Truth and prefabrication

When Donald Barber arrived at the all-candidates meeting hosted by the Meadow Wood-Rattray last night with a copy of the controversial, unflattering portrait of Hazel McCallion that caused a flap in Port Credit earlier this year mounted on a huge display stand, one feared (or hoped) for an incendiary evening.
Not so. While Barber goaded and goaded (“She personally killed the subway and we’ve all had to pay for it/ Word on the street is that she made a deal with the McGuinty government to allow power plants in return for letting Mississauga separate from Peel/ I am the first political prisoner of Mississauga”), the incumbent blithely ignored the bait.
Anyone who knows Hazel knows that there will be a time and a response to each and every poison dart from the Barber of the (Cawthra) Bush. But by refusing to respond to the barrage of inflammatory invective on the public platform last night, the mayor rendered it mostly ineffective. McCallion knows that controlling her temper controls Mr. Barber’s effectiveness.
“It sounds like maybe I should talk about taxes and assessment,” McCallion said when she immediately followed Barber to the podium.
It was a strategic non-sequitur of the highest order. The council candidates had kicked around the tax issue before the mayoralty hopefuls spoke. It was as if McCallion had hit the “rewind” button and we missed Don’s speech. Or more like she erased it from the record.
Behind the scenes, McCallion takes names and numbers for every affront and uses her influence to limit her opponents’ effectiveness. On the platform, Barber and Roy Willis are invisible opponents.
If one is politically invincible, one hardly need acknowledge the natterings of the no-name non-entities. Unfortunately, those tactic devalues the democratic dialogue that elections should be all about, but it certainly is politically effective.
The most striking thing about last night’s session was the uniformally strong field of school board candidates.
Catholic ratepayers are especially fortunate to have three top-rung runners for the Wards 2 and 8 seat. Since they agree on almost all the issues and are all well-qualified to serve, it will be difficult to choose among incumbent Albert Casuga, a retired journalist, writer and editor; Ivana Genua, a former teacher and curriculum designer who has been heavily involved in her local school councils; and Sharon Hobin, long-time parent activist and the most-quoted parent in Dufferin-Peel on the current deficit problems.
You have to be impressed with Hobin not just for her extensive experience and grasp of the issues but for her general effectiveness to date in becoming the voice for parents in the media.
Last week she had a private meeting with Minister of Education Kathleen Wynne, arranged by MPP Harinder Takhar, to try to get the oft-delayed move of Loyola Secondary School to a site at Ridgeway Dr. and Burnhamthorpe Rd. W. back on track. Not too bad for a beginner.
Favourite moment of the night: The bombastic Ed Bavington (former separate school candidate himself) accused Ward 2 Councillor Pat Mullin of ignoring water pipe problems on his street. Taken aback, Mullin said she hadn’t heard from her constituent for some time on the issue.
“That’s a prefabrication of the truth,” sputtered Bavington.
Makes some sort of sense. Everybody knows politicians assemble the truth beforehand, and then try to sell it.
Prevarication, thy name is politics.

Mayor Hazel McCallion speaks during an all-candidates meeting at Green Glade Public School Wednesday night.

Comments

[polaroidsofpolarbears]

Dob Barber may be the most uninformed hypocrite I've ever come across... Ignore him John... You're one of the best...

[Don Barber]

Great picture of Hazel McCallion going out of her way to get as close as she can to me and she knows that could be harmful to me. Also, you not note that she came over to where I was sitting, we would not want people to get the wrong ideas would we - John?

Looks like we are going to haft change our opinions about your reporting John. Praising an elected official for avoiding key and serious issue - come on now. It should read - Great going Hazel you ignored reality and keep projecting your fantasy world so we can all share in your dreams. A real political report would have noted that the Mayor could not handle the tough questions or the reality of her mistakes, we all pay the price for. Been working too long at the “Missing” News John.

You should have noted that her speech was exactly as I noted before she even opened her mouth a re-cycled one from years past, talking only about taxes and blaming Harris!

The point that is most clear now is that John Stewart is one of the Hazel McCallion’s greatest friends and political ally.