Hockey Night in Chapleau

As a comparison, I just thought I'd clearly demonstrate what a sample of "gently used" hockey equipment looks like.

Also note that this particular set of equipment originates from the early 21st century.  I just like to be thorough, that's all.

Thinking green

And no, I am not talking about Elizabeth May.  One big difference that I noticed about Chapleau when I moved here from Sudbury, was the absence of recycling.  My wife and I had gotten quite used to putting all manner of recyclable goods into a blue bin for collection curbside.  I am well aware of the challenges of implementing a recycling program in Chapleau, both financial and logistical.  What shocks me is that more people are not raising a stink about this and that no local politician ever touches the issue.  To his credit, municipal council candidate Ron Yurick, spoke of exploring some form of recycling if elected.  It is a shame that no one else did.  There are other possibilities other than curbside collection.

What always bugged me in the past was how mayor Earle Freeborn would tout his success after the new municipal dump came into being.  I believe he states that it will last at least 40 years.  Logic would suggest that if a recycling program were implemented, than the landfill would last way beyond that timeframe.  Is that not an investment in the future of our town?  I do not believe that it is up to individuals to recycle items out of town if they wish to do so.  It is the responsability of the municipality to step in and see that all of these reusable items DO NOT simply get thrown in the landfill and buried.  How they decide to implement this is another matter alltogether.

One solution I have seen personally is in many small communities along Highway 11.  In communities like Hearst and many smaller ones (most are much smaller than Chapleau - Opasatika only has 300 residents), there is a large blue depot in town in a parking lot.  There are bins where residents can drop off paper, glass, plastic and aluminum.  I'm not sure how often the bins are emptied.  I assume all the items are brought to Timmins for processing.  I will post a picture of this type of recycling depot after my next trip to Hearst.  Could not a similar system be implemented here?

This is the year 2010.  Many communities like Sudbury and Toronto have moved on to recycling organics and even styrofoam.  Not only does it feel good to recycle (knowing you're making a small difference), it makes far less trash to throw out on garbage day.  I know we are geographically isolated and short on cash.  But if we keep our heads buried in the sand and do nothing, nothing will ever get done.  I think it's high time that Chapleau got with the times.

Hockey update

I know the campaign is over, but a doubtful person wanted more information on the donated hockey equipment.  I also promised more details if I got them.  I will not be doing a write-up in the paper for various reasons.  First of all, it would be in bad taste.  Secondly, there's reporting a story and then there's beating a dead horse.  It's also not very nice to kick a guy when he's already down.  Since this forum is less visible than the Chapleau Express, I figured you would all permit me to feature an update as I had originally promised.

Here is a pair of "vintage" skates from the Dr. Pellow collection.

Attack ads

While it may not be directly Chapleau related, it would appear that another election campaign has already begun.  The Ontario provincial election is set to take place on October 6th, 2011.  That's almost a whole year until the election.  But that has not stopped Tim Hudak from starting the campaign early.  I saw an attack ad on televivion the other night.  The Conservatives say that the Liberals are costing taxpayers too much money.  They say it's time for a ... (wait for it!) change!  Now there's a word we don't hear often in a campaign!  At least there's a decent amount of mudslinging in a provincial campaign. 

I'm used to seeing Hallowe'en items for sale in September and Christmas stuff in October.  Yet, I think it's still a tad early for campaigning.  I think the Tories hope they can get the upper hand on the Liberals if they start now.  Now, I'm not saying the Liberals are infallible.  But I sill feel the sting of the Mike Harris years.  The damage they have caused will take many more years for us to forget.  They'll have to do something pretty spectacular to get me to vote for them, at any rate.

As long as they don't call McGuinty an evil reptilian kitten-eater from another planet again, this should be an interesting campaign.

Business as usual

The existing municipal council still has a bit more business to deal with before the newly elected council takes over.  There are council meetings on November 1st, 8th and 15th.  The new council will be sworn in on December 1st.  Their first meeting is on December 6th.  The minutes of each meeting, as they become available, are to be found on the chapleau.ca website.  Just make sure that if you do go to a council meeting, that you wear a suit (just kidding).

Time to move on!

Two days have passed since the historic municipal election.  Since my goal is to achieve meaningful political dialogue, I must abandon my relentless pursuit of Dr. Pellow.  But there is still one thing I have to get off my chest.  A gentlemanly thing to do after losing an election, is to call the victor and concede defeat.  A public statement is also customary.  To his credit, Kimmo has done both of these things.  Dr. Pellow has not.  I promise to quit harassing him (albeit indirectly), but a public statement of concession on his part would have been appreciated.  It might have softened the people's opinion of him.  This type of closing statement brings closure to the campaign and shows a certain degree of humility and professionalism.  I wonder if we will ever hear anything from Dr. William Pellow again.  I will leave him to his privacy and solitude.  I suppose I owe him at least that much as a fellow member of the human race. 

And now, for something completely different...

Prevention

To prevent a similar scenario from replaying in the future, a simple by-law modification would suffice.  While I am not aware of the exact wording of the present by-law, a candidate for mayor must reside in the township of Chapleau.  Perhaps adding a requirement for five consecutive years of residency to the by-law would help.  Someone who has resided in town this long knows what is currently going on here, not what was happening thirty years ago.  There have been many new faces since then.  I am well aware that there are more important things to address with the new town council.  They have not yet been sworn in and begun their many important tasks.  This is just something that has been bugging me since the very beginning of the campaign.

