Stories You Have Never Read Before

Oh you might have read the stories or heard about them. However, did you have time to think of the consequences? Probably not since you have so many other matters that occupy your day.

Isn't that why you read the BLOGs in town? We BLOGGERs just love to analyze some of the issues for you. Take these stories as examples:

HOW THE CANAL DEAL WILL BE SOLD

Or perhaps it will be the shovel ready lands at the Airport or maybe even {shudder, shudder} helping to pay for Son of Greenlink.

You see we are in economic distress in Windsor because of the loss of manufacturing jobs, especially in the automotive industry. Not only Windsor but a good part of Ontario is in such a mess.

However, since the Mayor and Council have kept our taxes so high so that they could pay for extravaganzas such as the 400 building and the East End Arena on a pay-as-you-go basis, and taken about $100 million out of our economy, we can now afford to borrow tons of money for the new extravaganzas that the Mayor is dreaming up. As Gord wrote,

• "Instead of plummeting from $230 million in 2002 to $158 million this year, Windsor's debt would be nearing $300 million, with punishing interest rates crippling the city's capacity to respond, including investing in labour-intensive capital projects."

Just think of how well off we would have been

• had our debt been reduced,
• the debt reduction Levy not been used for other projects but rather for the purposes for which it was taken,
• if we were only at risk for $15 million for the Arena, and
• if our tax and water rates were lower.

Imagine how well off our City would have been had we not squandered the tax money and how we could have confronted the miseries we are going through and which will get worse.

But it is all right. It is only taxpayers who have been punished.

GUERILLA DRIC WARFARE

Interesting news item by Daryl Newcombe of EH NEWS the other day. Something about the DRIC engineers missing some lighting requirements that will cost an extra $60 million or so and that they are looking at slurry walls, something that the Greenlink engineers considered, whatever the significance of that means.

I wonder who gave him that information. I hope no one at City Hall leaked it. That would be irresponsible wouldn't it.

Obviously, we are seeing the beginning of the campaign to discredit some of the work that DRIC has done so that our Mayor can rise up in anger and demand that there be a compromise solution between the City and DRIC with respect to the road. Eddie does hate to lose don't you know.

I expect that we will see more leaks of DRIC problems, probably in a gigantic Henderson column, so that Eddie can demand in another in camera meeting that David Estrin be used to threaten litigation again. I expect that Eddie will keep on doing this until the Councillors agreed to do what he wants. He does not intend to take NO an answer.

In passing, Dave Wake needs to be much more outspoken when being interviewed. I know that his hands are tied by our Liberal Cabinet Ministers but seriously, he came across very poorly by not answering relatively easy questions properly.

JOYS OF COMMUTING

I once spent about 18 months commuting overseas on a major project. It lost its novelty quickly.

I can remember how difficult it became as time went on to adjust to the time-zone differences. Just as I recovered when I came back home, I had to leave again. It became a physical and mental strain. How some people can thrive on that kind of a life is beyond me.

I expect that part of the problem was that I could not sleep on the plane even though I travelled through the night. After all, someone had to stay up all night long to help the pilot fly the 747.

I have to admit it, I envied the people who could fall asleep just as we took off and would wake up just as we were about to land. Just like this fellow in the picture on a flight between Windsor and Toronto.

Say, doesn't he look familiar, even from the back! He looks like a guy who would have "frequent airport encounters with people who are leaving the area for jobs in the West."

Let's hope that we can create some jobs here soon so that people will not be forced into that kind of a life-style. It is not good for the individuals and certainly is not good for families!

LOVE MEANS NEVER HAVING TO SAY YOU'RE SORRY

There certainly is no love lost between the Mayor and Council and the Ambassador Bridge Company. After all, when the City calls one of its largest taxpayers and one of the reasons for its success its “enemy,” then one wonders how this relationship can ever be made good again.

I happened to see this statement in an article dealing with the David Estrin lawsuit that should trouble a number of people in Government and I do not mean just in the City of Windsor:

• “the lawsuit will resume with the bridge company seeking “extensive discovery” before it goes to trial.”

After reading that, I would have a cold chill going down my spine. Yet, until now there was nothing that our Mayor and Council could do to try to make friends again. If they said “sorry” or tried to apologize, then that could be deemed an admission of liability and huge damages would have to be paid.

However, and I don’t know if it is because of this situation or not, the Ontario Government has come to the defence of people like the Mayor and Council. Here is what is being done:

• “Ontario to make it easier to apologize for mistakes with new bill
  
  TORONTO — It will soon be easier to say you're sorry in Ontario.
  
  The government plans to adopt an act that will allow everyone to apologize without having to worry about being sued. Sources say Attorney General Chris Bentley and Health Minister David Caplan will on Tuesday announce the adoption of the Apology Act, initially introduced by Liberal backbencher David Orazietti.
  
  Orazietti tabled his private member's bill last April, saying he hoped to encourage more people to offer sincere regrets for their mistakes.”

I think that I will bring my camera and post the photo on my BLOG when I see Mayor Francis on bended knee in front of the Dan Stamper saying:

• “I want to offer you my sincerest apologies. I am sorry for all of the inconvenience and the extra millions of dollars in costs and the worry that I and City Council caused you. What can I do to help build your Enhancement Project and the road to your bridge?”