of Canada ..... we've just been advised that we were successful and been selected to sign a multi-year contract with the Canadian International Development Agency. This morning I finished the draft operational contract for our consortium and its now on its way to our partners. We expect work under the contract to start early in the new year.

And... I am President of an internet radio station in Alberta that my son Kirk and his wife now operate as Leduc County's Home Radio Station...you can listen at http://www.leducradio.com/ . Last week we celebrated our first year of operation.

Finally.... Ocean Produce International is in the last stages of preperation for our lawsuit against SWSDA. This litigation has been going on for ten years and trial is scheduled to begin January 18th, 2010 for four weeks in Halifax. As you can imagine Willa and I've been intimately involved on a daily basis with trial preperation and will be for the next few months.

All this to explain why I haven't been posting as much as some of you would like!! I promise to make an effort to post at least once a week until we get to trial... but I expect posts will be short. ... Your patience in the interim is greatly appreciated.

Ed

To Ward or not To Ward!

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THAT IS THE QUESTION!!

Thank you Anon 3:40 for your thoughtful comment and reply at 11:42 PM.  Here's my reasoning and its based in part on my present observation of the last quarter century.... I may be wrong in my assessment .... but I doubt it.... (;-)

A quick review of our present array of Councillors and Mayor and where they live will show that the majority .... are concentrated in one-third of the geographic area covered by the town.  None live in the less affluent areas of our community. In fact, that is a pattern of political representation that has dominated local politics for more than a quarter of a century in our community.

A ward system would force a change in this pattern and would provide an opportunity for folks from all geographic areas of Shelburne to elect representatives to sit at the Council table and represent their priorities and needs. When was the last time someone from the south end of Shelburne got elected? And, if an issue had a deleterious impact on a less affluent section of our community, who could be counted on today to make the case to representatives from other parts of town?

We presently have six councillors and I would propose six districts or wards for our community - one for the south-east side of King Street, one for the north-east side of King Street, two for the centre of town, one for the north and north-west end of town and one for the historic district and proximate areas.

As for running for Mayor, I believe there are many young, capable and intelligent folks in our community who would be much better suited to fill that post than me. Actually, I would like to see a better age distribution in council with more twenty, thirty and forty year-olds and I would like to see more debate during elections about priorities in each of the districts I've already mentioned. I am happy to help and be an active citizen as I think we should all do and make my political contribution by voting for the best candidates that are presented.

Thank you Anon 3:42 .... I think this is an important issue and understand your concerns in this matter....as I hope you understand my views on the issue..... even if you don't agree... (;-)

Question For Anonymous 3:40 PM Today

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Dear Anonymous 3:40 PM:

Interesting comments. Am puzzled by your rejection of wards to elect councillors. That is because I think electing councillors to represent a specific constituency would make them more accountable to their electors. I'd be interested in your reasons for rejecting election by wards or districts and any ideas you might have to make elected municipal politicians more accountable to the electors.

I'd also welcome any suggestions or comments from others on this question.

Keep the Picture!

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THAT'S ALL THAT'S LEFT!

For those of you who went to Council on Wednesday or watched it on Eastlink on Thursday, you will have heard our local politicians skating around the issues related to the Moby Dick church. It was interesting to watch and those I've spoken with have all had their own take on the public airing of the views of local politicians on the issue.

I honestly had mixed views on whether we should keep the church or not or how we should dispose of it if we chose not to keep it. I could have lived comfortably with either decision. What I was looking for was a more public process for dealing with public issues.... and I did get a bit more.... not much... but a bit!

I agree that once elected politicians are mandated to deal with public issues as they arise. In normal political systems, politicians are rewarded or punished for the manner in which they deal with public issues by their constituents at election time. Unfortunately, our municipal system in the Town of Shelburne does not facilitate that method of accountability because of the system we have for electing our councillors at large. This way, no one gets credit and no one gets blamed.... great for politicians... lousy for democracy.

Want to have local politicians more accountable? Change our present system for electing councillors and you'll see a dramatic change in local politics. Councllors elected by geographic areas (wards or districts) know who they are accountable to, while those elected at large do as they please most of the time (until election time nears) and have no real obligation to consult the electorate.

That's my view anyway.....

BTW.... I also believe that crushing the church and hauling it off to a landfill was a waste of resources that might have been used by others.... and the worst solution from an environmental perspective.... what a waste of lumber!

GIVE VOTERS A CHANCE!!

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SHOULD SHELBURNE TOWN COUNCIL SEEK PUBLIC INPUT?

Since its construction, the little church built on the waterfront for the Moby Dick movie appears to have caught the public fancy with many expressing the view that it would be nice to leave it exactly where it is after the movie.  Some have suggested that the Town should not be in such an all-fired hurry to impose the wishes of a few council members on the population at large without first consulting extensively with taxpayers.

Unfortunately, the die appears to have been cast at last week's Council meeting and if the present decision of Council is left to stand, the little church will soon be gone.

QUESTIONS:

1. Do you think Council should consult with the public and re-consider their decision?

2. Is this one of those occassions when the public should be invited to vote on the issue?

3. How would the public be consulted if one wanted to?

4. Would a public referendum work to provide guidance to elected officials?

5. Would the movie company be prepared to delay removal of the little church until the public has been consulted?

6. Do you think Council should consider a motion to discuss delaying the removal of the little church with the movie producers until the town has had a chance to consult with voters?

If you think they should, call the Town Office (875-2991  or fax at 875-3932 on Monday and leave a message asking Council to consult with the public before proceeding with the removal of the little church. Alternatively, call Councillors and the Mayor or send an email  to shelburnetown@ns.aliantzinc.ca

Timing is critical so do it now and write or call friends to have them contribute their two cents!