Mind you, I seriously doubt that there is another Bill Pellow type of person waiting just outside the town limits to run for mayor in the future.  In fact, I don't think there is another person like him anywhere.

Official results

Not that there was any doubt, but here is our new team of mayor and council for the next four years (officially):

Mayor - André Byham

Councillors - Rose Bertrand
                  - Lisi Crichton
                  - Doug Greig
                  - Larry Lacroix

Congratulations on a great campaign!  I'll keep you all posted as to when the new team is sworn in and when they begin their duties.

Chapleau wins!

Thank you citizens of Chapleau!

Thank you for choosing reason and good sense.

Thank you for thinking of your community.

And most of all, thank you for voting in such great numbers.

I am so proud to be a member of this community.

Now, let's see what we can build together!

Good night to all!

Final update

Last of the unofficial results.  As of 10:30pm

Race for mayor: unchanged.  Our new mayor is André Byham.

For council:

Rose Bertrand             572
Lisi Crichton                725
Doug Greig                  657
Larry Lacroix               683
Pierrette Ouellette         556
Ron Yurick                  351

So it looks like two new faces on council.

I'll post the official results tomorrow

MCTV

I'm watching the coverage there as well.

I wonder if they'll conduct an interview with Dr. Pellow, now that the results are known?

What would he have to say to the folks of Chapleau?

Interim result #4

Here are all the results as of 10:00pm

For the office of Mayor:

André Byham                       735

Kimmo Keski-Pukkila            75
William R. Pellow                 285

For council:

Rose Bertrand             451
Lisi Crichton                566
Doug Greig                  517
Larry Lacroix               567
Pierrette Ouellette         454
Ron Yurick                  285

There will be one more update tonight.  If I'm still up, I will post it as well.

It looks like a great night for Chapleau!

Council results #2

Interim results as of 9:20pm

Rose Bertrand             412
Lisi Crichton                498
Doug Greig                  456
Larry Lacroix               489
Pierrette Ouellette         373
Ron Yurick                  239
The results for mayor have not changed since my last update

Council Results

Interim results as of 9:06pm

Rose Bertrand             342

Lisi Crichton                412

Doug Greig                  372

Larry Lacroix               400

Pierrette Ouellette         323

Ron Yurick                  204

The results for mayor have not changed since my last update.

Interim results #2

Results for mayor as of 8:50pm

André Byham                     612

Kimmo Keski-Pukkila          62

William R. Pellow               205

Stay tuned for more results!

Interim Results

Here are the results as of 8:25pm.

For the office of Mayor

André Byham                       294

Kimmo Keski-Pukkila            36

William R. Pellow                 129

No results for councillors yet.

Stay tuned!

History lesson

Here are some historic milestones many of us would like to forget:

1) 1999 - Mike Harris gets re-elected as Premier Ontario despite massive popular opposition to his "Common Sense Revolution" and deep cuts.

2) 2004 - George W. Bush gets re-elected as President of the United States despite massive popular opposition to his "War on Terror" and foreign policy.

Hopefully, Chapleau 2010 will not join this as a trio of disasters.  Who knows what hardships could have been avoided in the above scenarios had voters taken charge of their future.

YOU can make history and avoid four years of anguish.  Please vote.  Vote with your heart, your head, your eyes, your feet, your fingers and any other part of your anatomy you need to use.  Vote with every fiber of your being.  Let's show all those folks in urban Ontario that WE are better than a mere 40% voter turnout.  Let's make history today.  Most important of all, make your voice heard ands make your voice count.

See you tonight!

What the future holds

As voting day nears, I ask you all to think carefully about the choice you are about to make.  Dr. Bill Pellow said it best in his (hopefully) last newspaper address.  I quote: "You have two more days to make a decision that will affect your life and the lives of your children."  He is correct.  This decision could very profoundly affect our community for the foreseeable future.  Whether this is for good or for ill is up to the electorate.  We need someone who will put the needs of the township and its residents above his own.  We need someone who's vision is not coloured or blurred by ancient fraternities or secret alliances.  We also need someone who is indeed a team player and will accept input from others.  Choose wisely.  As I have said before, this is not a decision you can undo.  On October 26th, you will have to live with your choice, for better or for worse.

As far as this site is concerned, I will continue to offer insight as well as taking suggestions and ideas from members of the community.  We will try to build a better Chapleau, together.  It's been so much fun, I can't let it end.  The tone, on the other hand, will depend on who heads the new administration.  Will it be four years of collaboration, or four years of trench warfare?  We will know tomorrow night.

A big thank you to everyone who visited my site and took the time to contribute.  Your comments show me that I have accomplished something.  Be it a smile, a chuckle or the realization that many of us share the same values and ideas, we have shown Chapleau (and others elsewhere) that we really do care about our town.  Thanks again and stay tuned!

