Give me a break! After 13 yrs it’s late to be rethinking amalgamation!

Today’s Sunday Herald ran a Front page lead story that started

Premier Rodney MacDonald is promising an immediate, independent review of HRM amalgamation if his Tories return to power.

The premier said some people are concerned their communities’ interests are being lost in the shuffle, while others are unhappy with the services they get for the taxes they pay. He said part of the review will be community consultation.

“Whether you are from Ecum Secum or you are from Hubbards or you are from the peninsula of Halifax, I believe that people deserve the opportunity to have input into that process,” he said Saturday morning at the headquarters of George Jordan, the Tory candidate for Dartmouth South-Portland Valley. ….. Read the full story!!!

In my opinion this is nothing but cheep politics by a government desperate to hold on to power … clutching at straws, costly, emotional, but totally useless straws.

When Dr. John (Savage) forced the amalgamation on the two large municipalities of Halifax-Dartmouth and what is now the Cape Breton Regional Municipality his rationalization was that the merged units would be able to deliver services to their constituents more efficiently and at less cost. Cut back on duplication of administration services and things would work better.

Dr. John (Savage) enjoyed a majority government and chose to ‘force’ the merger by rewriting the Municipalities Act of Nova Scotia without consulting the municipalities. His actions were quick, decisive and permanent. If he had gone the consultation rout we’d still be studying the issue.

From where I sit this grand experiment has worked, for the most part, in Halifax, any dissention that exists comes from those few but vocal critics who are still upset over loosing their separate identities.

About every three months someone writes a letter to the editor bemoaning the situation and the media asks the question of those elected officials and round and round it goes… there has been plenty of opportunity for navel gazing by municipal and provincial governments and none have felt the need to address the situation. The trampoline jumping, fiddle playing premier himself has had the opportunity to facilitate such a review over the past three years but he waited till an election to give the situation any credence.

Mr. MacDonald said the study, which would take about a year, would be put out to tender. He would not estimate how much it would cost, except to say it would probably be in the tens of thousands of dollars.

“It won’t be an overly expensive initiative,” the premier said.….. Read the full story!!!

I’m sorry but I need another break …. If and I repeat IF this type of study was to be commissioned with all the focus groups, public consultation, and input from special interest groups a year long commitment by any consultancy worth its weight would not be cheap. It’s my humble opinion that a report of this nature would cost in the Hundreds of thousands and be a waste of money.

Yes there are things that could be improved in how HRM functions but those changes can be done through adjusting the organizational structure of the administration and service delivery systems. The Municipality of Halifax recently received its own charter and therefore can make whatever changes it needs with out input or permission from the Provincial Government.

Mayor Peter (is he a conservative?)Kelly in a statement in the same article gave half hearted support to the idea of a study but did point at the reality of what it has cost to get where we are and that together is better. Now remember this is a Mayor who has a reputation for using ‘studies’ and ‘public consultations’ to hide behind and has been able to sit on the fence on just about every key issue that has faced the HRM during his tenure as our leaderless mayor.

Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly said he welcomes the review, saying he hopes it will encourage all party leaders to share their ideas on how to make the municipality stronger and more competitive.

The mayor said the debate should be about more than just the notion of de-amalgamation.

"We need to look at the big picture, the big reason for being, and not just the time or the flavour of the day," he said Friday evening.

The mayor believes in a united HRM.

"I believe in our future and to piecemeal it apart, to potentially piecemeal it apart, would be harmful to many. And the cost implications, it cost us tens of millions to get here and we’re still paying some of those price elements," Mr. Kelly said. ….. Read the full story!!!

It’s my opinion that you don’t go backwards… de-amalgamation is NOT an option, all that’s needed is to identify the components of the current model that require adjustment, devise a plan that cures those issues, have the balls [leadership] to make the changes and get on with life. There is that reoccurring theme… Political Will & Leadership … does it exist in Nova Scotia!!!!

So this piece of Political Election News is nothing but rhetoric… an easy promise to make by a premier who’s unlikely to regain power and if what I’m hearing from my cousins in his home riding is accurate a Premier who might actually loose his own seat.

