WOOLWICH POLITICS DISCUSSED IN THE RECORD

Luisa D'Amato has written an Opinion piece titled "Don't make candidates organize the debate". While I agree completely with her basic premise that's not why I am discussing her article here in today's posting. She has possibly inadvertently raised some interesting issues politically in Woolwich Township. Firstly we have Ward 1. The alleged "incumbents" are Pat Merlihan and Julie-Ann Herteis. In fact Julie-Ann is no incumbent. She was appointed by Woolwich Council last spring via a blatant scam. Ten other very capable and professional applicants went to the trouble of applying and then writing a speech and delivering it to Council for their consideration. Council considered nothing. At least three or four out of the five of them considered nothing at the public meeting. They had privately and hence likely illegally decided prior to the public meeting that Julie-Ann was their kind of councillor, namely quiet, uninformed and capable of following direction just as she did under the Todd Cowan council.

Not good. Now we come to Scott McMillan whom I do not know. Mostly. I have one alleged incident from his school days. More importantly he was/is chair of the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB). News flash folks. That for me at least, is not a positive recommendation. I will never again vote for anyone who has held that position and I should have known better the first time. History and time have taught me that lesson. Let me put it this way. My experience with the WRDSB is that they are most unlikely to vote as chair an honest, informed individual who's sole goal is improving the educational system for STUDENTS. There are lots who want to improve it for teachers, bureaucrats at the WRDSB, the unions or other stakeholders.

Soooo as weak a candidate as Julie-Ann is I would rather have her on council than a strong but flawed in the public interest individual such as I believe Mr. McMillan to be. Plus privately I have heard that she is basically a good person. If that is correct then maybe I'd better get used to her.

Patrick Merlihan far and away in my opinion is the best of a bad lot on that council. Yes he's arrogant and a bit of a know it all but I think he's still the best by far.

Larry Shantz and Murray Martin are a disappointment. Murray is and always has been beyond hopeless. Maybe Larry has some redeeming social value but I haven't seen it so far.

In my opinion both Eric Schwindt and Fred Redekop are excellent candidates. It is a shame that they are running against each other.

The only bonus with our pretend mayor Sandy Shantz returning is that she's got one more term to publicly self-destruct. Todd Cowan did it in one term. Sandy is pushing her luck with a second term.

See you all during the election!