Mr. X

A sad reality

I just wanted to stop for a minute and think about the situation of many Chapleauites.  They work in our town, they shop in our town, they have much invested in our town.  The fortunes of Chapleau directly affect these people.  You know these places well: Devon, Mulligan's Bay, Pine Park and even Sultan.  Unfortunately, because these people do not live in Chapleau proper, they do not have a say in electing a mayor or council.  Yet, these folks are affected by the decisions of said mayor and council.  I am well aware of the debate on annexation and its repercussions.  It's just too bad for all these hard-working citizens to have their voices ignored.  And as the old saying goes, if these people can't vote, then they have no right to complain.  That may be so, but if in the future, they want to complain, I'll be there to listen.

Team Pellow's mantra

First it was Teddy Burns in the twilight hours of Dr. Pellow's message board.  Now it is Dr. Pellow himself, on his latest piece of literature.  The same motto appears again: "Vote with your head, not with your heart."  I am as puzzled now as I was before.  Let's try to make sense of this last minute plea, shall we?

If I were to vote (this is purely hypothetical, as I have already voted) with my heart, I would not vote for Dr. Pellow.  His approach and personality scare me, to be honest.  My emotions tell me that he is too egocentric to work well with other people and that he is an incessant glory hound.  I wish to protect my beloved town from such a person.  That's what my heart tells me.  I have trouble sleeping.  Maybe that's why they want us to ignore our hearts and use our heads instead?

Surely rationality and logic will show that my fears are unfounded.  If I vote with my head, as they beseech me to do, repeatedly, I will eventually see the light.  Let's try.  Using only my brain, here is what comes up.  Ignoring his caustic and abrasive personality, Dr. Pellow has shown by his writings and social interactions during the campaign, that he is not a person that would work well with others.  Not a team player.  As an octagenarian, just getting into the world of municipal politics, his best years are behind him.  This has nothing to do with the person.  I would feel the same doubt with anyone starting at that age.  Do the math!  He has certain oratory skills, but he is too quick to debase others and jettison ideas that are not his own.  His platform is vague in many areas and where he goes into specifics, he proposes items that are simply unrealistic and not cost-effective.  We have been in receivership before.  Some of you know what this feels like.  A new library and olympic-sized covered swimming pool will surely bring us there again.  Logically, I cannot vote for Dr. Pellow.  Things just don't add up and my brain tells me he's just not the right man for the job.  I'm sure Mr. Spock would agree.

I don't get it.  I used my heart and my brain, but I still can't vote for him.  Am I doing something wrong?  Maybe I need a demonstration.  Or maybe I need to suspend belief long enough to make a choice I will regret for the rest of my life.  Sorry Dr. Pellow.  The people of Chapleau that I know are too bright to fall for this.  You have learned much in your esteemed career.  Perhaps what you failed to learn is how real people cannot ignore their basest instict.  Survival.   

Bill Pellow strikes again!

I thought I had heard the last from Bill Pellow (his upcoming newspaper spread notwithstanding).  To my surprise, I found someting in my mailbox.  It is yet another leaflet from Bill Pellow, candidate for mayor.  There isn't much in terms of content.  Now he waxes nostalgic about the buidings currently being torn down.  Then he offers some ideas of what to do with the many wide open spaces in our downtown.  In priciple, I agree with his assessment.  These are spaces that must be filled.  New businesses, of course, would be the way to go.  We'll have to get some citizens involved with the new council to hammer out some ideas.  Let's wait and see who is in the driver's seat and how receptive they are to OUR input, shall we?

On his original flyer, Bill said that few election signs were being erected over environmental concerns.  This latest flyer distribution is not very friendly to the environment.  We currently have no recycling programs for paper in Chapleau.  Where are these pages most likely to end up?  In the landfill of course.  The paper might as well have been pinned under my windshield wiper.

You can't really blame the poor guy though.  He's probably done canvassing and exhausted.  The debate is over.  His message board is closed, albeit by his own hand.  How else is he supposed to get in touch with the electorate?  What if somehow, he gets elected?  Will we get a weekly flyer update in our mailboxes?  Or will he stick to monopolizing our newspaper.  Have no fear, soon this will all be a distant memory.

They call him Teddy

A big thanks to Teddy Burns for clearing things up for everyone.  I was wondering why the first poster would be calling Dr. Pellow "The Baconator".  Sorry Teddy if some rogue poster temporarily usurped your identity.  It can sometimes happen on a free forum such as this one.  I'm sure you understand.

What actually shocks me about this whole incident, is not the fact that two Teddy Burns have posted on my blog.  It's the fact that the second one, assuming it's actually him (don't respond Teddy, I'm just playing devil's advocate here), simply stated that he is in fact Teddy Burns, he did not post earlier, and that's that.  Aren't you going to defend your candidate in the slightest way?  No comment about any of the recent allegations?  Nothing?  I've heard of silence being the best defence, but this one puzzles me.  Maybe they're still too busy canvassing by phone and strategizing to pay any heed to a simple blog.  In four short days, the outcome will be know to us.  Maybe then, we'll have some answers my friends.

Record voter turnout in Chapleau!

For yesterday's advance poll, 219 voters exercised their right.

Combined with last Sunday's totals, that makes 388 people who voted early.  That's 22.22% of eligible voters.

This is the highest advance voter turnout in at least 25 years!  People really want their voice heard!

It will be very interesting to see what kind of end result this will give on October 25th.  It's sure to be a nailbiter!

Stay tuned, true believers!

You like...?

I have just added the like/dislike feature for the posts.

Thanks to the anonymous poster who suggested this.