Technorati Tags: Les Muise,Rodney Mac Donald,Nova Scotia Election 2009,Halifax Amalgimation to be Studied,Peter Kelley

HRM By Design Must Move Forward

Today at 8:51am            Stephen McNeil’s Notes

More than six months ago, legislation that would have enabled HRM by Design was on the order paper at Province House. Rodney MacDonald and his government prevented this legislation from coming to debate. HRM by Design is, however, exactly the kind of solution required by everyone in this debate. It provides clear and certain guidelines for developers and it offers a balanced approach to achieve widely shared goals for a livable, beautiful city centre.

Far from helping, Mr. MacDonald’s impromptu launch into the debate over the Waterside Centre proposal has only served to make approval more difficult. The premier’s ill-considered actions have also steered the debate to a political tit-for-tat and away from the pressing need for more new development in the downtown core.

The premier has angered council by threatening to veto its previous decision. This makes it difficult for those councillors who supported the development to continue supporting it. To do so now, they will be seen to support the premier’s decision to overrule their power to make decisions.

The premier has alienated the mayor. While Peter Kelly indicated he would not have voted in favour of the development, the fact remains he is the mayor and has committed himself to demonstrate leadership to council and the municipality. If the premier is truly interested in fostering development in HRM he should be building a constructive and positive relationship with Mr. Kelly rather than a combative one. The premier should also remember that with a recently renewed mandate, the mayor is, arguably, in a stronger political position than the premier himself.

Those in the community who may have supported, or been open to supporting, the project must now choose between which level of government they support. This is a distraction from the more pressing issue of the need for downtown development and reflects Rodney MacDonald’s inability to see the big picture.

HRM by Design was developed by HRM over a two-year period with input from everyone concerned: the public, heritage advocates, developers, the business community and urban planning professionals. If the premier truly wants to show leadership and to make downtown — and everywhere else in HRM — a desirable place for investors to spend their money, he should be championing consistent and transparent guidelines for everyone.

As premier, that’s what my Liberal government would do.

Halifax’s Finest Aggressive Panhandlers

Les Muise Consulting

Monday, October 27, 2008

Posted to MyHalifaxCa Panhandlers

The following is the Introduction to an opinion piece developed by request for MacKay Fashions of Halifax to be used to begin a discussion within the business and civic concerns with the objective of finding a better way to deal with the panhandlers of Downtown Halifax.

It’s time to deal with the issue….

Panhandling is a challenging issue faced by cities of all sizes, and one that affects Halifax as well. The experience of numerous professionals and service agencies finds that money given to panhandlers often only enables self-destructive behaviors like alcoholism and drug addiction.

One former panhandler and addict has even stated, “Giving money to a panhandler is like giving a gun to someone who is suicidal.

I think it was mid November of 1997 and I was sitting in the Great Taste Coffee Shop on Spring Garden Road enjoying a brew and writing in my journal. I was not aware of where he came from or when he arrived but suddenly, there was a little man sitting at my table. He was in rough shape having fallen and broke an arm, he had not shaved in a couple of days, he had no teeth, his fingers were deeply stained by nicotine, and he was cold, hungry and the smell… God the smell, it just about turned my stomach.

The conversation began with his statement that it had been a hard day and he was considering walking out to the middle of the Angus L Mc Donald Bridge and jumping.

My instant response was ‘I don’t know you from a hole in the ground but I figure if you’ve made it this far in life…. You’re too stubborn to do that.”

That was the day that I met ‘Terry M’ a paranoid schizophrenic who had lived with his parents on Cunard St till they died and had a room of his own [these days at Turning Point] in a know flop house. Terry had never traveled past the Halifax Commons, had memorized every word in three dictionaries and would give you the correct spelling, pronunciation, and use it in conversation…. several times in one sitting. He had a memory for detail as good as anyone I know but could never keep a job.

Tommy Boutilier, left, an on-street support worker, chats with a panhandler named Liam, while walking along Spring Garden Road in Halifax. – Halifax Herald

At the time Terry was one of a handful of regular panhandlers that you would see around town. Over the years I’ve watched, tried to help and got frustrated seeing my little friend loose ground in his life. He survives on $385.00 per month from Community Services and every check day his property owner drives him to Sobey’s on Queen and waits while Tarry cashes his check, takes $350.00 for rent and leaves Terry with $35.00 for a months worth of food.

