What Is It With Gord Henderson

There, isn't that the question that everyone is asking but to which no one knows the answer.

He is still as amusing as ever and as controversial too. But then again, isn't that why the Star pays him. I bet that he can set off a person's day with some of the views he expressess.

I have pretty extensive databases from which I draw information for my BLOG. I obviously have the ability to find what persons say in the past and do use it. What impresses me the most about Gord is the insight that he brings to issues early on.

It is clear that certain politicians in town won't make a move until Gord signals what that person is expected to do and will run to him, like a cry-baby, for protection and support if someone dares attack.

I can imagine a politician dreading opening the paper and wondering if his/her name will appear in Gord's column that day and whether Gord will be in a good or bad mood. All politicians that is except one.

Except for secrecy, and what choice did he really have, Gord has played the role of being the biggest booster in town for Eddie. He can do no wrong it appears in Gord's eyes. He will go after potential mayoral opponents far in advance of an election, will start attacking potential opponents in a provincial election and will hammer anyone who dares step out of line on the border issue. His extreme position on tunnelling for instance has me scratching my head in light of what a fellow, lonely Blogger, Chris Schnurr, has written on the subject. Check out Chris' challenge to Gord's "scrubbing" remarks at his Blogsite.
http://chrisschnurr.wordpress.com/

I have wondered about Gord's viewpoint for a long time and the reasons for it but his column today just was enough. I may now actually believe that Councillor Halberstadt, Gord's buddy, is NOT a front for the Mayor with his point of view in light of both his attack publicly on the Mayor at Council last Monday and in Henderson's attack on him today.

"Waving the white flag" is hardly what Alan is doing. He is being realistic. You have to talk if you want to deal. Why doesn't Gord understand that, or the Mayor? Alan is trying to prevent a war that I, as a litigator, can see coming and which the City, if it loses, may not have insurance to cover. The hit to taxpayers in fighting the Bridge Co. and/or the Senior Levels could not only cost millions in legal fees but could cost hundreds of millions in damages if unsuccessful.

Is Alan being irreseponsible in making citizens aware of that and questioning the Mayor and his tactics? I think not. He is doing his job as a Councillor and fulfilling his legal obligations! Frankly, if he did NOT do so, then he is opening up himself to a personal action by a disgruntled taxpayer for not doing what he was elected to do.

That is not a scare tactic but a reality check. If Eddie had been lulled into a false sense of security by his friends that the Bridge Co., as an example, would not sue, despite Dan Stamper's comments in the Star, Eddie knew exactly what the game was when Stamper put him down at Council. You had to be there to feel the oxygen being sucked out of the room when Stamper stared Eddie down! Alan was there and must have felt it too.

Poor Drew Dilkens. He has disappointed Gord. Well he did not disappoint me and I am in his Ward too. He had the nerve after all to say "It stinks" in relation to Eddie's stealth move on the Interim Control By-law. It was HIS move that many Councillors only learned about when they opened their Council package on the weekend before the Council meeting. What kind of respect is that from the Mayor to his colleagues.

I guess that Eddie learned that Drew has a brain and is prepared to use it. By the way, wasn't his Ward colleague a member at one time of the recently disbanded Border Issues Communications Committee that did not do a damn thing as far as I can recall since it was set up! I guess there are no "issues" if Eddie calls the shots.

And Bill Marra, how dare he not follow Gord's orders and not be a team player after all.

All of the scare-mongering words are being thrown out:

• pandering to the Bridge Co.
• renegade Councillors
• trucks on E C Row
• no longer a cohesive team speaking with one strong and defiant voice
• folks have lost faith in politicians
• pull the plug on costly plans for a downriver bridge
• betraying Sandwich

What rubbish! Oh dear, that is the problem with democracy. People are allowed to think and say NO.

Eddie of course never does his own dirty work. It would mess up his squeaky clean image. Why does Henderson feel so obliged to help him?

Henderson's message is a simple one to Councillors. Follow Eddie. Period.

Sure he does not give you information (although he gives it to the Star), sure you do not know what he is planning, sure you are caught by surprise, sure you may look like fools. Stay united.

Councillors are no longer to be allowed to carry out their Municipal Act obligations. They are no longer allowed to think. They are only allowed to vote 10-0 and do Eddie's bidding.

Eddie has been successful in keeping unity at Council by using the border issue to get Councillors to do what he wanted. In his first year, it was say nothing since Sam is working. In the second year, it was stay united as we sell Sam. In the third year it was, oh-oh, Sam is gone so let's pretend we want a tunnel costing billions because Windsor deserves it or we will not get re-elected.

He has nothing now to keep Council together. Surely Councillors, especially the newbies, were concerned when they found out that Eddie was doing things behind their backs and not giving them information that he knew about. They had to be worried that the public found out that the Bridge Co. wanted a meeting with the City since November and nothing was done. Who does Eddie think he is, Tranport Minister Cannon who refuses to come to Windsor!

I would have not wanted to look like a fool and admit that the Interim Control By-law had not been discussed with me before it was introduced and impacted hundreds of property owners in Sandwich and perhaps killed development there for years as it gave out the wrong signal to investors in Windsor. If I were a Councillor, I would have said to the Bridge Co., how many millions are you going to spend in Sandwich and how many jobs will you create if we allow you to build a bridge in our City. They have $500M to spend along with the $300M Government funds. How many out of work people would have jobs if that started?

The Three Wise Men of Council, the Three Musketeers scared the hell out of Eddie. That is really why we had the Henderson column.

It really had nothing to do with the border or the Bridge Co... It all had to do with a lame duck Mayor's attempt to control Council for at least another year while he works diligently at his next career move. He cannot have failure now when he can taste success. He cannot have a united front against him

Eddie remembers well how Council turned on Mike Hurst in his last term of office so that nothing Mike wanted ever got passed. He lost border votes 7-3, police votes, art on the river votes and even Hospice votes. Eddie should know well about blocks being formed because he helped form the block against Hurst. He is deathly afraid that the same Fate will befall him and he does not know what to do about it.

So that's what the column is about. It is all about Eddie, nothing to do with Windsor. Do not dare form a block to defy the Mayor or else.

And as to why Gord is doing it---I think it is really simple. He believes that all we have is Eddie to protect Windsor whether it is here as Mayor or as a Minister in Queen's Park. Sure he is doing dumb things but he is all we've got in Henderson's mind. Accordingly, he has to protect and defend him.

How sad for Gord and for or us if that is true.