Unfortunately, I cannot yet figure out how to add a similar feature for comments.

I fixed the time zone too.

Poll #2

For completeness, I also added a poll for the candidates for town council.

You may chose more than one person.

Polling the electorate

I know it's not terribly scientific and a little late in the game (I don't have Hugh Kuttner to help me with my site), but I thought I'd set up a poll for the mayor's race.

Just like in a real election, you only get to pick one of the three candidates.

Enjoy and have fun.

Mr. X

Thanks but no thanks

A shipment of Dr. Pellow's donated hockey gear arrived today.  I have attached a photo to illustrate the condition of one of the items.  I have it on good authority that about 80% of the shipment is in this state or even worse.  A local hockey coach described the condition of most of the equipment as unusable.  Apparently, there is more equipment on the way?

While I was at first skeptical about the whole idea, I thought it polite to say nothing.  A gift is a gift and why not let Dr. Pellow have his little moment of glory.  After all, this is for the poor unfortunate kids in Chapleau who can't afford any equipment.  When I saw the condition of the equipment, I could no longer remain silent.

Does this man think so little of the people of Chapleau that he would give us equipment that is this beat up?  This is hardly what people would consider "gently used".  I do not wish to sound ungrateful, and in many cases, the thought does count.  But if most of the stuff is unusable, can we let Dr. Pellow tout this as one of his successes?  I will be sure to update you, the public, as this story unfolds.

Here are some pictures of a donated hockey stick:

Teddy the environmentalist

One of the more intense moments of the all-candidates night, was Teddy Burns' questioning of candidate Larry Lacroix.  Mr. Burns seems quite concerned about all the creosote laden railway ties that will be processed at the new energy plant once it opens.  What's the matter, Teddy?  Are you afraid they'll run out of railway ties and set their sights on your house next?

Teddy even went as far as comparing this project to Chernobyl.  Come on now, this is just ridiculous!  The Ministry of the Environment is always involved in such projects to make sure they are safe.  It's the law!  Besides, Chernobyl was a NUCLEAR accident in the former Soviet Union.  We're talking about burning pieces of chemical soaked wood at extremely high temperatures.  This is proven technology that has been successfully utilized elsewhere.  We don't need another important project derailed by misinformation and panic.

Some have even stated that Larry, if elected, will have a conflict of interest by being on council.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  He would be an asset to the future town council.  Since he is a stakeholder in the energy project, it's his neck on the line as well.  Add to this the fact that this new industry will also benfit the town as a whole.  How can we lose?  Well, Teddy Burns is Dr. Pellow's campaign manager and part of his inner circle.  If you think Teddy opposes this project, what do you think his Grand Master thinks?  If this guys is elected mayor, will he throw the proverbial monkey wrench into this essential project?  Can we afford to take this chance?  We have lost enough time and money over the years from stunts like this.  Let's use our brains instead of our hearts (thanks Teddy) and elect a council that will work for all of us!

Top ten

Here are the top ten things I will miss most about Dr. Pellow's message board (in the style of David Letterman)

10. Teddy Burns' poignant questions.
9. Hugh Kuttner's constant explanations that the board was not in fact being censored.
8. The anticipation, after said censorship, to see if your post will appear or not.
7. Dennis Barbeiro.
6. Dr. Pellow's marathon answers that you dread to read.
5. Reading Douglas' snappy comebacks.
4. Dr. Pellow's ability to answer a question without really answering it.
3. The word "windbag".
2. The displaying of IP addresses (free with every post!)
and the number one thing I will miss most
1. Dr. Pellow's mastery of spelling! (Remember folks, he IS a wordsmith after all.)

The Great Debate

Things we learned from last night's debate:

-People are very interested in this election campaign.
-Dr. Pellow seems very friendly with Rose Bertrand and Doug Greig.  Interesting...
-Doug Greig should audition for a role in Grumpy Old Men 3.
-There were more plants in the audience than in Cheech & Chong's greenhouse.
-Dr. Pellow looked tired and kept rubbing his eyes (Are we keeping you up?).
-Dennis Barbeiro proved what a brave soul he is.
-Dr. Pellow is just as adept at dodging and deflecting questions in person as he is online.
-Mr. Jacques Tremblay did an excellent job as moderator!

Interest is certainly high.  Let's see what the candidates do as the campaign winds down.

We'll be watching!

Momentum

At the advance polls yesterday, nearly 10% of eligible voters have exercised their right.  Fantastic!  Let's hope this great trend continues and we end up with a team that will work for the betterment of all.

Can you spare some change?

I have a big problem with catchphrases that are overused.  "Think outside the box" is one of them.  The expression "We need a change" is another and it has been popping up all over this election campaign.  People say this so often, do they even really know what it means anymore?  I understand the average voters simplistic hope that a new face will somehow mean a new direction or vision.  Candidates themselves feed into the obessive demand for CHANGE.  Heck, Barack Obama promised massive change and he led one of the most hyped and dazzling movements in recent memory.  If anyone could deliver the change that voters so desperately were seeking, it had to be Obama.  While he's certainly no George W. Bush, all the hype and frenzy proved to be too much, for even this mighty man, to live up to.  And we expect lesser folks to do better?