No wonder he panhandles.

Anyone who spends time on Spring Garden Road, Argyle Street, Barrington Street or on the Waterfront [as I do] and is slightly aware of his/her surroundings should see the whole picture. You cannot help but have a certain amount of compassion for the street people like Terry M who for one reason or another have fallen through our so-called social safety net. As a community, we are failing to provide a safe, healthy and caring life for these individuals and that has to change.

Every situation has two sides and though I have a soft spot for the position in which people like Terry M find themselves I have also had to deal with the constant harassment, insults, threats and potential violence of navigating the downtown core of Halifax. As you read this document, you will read several personal accounts of both the good & bad side of our streets. In addition, remember … Big changes come as a result of many small steps.

Read More…….

The Current Economy …. & Roddie Mac

THE TIME TO ACT ON THE ECONOMY IS NOW: MCNEIL

Today at 1:31pm

(Halifax, NS) Liberal leader Stephen McNeil is today criticizing Rodney MacDonald for lacking an economic plan and is insisting that the Nova Scotia economy has already begun to feel the effects of the global financial crisis. 

“Nova Scotians can’t afford to wait any longer for this government to act decisively,” explains McNeil. “Rodney MacDonald has said this province won’t feel the effects of a downturn for six to eight months. This proves how out of touch he really is.”

McNeil points out that several major Nova Scotia companies are already suffering due to worldwide economic decline – a fact that has clearly eluded MacDonald. 

“This government has expertly handcuffed our province’s economic growth for nearly a decade,” said McNeil. “The MacDonald-led Conservatives completely failed to manage the economy during what were relatively good times, leaving Nova Scotia with absolutely no financial flexibility to deal with an impending downturn.”

“The fact is that from 2002 to 2006, Nova Scotia’s economic growth was the worst in the country – 10th out of 10 provinces,” reminded the Liberal leader. 

McNeil noted that he hosted a small business roundtable earlier on Wednesday, where Nova Scotia-made jobs led the agenda. The Liberal leader also plans on hosting a series of economic roundtables throughout the province in the coming weeks and months.

“Small business is the strength of any economy and that certainly holds true for this province,” contends McNeil. “Having this open dialogue with the business community will help us move the economy of Nova Scotia forward instead of simply waiting for a recession as Rodney would have us do.” 

“While the United States is now coping with the effects of poor management at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the Nova Scotia economy has been long suffering due to the repeated failures of Roddie Mac.”

Premier’s Priorities Are Mixed Up

Monday, September 22, 2008 at 11:39am

It wasn’t too long ago that Rodney MacDonald was managing the Nova Scotia campaign of a federal Conservative leadership hopeful named Stephen Harper. While one soon became premier of this province and the other became Canada’s 22nd prime minister, their questionable leadership has more often than not been a detriment to Nova Scotia. 

The demise of the Atlantic accord gave us our first glimpse at the type of leadership brandished by the Harper-MacDonald team. Premier MacDonald threw Nova Scotians and MP Bill Casey under the bus in order to cater to Prime Minister Harper’s demands. Stephen Harper broke his word to Nova Scotians, and instead of demonstrating leadership by standing up for his province Rodney backed up the prime minister.

These days, it appears the old team is back together again. After a politically motivated Harper government yanked two coast guard vessels from our waters, the premier “defended” Nova Scotians by writing the prime minister a letter. A partisan political decision costs our local economy 124 jobs and an estimated $12 million, and the premier couldn’t even place a telephone call to his close personal friend?

The Harper-led federal Conservatives then attempted unsuccessfully to stop a provincial committee from exploring the loss of those same coast guard jobs last week. That provincial committee moved to condemn the transfer of the icebreakers and once again, the MacDonald government let Nova Scotians down. All three members of the premier’s caucus present voted in favour of moving the ships to Newfoundland; more to the point, they voted in accordance to the prime minister’s wishes without the slightest regard for their own province.