Many people seem to want to throw rationality out the window and want change merely for the sake of change.  This would be like saying: "I'm tired of the Federal Conservatives.  Let's try the Liberals for a change."  We all know that while Stephen Harper is no saint, Michael Ignatieff has shown that he would not be the best choice at this stage of the game.  Hell, why not hand the reins over to Elizabeth May?  You want a change, don't you?

While this rhetoric may seem extreme, it illustrates my point.  Some people are so preoccupied with the notion of change, they throw reason out the door and forget to pick it back up again when they vote.  There is change and then there is smart change.  Look at it this way.  Earle Freeborn, who I greatly respect, is stepping down.  If you didn't like him, someone else will take his place.  That's a change.  Only two of the original four council members are running in this election.  Besides them, there are four other choices.  Hey, that's a change too!  Change is inevitable.  Everyone has their own way of doing things.  Just make sure the most worthy and competent person is at the helm.  Too much change can be disastrous.  Remember Mike Harris and his "Common Sense Revolution"?  He promised change.  He did it so fast, our heads are still spinning.  We have no recall legislation in Chapleau.  We will be stuck with these people for four long years.  Change.  Be careful what you wish for.  Because in this case, you can't send it back.

A sign of things to come...

Something occured today that I thought would never take place.  Dr. Pellow's message board has been closed!  My favourite hangout (next to this place of course) is no more.  Is he moving on to do some last minute strategizing?  Or did the nasty folks, who gave him such a hard time, finally get the better of him.  I tend to favour the latter explanation as I have a hard time believing he would just close it up on a whim like that.  There are only nine days left until the big day.  Still time for one last massive two-pager in the Chapleau Express.  Who will he have pictures of this time?  Maybe it'll feature Dr. Pellow giving Earle Freeborn a great big bear-hug to show us that he's finally buried the hatchet.  I so loved the letter this week from Earle's daughter.  Very poignant and emotional.  Also very à propos.

At any rate, this guy won't go down without a fight.  His defiance is clear on what's left of his message board.

"When elected, my door will be open for discussion and to listen to your concerns."

In all my life (okay, I'm only in my thirties), in various federal, provincial and municipal campaigns, I have never heard any candidate speak with such brazen and absolute certainty.  He really does think that he can pull this off doesn't he?  Maybe that's what he has to tell himself.  What on earth will he do if he is not elected?  Dr. Pellow, there still is a place for you in Chapleau, if you don't make it to the mayor's chair.  Just be prepared to do things our way for a change.

Tourism again and again and again...

I have said it before and I'll say it again.  Tourism alone will not save our town.  While I applaud efforts to look at every angle and think of new ideas, those that think tourism alone is the way to go are completely missing the point.  And yes, it is very important to take pride in your town and make it beautiful.  Once again, if our only focus is fixing sidewalks and unnactractive facades, we will miss the boat.  We will end up with a pretty little town with a few more visitors.  That is not what we need.  We need new investments, new industries, more jobs and more people.  Tourists come, spend their money and then leave.  Even if the town is quaint and pretty, that will not get more money from the tourists.  They need things to do (new activities) and more places to spend that money.  It all starts with more industry and more investment.  This will help the local people as well and aid in retaining our population.  The focus of town council for the past four years has been on these kinds of investments.  The process is ongoing.  It is not fair to look at the immediate results, say that none of it has worked, and then take off in a completely new direction.  Much of the process is taking place just under the surface, but those who are in the know, realize that the work must continue if these plans are to become reality.  A few people have said they want Dr. Pellow in charge so that he can "shake things up".  I fear, that if you shake something this fragile too hard, it will shatter to pieces.  We must stay the course, else I fear we may regret it for a very long time.  Rmember Mike Harris and his "common sense revolution"?  Are we still feeling the sting from that awful mess?  Those that agree with me know what you have to do to keep such a disaster from happening in our beautiful Chapleau.

Raw energy

I will give Dr. Pellow credit for something.  He has energized people beyond anything I have ever seen before.  In the last election, many people voted to prevent a certain candidate from becoming mayor.  This time around, the feeling is far more intense.  I have spoken to many people that don't normally vote.  I never understood how people in Canada in 2010 could simply not vote, but there you have it.  I guess most of the time, they can't be bothered.  They assured me that this time they WILL go out and vote.  Why are they going to vote in this election?  Because for them, so very much is at stake this time.  I feel that we may even have a record turnout this time.  Dr. Pellow's goal of energizing the electorate has worked.  Personally, I doubt the result will be something he wants.  All of the people I have spoken to that are voting, that do not ususally vote, are doing so to keep him from the mayor's chair.  Some may be voting with their hearts, but most are voting with their brains (the thinking part).  Maybe I missed the fall fair encouters, but I never thought of Dr. Pellow as a CEO.  Maybe that's his new nickname from his campaign team?  We'll see in a little over a week if indeed people use their brains and vote to bring our beloved town into a new era of prosperity.

The measure of a man

I would like to recount something a friend of mine told me recently.  Dr. Pellow came to this person's door to speak with them and give his litterature.  There is a sign for André Byham in this person's front door window.  Dr. Pellow simply said: "I know you have that thing in your door, but make sure you read THIS before making your final decision."  And then he left.

I don't know how many of you have read this paper.  I featured a summary of the main points I disagreed with in my post titled "Bill the environmentalist".  But there is another problem with it.  He treats this piece of paper as if IT has all the answers.  He wields it as though it were a page from a magic spell book.  "Read THIS!  All your questions will be answered."  If only it were that simple.  First of all, the ideas are not that spectacular.  Some are outright ridiculous (swimming pool).  Yet he thinks that even though a taxpayer is voting for "the other guy", one read of Pellow's magic paper will somehow change their minds.

Ideas spark interest.  Great ideas create conversation.  What truly unites people and turns them into supporters (or followers if you like) is the person themselves.  The candidate must ignite passion and pride in the electorate.  We need someone who is honest, repectful and has integrity.  Sorry Dr. Pellow, your piece of paper alone won't change the minds of the electorate.  Once upon a time, before the campaign began, we hardly knew you, this mysterious stranger from out of town, and most of us were willing to give you the benefit of the doubt.  But now that we have come to know the real you, no scrap of paper can undo what has been done.

New call center to open in Chapleau

Isn't this exciting news?  A new industry for Chapleau.

Sorry folks, I'm only fooling.  But our own Dr. Pellow does have a new idea up his sleeve.  I learned today of his newest form of canvassing the townspeople.  While many would think that knocking on every door would suffice, Bill Pellow does not stop there.  His team is trying to recruit local high school students to phone people in town and ask if they got his fancy little paper.  He approached both schools, so at least he is an equal opportunist (this time anyway).  If the person has the flyer, they are then asked if Dr. Pellow can count on their vote.  If they have not received the documentation, they are to ask for their address, so a copy can be delivered to the home or business.  In two days time, they are to call back to see if they got the paper.  I'll feature more on the paper and what it stands for in a future post.

I take issue with this strategy.  First of all, the highschool students I know, are far too busy to undertake this kind of activity.  With jobs, homework and sports, who's got time to call strangers about an election?  They are busy enough talking to their friends, anyway.  Secondly, why is he asking poor teenagers to do his dirty work?  They can't vote yet, so maybe this has something to do with it.  Maybe he's hoping that they have not heard of him and will jump at the chance to make a few bucks?  As a poster recently stated, Dr. Pellow has become a very polarizing figure in our town lately.  I don't know of anyone (unless they were in a coma?) that has not heard of him.  Everyone has their opinion of him, to be sure.

I think this may be one of his last ditch attempts at reaching the electorate.  I'll let you all know if I happen to get a call between now and election day.

No Country for Old Men

A while ago, I asked Dr. Pellow the dreaded age question.  I wanted to know if he felt up to the job, being in his eighties.  I have nothing against an older person entering politics.  But for some reason, the number 80 stuck in my mind.  Think of this...IF he won and ran for a second term, he would be at least 84.  If he lost and decided to move here anyway and ran again, he would be 84.  Something to think about.  Add to that the fact that IF he did become mayor, some of us would give Dr. Pellow a pretty rough ride.  Four years is a long time, even if that's all you do.  This isn't the Canadian Senate, where the old-timers used to fall asleep.  I'm pretty sure the mayor has to be at every council meeting.  The lofty goals and schedule Dr. Pellow is suggesting would be daunting for a man half his age.  Part of the question was about doubt, but part of it was about concern as well.

The main objective of this post was actually to focus on Dr. Pellow's answers to my original question.  He compared himself to Ronald Reagan and Hazel McCallion.  Now, are these fair comparisons?

In 1984, when Ronald Reagan was running for re-election, the question of his age was brought up.  He brushed aside those fears and ended up being re-elected.  At that time he was 73.

Hazel McCallion is currently 89 years old and is the mayor of Mississauga.  Wow, so a person of that age can run for public office.  Wait a sec.  She became mayor in 1978.  She is extremely popular and, anyone who saw her on Rick Mercer, can see that she is feisty and full of energy.  But she started at the age of 58.

Are these fair comparisons to someone who wants in this late in the game?  I'll let you people decide, but it does beg the eternal question "Why now?".  Why not four or even eight years ago?  I know, I know, he was trying to figure out how to save our bacon.  Well, I eat bacon for breakfast.

bacon

http://www.rpi.edu/~markhn/sounds/Bacon.wav

Just for fun...

What good is living if you can't have a good laugh now and then.  Even an election campaign can sometimes be funny.

My favourite post on the "old" Pellow message board went something like this:

...Did anyone ever notice that Dr. Pellow's run for mayor is kind of like the Simpsons episode where Mr. Burns (the millionaire nuclear plant owner) decides to run for state governor?  That means that the sidekick, Teddy Burns, would be ...Waylon Smithers!...

Since I wrote that, I thought of another Simpsons parallel.  When Sideshow Bob ran for mayor of Springfield, he used a dirty little trick.  He rigged the election by having the names of the deceased appear on the voters list.  And guess what...they all voted for him.  Let's hope Dr. Pellow does not resort to this kind of trickery to get what he wants.  The more he keeps digging his own grave (no pun intended), the more he might need this sort of strategy to actually win.

A piece of paper

I almost forgot to add something.  On the reverse of Dr. Pellow's sheet of paper that he sticks in your door, it says the following:

PLEASE! Visit my web-page and join in on the discussion forum provided in FRENCH AND ENGLISH

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see any postings in french on his message board.  On the website, there is a section in french (horribly written french, I might add).  If his message board is supposed to be bilingual, why have no french members of the community posted in french?