Throughout this federal election campaign, Premier MacDonald has repeatedly and purposely misled Nova Scotians by echoing Stephen Harper’s inaccurate rhetoric around the Green Shift. Whether from MacDonald or Harper, the people of this province are still not hearing about the federal Conservatives’ plan to put a price on carbon.

Every party and every leader, including Stephen Harper, will be putting a price on carbon in this country. However, only one leader plans to give that money back to Canadians, and that leader is Stephane Dion.

Under the leadership of Rodney MacDonald, Nova Scotians are coping with some of the highest gas prices in the country, thanks to a failed attempt at regulation. The premier’s political stubbornness and absolute refusal to admit his mistake with regulation is costing the public millions of dollars. We are being gouged daily at the pumps, and the only way to stop the suffering is by scrapping gas regulation immediately.

Liberals have been calling for the end of gas regulation since its inception; the premier refuses to listen.

A leader recognizes his mistakes and acts decisively to correct them. Premier MacDonald has failed on both counts.

Under the leadership of Rodney MacDonald, Nova Scotians are facing a fifth power rate increase in seven years and the indication that volatile electricity prices will only continue to skyrocket. A decade of Conservative neglect has left this province entirely addicted to imported fossil fuels and dirty coal. While the rest of the world is moving to renewable green energies, the premier lacks the vision to move Nova Scotia Power in that direction.

A leader has vision and a viable plan to secure a prosperous future for his constituents. Premier MacDonald has failed on both counts.

Without energy security, the future for Nova Scotia appears bleak. Green energy can provide that security and is the only way to stabilize the ever-increasing price of electricity.

Nova Scotia has tremendous assets in wind, tidal and solar power generation, but Premier MacDonald’s indifference is allowing those opportunities to go to waste. In our own backyard, other provinces have begun generating renewable energy that Nova Scotia simply can not take advantage of. The premier has allowed this province to become an energy island with no means to draw green power from regional sources.

The premier shouldn’t be acting like he’s still Stephen Harper’s campaign manager here in Nova Scotia; he should be acting like a leader by standing up for Nova Scotians.

Of choices and butterfly nets….

We are quickly coming to the decision point, you know Voting Day for the Halifax Regional Municipality. I thought I would give you some insight into my decision process on who I will vote for in the race to be the next Mayor of Halifax.

Firstly, for those of you who have lost track of who is running in which election the contenders for the job of Mayor are; the incumbent Peter Kelly and his challengers Sheila Fougere & Dave Boyd.

Right off the bat I can reduce the selection by one – Dave Boyd doesn’t have a chance. I knew Dave years ago in Clayton Park, long before his mail order bride “flue the coop” [I wonder why] & I have to admit that my prior knowledge pretty well eliminates Dave from serious consideration. There is a guy in a white lab coat with a large butterfly net running around Halifax trying to catch Dave… wait a minute if my memory serves me I seem to recall that he was caught twice and locked up but he escaped. I’ll give him credit for having the guts to run and propose some rather interesting but unrealistic ideas. I hope he gets more support than in his first attempt at being elected [three votes] but I really cannot see anyone taking his bid seriously.

That leaves Peter and Sheila. Each has solid support in their own turf; Peter in Bedford and Sheila in peninsular Halifax.

Peter has history on his side, as incumbent it is his race to loose, and this time that might be easier than he or his supporters might think. History is history … there is not much you can do to rewrite things that happened in the recent memory. In Peter’s case history is not his best friend and has some telling stories.

There is a reason that organizations like Citizens for Halifax and Build it Right have grown out of the frustration of dealing with the Mayor’s Office. Need I mention the way HRM handled the widening of Chebucto Road or the Mainland Common Recreation Center or the Cat bylaw or the dissension in the council?

They are the tip of the ice burg, for Peter to campaign on a platform of strong leadership, vision and a history of success in furthering Halifax’s image is almost laughable. Find me one proven case where a leopard has actually changed his spots & I might accept that Peter will change his attitude and practice. Realistically history will repeat it’s self if he’s reelected; the lack of decisive decision making, lack luster leadership and internal clashes in council will continue for another four years.