I have absolutely no desire to further polarize the community on the hot-button issue of language.  Most of the time, french and english (and bilingual like myself) residents work side by side in relative harmony.  They don't always agree with each other, but to live in a community (or province, or country) such as ours, these two groups must learn to work together.  In find the residents of Chapleau quite tolerant and respectful, for the most part.  I find also that Mayor Freeborn has been a unifying force during his mandate.

Without getting too much into detail, I can safely say that Dr. Pellow would not be the same kind of leader.  And no, it is not because he does not speak french.  Mr. Freeborn is certainly not fluent, but that never seemed to bother anyone very much.  Dr. Pellow, through his writings (book that I am currently reading as well as his message board and articles) reeks of intolerence.  We need someone that will be inclusive of all people.  This is essential if we are to work together to improve Chapleau.

We live in Canada in the 21st century.  We should ALL be able to work together, no matter what our origins or language, for the betterment of our beautiful country and each other.

Gag order?

To Dennis:

Thanks so much for posting on my board.  Your input is always welcome.  I had never made the connection before.  The answer to your question about the masons seems to have triggered something.  All the posts on Dr. Pellow's board are pre-moderated now.  I'm surprised they let Jay's post through.  Here is another fellow who knows what he's talking about.  I hope you can make it to the debate on the 18th.  There's no way he can avoid his critics there.  Maybe the Freemasons will prevent him from going and possibly revealing more secrets?  Whether or not I go, I have several contacts that will be there.  I'll be sure to post a summary following the debate.

If there are any other subjects that you feel need discussing, let me know and I'll put them on my board.

We should plan a celebration for after the results are revealed.  If the results are as expected, it will definitely be worth celebrating.

Bill the environmentalist

I finally received Dr. Pellow's "litterature" at my residence today.  Here are a few items that I take exception with:

"Reinforce Teamwork" - good leaders lead by example.  It would seem, Dr. Pellow, that you are not following your own advice in being a good team player.  The existing team, municipal council, has been nothing but cannon fodder for you over the past several months.  You have yet to say one positive thing about this fine group of people that has toiled ceaslessly over the past four years.  Wonder why you weren't greeted with "all smiles" at the only council meeting you finally decided to attend?  Maybe the current mayor and council members are tired of your constant bashing of them and their work.  Isn't it better to learn to work well with the current team to ensure a smooth transition IF you are elected?

"Think outside the box" - a completely overused phrase that has lost all its meaning.  What does this really mean anymore?  Come on, Bill!  As a wordsmith, I expect better from you.

"To create and instill civic pride..." - again, we need an example to follow.  A natural leader instills this sort of pride in his people.  He or she has integrity, wisdom and a vision that inspired people.  Are you that person?

"Reintroduce winter carnivals and summer festivals" - yes, the Nature Festival is gone and a replacement would be welcomed by all.  Last time I checked, we have had a winter carnival every year.  Anyone who lived in Chapleau would know this.

"I propose a covered Olympic swimming pool" - enough has been said about this.  The cost alone is enormous.  Anyone promising such extravagance in a town our size and in such lean times is either lying or completely delusional.  'Nuff said!

"Establish improved watering facilities to our graveyards..." - this should not be a prority at this time.  Why does it appear on this candidate's list of priorities?  Take a drive to the back of the highway 129 cemetery and you will see.

"If elected, I will take up permanent residence in Chapleau." - this is the issue that will not go away.  Why move to a town only to become its mayor.  If you already lived here, people might have taken to you better.  So I guess the opposite conclusion is that if you lose, you will leave town?

And last but not least (hence the title of this post):

"In an ongoing effort to support the environment, I will be limiting the number of signs erected throughout the township during this campaign." - to his credit, Dr. Pellow has some recurring themes in his campaign.  Fiscal responsibility, revitalization and tourism are some of those themes.  Nowhere does the environment appear in his platform.  In fact, this is the only time he has ever mentioned it.  This statement is a distraction.  Surely, a dozen more signs could have been made to grace the homes of more supporters?  If the environment is such a concern, the signs could always be recycled.  School children always have use for extra paper.

So he finally made it to my residence.  Time is ticking, Dr. Pellow.  Will you ever make it to my workplace?  If you are indeed canvassing everywhere, you should make it there eventually.

 

A few good men (and woman)

I have the utmost respect for the people who choose to serve in public life.  To have a part in running a city or town is no easy task.  It is a thankless job that few people even think about unless things go wrong.  Yet, these are men and women who have worked hard to get where they are.  They pound the pavement to drum up support during their campaign.  If elected, they have four years of council meetings, committees and listening to public concerns or even complaints.  The ever fickle taxpayer has to see results, the most bang for their hard-earned buck.  A four-year term can take its toll on anyone who runs for mayor or councillor.  I tip my hat (or would if I wore one) to the brave men and women who devote their time and energy to try to give us all something better.

Which brings me to my main point of the day.  I knew Dr. Pellow would have something waiting for us eager political observers in Saturday's Chapleau Express.  He did not disappoint.  The voluminous two-page spread was the most ambitious foray yet from the would-be mayor.  I guess the paper was running a little light this week and needed some filler.  What did we learn?  The good doctor obviously has a serious beef with the current municipal council.  From snappy dressing to the length and format of the meeting, nothing was safe.  His lengthy rant wanders hither and thither and is sprinkled with unrelated photos from campaign stops and the infamous bean supper.  I hope the undecided voters decided to ignore their instincts and actually read the article.  Dr. Pellow's disdain for the current administration knows no bounds.  Maybe if he wasn't so busy burning bridges, he'd have some support left.

There are barely two weeks left in the campaign.  What else does Dr. William Pellow have in store for us?  Stay tuned to find out.

A sign of the times

One of the most tell-tale signals that there is an election going on is the presence (or absence as we will discuss later) of election signs.  Usually a fixture on front lawns or in windows, they assure a candidate that the people living at that address have their support.  This is pure logic, as you must ask the homeowners permission before placing a sign.  At first glance, two inevitable conclusions can at once be drawn about the amount of election signs (for the office of mayor) in Chapleau.  The first is that André Byham must have a great deal of support.  The second is that Dr. Pellow must have very little support.  Let's break it down shall we?

I have travelled to nearly every corner within the town limits of Chapleau and what I see is a sea of green.  André's signs are everywhere.  I would have a hard time counting them all, but there are several hundred to be fair.  Dr. Pellow's signs on homes can be counted on one hand.  There are two on Teddy  Burns' house (sorry, that really only counts as one).  There is one on a house near the corner of Lorne and Cedar.  There is one on an apartment at Cedar Grove (Mr. Miziguchi, I presume?).  There are two on Hongr's Restaurant.  Since this is Dr. Pellow's alleged residence upstairs, do these really count?  There is also a sign in each of the public areas that contain everybody's signs.  There is a sign all by its lonesome on Martel Rd.  I couldn't tell if it was for the house nearby, or the vacant lot with the old garage.  Let's not forget the signs on Mr. Joly's truck.  For some reason, Dr. Pellow removed the signs from his Cadillac.

Where are the Kimmo Keski-Pukkila signs?  Beats me.  Hopefully, he was too busy knocking on doors and drumming up support, that he felt signs were not necessary.

Now, I know what some of you will say.  Election signs do not tell the whole story.  Some people don't want a sign.  Others are undecided.  Granted, these are valid points.  There is also the financial issue.  Obviously, André's signs would have cost him quite a bit.  I guess Dr. Pellow was feeling a little pinched after his monument was installed.  Then again, he did put out a full two-page spread in the paper.  He might as well have used the whole newspaper in its entirety, the effect would have been the same.  A little Pellow goes a very long way.

In conclusion, while the amount of election signs does not tell the whole story, I believe this election is different for two reasons.  First of all, there are so many more Byham signs than Pellow signs, André obviously has more support. I mean, Dr. Pellow canvased the whole town, didn't he?  Didn't anyone but his inner circle want a sign on their lawn?  Secondly, I believe that most voters are so polarized in this election, that the signs are in fact a good indicator of support.  I've not spoken to a single person in the past two months that was indifferent or undecided about Dr. William Pellow.  Personally, I think he exaggerates just a wee bit in the paper and on his board, about his level of support, to try and sway the undecided vote.  I'm just a bit curious to see how tell-tale the signs really are and how many of them will translate into votes on October 25th.

The mystery of Douglas

Who is Douglas?

Many have put forth theories as for his identity, but no one can be certain.  Here is what we do know.

-His support and respect for Dr. Pellow is almost unwavering.

-He is one of the few people who's posts still appear on the message board.

-He equates some people's dislike of Dr. Pellow as maintaining the "status quo".

-He claims to be a long-time political observer.

The most logical explanation suggests that Douglas is in fact, municipal councillor Doug Greig.  All he has said in response to this is "I am not running for council".  Yet the similarities are striking.  Add to that the well known fact the Doug Greig supports Dr. Pellow's bid for mayor.  Is this a smart move for a council member seeking re-election?  We will all find out on October 25th.

Dr. Pellow's message board

Anyone see the message board lately?

Due to Hugh Kuttner's censorship (blocking or removing any post critical of Dr. Pellow) and former contributors, like myself, removing our posts, the board is a shadow of it's former self.  Most of the threads no longer make any sense.  All you have left is an answer or two from Pellow himself.  Some of the original questions and rebuttals are gone.  I don't know if this is what Dr. Pellow expected when he asked Hugh to get rid of all those 'nasty' posts.

Dr. Pellow, don't you know that you can't silence your critics that easily?  We live in an infomation age.

I'm anxiously awaiting the debate on the 18th.  How will he dodge his critics there?

Welcome to my new blog!

Welcome concerned citizens of Chapleau to Mr. X's blog!

While my original intent was to create a blog for after the October 25th election, I decided that now was the best time to get started.  Due to ridiculous censorship issues on Bill Pellow's blog, I felt concerned Chapleau citizens needed a place to voice their opinions without being silenced.  This is that place.

Here are a few pointers:

-All are welcome to post on my blog.

-While the original scope of this blog is to discuss anything related to the upcoming municipal election, feel free to discuss any topic you like.

-Post as yourself or anonymously; it's your choice!  No IP address monitoring or blocking here!

-Keep things civil:  I have absolute faith that people will keep their language appropriate.

-Most importantly: voice your opinions and have fun!