Then there is Sheila. I will tell you up front that I have known and respected her husband for more than 25 years, watched Sheila grow as a councilor, supported her in her run in the last federal election and have been impressed with her growth and consistently solid approach to this campaign. She has solid support from her constituents and is well respected within council.

From what I have seen, Sheila’s history would suggest that a council headed by Mayor Sheila Fougere would be significantly different from that headed by Peter for the past eight years. Much more productive, more proactive and more of what this city needs at this time.

So are you getting the hint? When I mark the X on my ballot for the position for Mayor my choice is going to be Sheila Fougere. Halifax needs a change in direction, attitude, and in political will.

Sometimes change isn’t easy but as in any situation where teamwork is required for success and if the team is not working the quickest way to fix the team is to change the leader.

On a related side point, I will be one of those brave soles casting my vote this weekend electronically… because it is neat!

Technorati Tags: Sheila Fougere,Peter Kelly,Dave Boyd,Les Muise,Halifax Election

I missed another bullet…… I think!

I have a very good friend who lives in the depths of the Annapolis Valley who over the past twelve years has traveled into Halifax with her husband on average twice per month. Every time she is in town, we meet for a coffee, a meal or a run around town shopping. Our conversations are lively, often political and always full of the reality of our lives. She has commented to me on more than one occasion, in a rather blunt tone, “You’ve missed another bullet there ….” Admittedly, the bullet she was referring to was usually a young female with whom I been considering starting a relationship. In every case, she was right.

The bullet I am referring to in this posting is not a young female … it is an election.

Up until 12.00 noon on Tuesday September 9, 2008, I was fully intending to offer myself as a candidate for the position of Counselor of District 10 in this October’s Halifax Municipal Election.

Nevertheless, with the flip of a coin I reversed my decision.

The question is why?

The financial commitment is no longer modest, I budgeted sufficient funds in order to aggressively pursue the opportunity. The combination of personal funds, support from friends, family and supporters would cover the $15,000.00+/- needed to win. However, my decision was not due to the risk of loosing the investment…. I intended on winning.

The time commitment over the next month is huge. District 10 is a geographically large housing 9,700 potential voters, in seven distinct neighborhoods covering all demographic diversities and economic statures. But I’ve covered all this district before while campaigning with the candidates in previous municipal, provincial and federal elections and I actually enjoy the conversation on the door step. Therefore, that was not the reason….

Some would be put off by the idea of speaking in public … not me. I found my public voice years ago & enjoy engaging others in a public form; I would look forward to a lively debate. Therefore, that was not the reason….

I have a profile in this community; I have lived here for 24+ years, and know many of my fellow residents. I am a member of the Clayton Park Liberal Association, Build it Right, Citizens for Halifax, and would have the support from the key members of those groups. My profile would need to become more public than it has been but the idea of being under the magnifying glass is not a deterrent.

I felt I was ready and could honestly see being successful in a well run, open and effective campaign. I was looking forward to the 5-week conversation with the constituents of this riding and had planned to make my cadency official by filing my papers on Friday August 29, 2008.

However, timing is everything… a delay in a client’s payment of fees due to me meant that I delayed my plans until the first of the following week. Over that weekend long talked about rumors of a Federal Election call for this season went from rumor to pending announcement to expected dissolution of Parliament within the week. What a mess….

I took a breath and waited.

By the first of this week, we are faced with both elections taking place within 4 days. Over the next five weeks the 7,000 residences of this district will be attacked by;

• 3 candidates for HRM Council & if I’d have run it would be 4,
• 3 candidates for Mayor of HRM,
• 3 candidates for the Halifax Regional School Board,
• at least 4 may be 5 candidates for the Federal Riding of Halifax Atlantic,
• In addition, do not forget nonstop polling.

Potentially 15 teams of invaders of our privacy… At some point, the electorate gets confused, fed up, annoyed … You get the idea. There will be many annoyed individuals answering doors and or phones.

With all that confusion and static, how do I get my message out to the constituents?

The fight for sign placement will be ridiculous. The candidates for Counsel will be lost in the crowd and not enough time between the Federal Election Day and Municipal Election Day to get the message out.

The reality is that no candidate wins an election by himself… the volunteer base & $$$$ available to HRM campaigns will be diminished by a hectic 30-day federal run… How many times does john q citizen answer the door to yet another person looking for his support before they start the conversation with ……………

Did I duck a bullet?                      Defiantly!

Do I regret not running?               Defiantly!

Did I make the right decision?       Time will tell, but for me yes it is the right decision.

Will I consider running again?        Defiantly!

Politics is a learning curve. Five years ago, I would never have predicted my current interest in being involved in public life. Then I met Daniel Roukema, his passion for community development, political activism, and of course, his version of Orange Liberalism was infectious. Thank you Daniel!

To all of my friends and supporters, I value your commitment and ongoing support and I will continue building my base with the aim of running four years from now… then again the future could hold a by-election.

Nocturne art event gains momentum and support

With 28 galleries signed up to participate and a wide range of independent artists ready to install special projects throughout the city, Halifax will be the site of a spectacular array of art from 6:00 p.m.-midnight on Saturday, October 18. Thanks to support from the arts community, local businesses and the Halifax Regional Municipality, the first annual Nocturne: Art at Night is shaping up to be an exciting, free of charge, signature event.

Galleries on both sides of the harbour are opening their doors to allow free access to exciting and intriguing exhibitions, with many choosing to present work with a ‘Nocturnal theme’. These include: François Gaudet’s one-night projection installation Nuit Blanche at Saint Mary’s University Art Gallery; Spotlight at Seeds Gallery featuring nighttime critters by recent alumni, David R. Harper and Heather Keeling; and experimental audio works by Canadian artists and musicians presented in the dark of Eyelevel Gallery.

Creative artists working in a variety of mediums have been invited to participate in special projects in various downtown locations including Granville Mall, Victoria Park, Nathan Green Square, Sackville Landing and the universities.
‘Nocturne is a unique, community driven project by artists and art gallery owners, the very kind of partnership we are proud to support.’ said Andrew Whittemore, Acting Manager of Community Relations and Cultural Affairs for HRM.

HRM’s contribution of two Metro Transit buses as a free shuttle service will allow attendees to experience as many exhibitions as possible throughout the evening. The buses will transport passengers between stops including the universities, Pier 21, Downtown, and the North End.
In addition, HRM has funded the installation of original local artwork on the interior panels of Metro Transit buses for the weeks leading up to Nocturne.

The full Nocturne: Art at Night program listing of all participants and venues, along with the bus route, will be available the week of October 18th.

Participants

The 28 Galleries that have confirmed their participation are: 1313 Hollis, Anna Leonowens Gallery, Argyle Fine Art, Art 1274 Hollis, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Art Sales and Rental Gallery, Craig Gallery, Creative Crossing, Dalhousie Art Gallery, Eyelevel Gallery, Fred, Gallery Page and Strange, Gallery Shop at Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Hydrostone Gallery, The Khyber Institute of Contemporary Arts, Mary E. Black Gallery, Mount St. Vincent University Art Gallery, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University, Pedway Picture Gallery, Queen Street Studios, Saint Mary’s Art University Gallery, Secord Gallery, Seeds Gallery, Studio 21 Fine Art, Utility, Viewpoint Gallery, Visual Arts Nova Scotia, and Zwicker’s Gallery.

Supporters include: Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, The Coast, Halifax Regional Municipality, Fusion Halifax, Visual Arts Nova Scotia, and East Coast Connected.
About Nocturne

Nocturne: Art at Night is a festival bringing art and energy to the streets of Halifax between 6:00 p.m. and midnight on Saturday, October 18th. The completely free, first annual event showcases and celebrates the exciting arts scene in Halifax. The Nocturne program and bus will be a guide to a variety of exhibitions in galleries and public spaces throughout the city. The signature event, designed and planned by volunteers within the community, will be an opportunity for everyone to experience the art of Halifax – in a whole new light.To find out more about Nocturne check out the website www.nocturnehalifax.ca

Kerri Dawe Design

Over the years I’ve dealt with hundreds of creative people… photographers, artists, designers, writers & musicians. Their talent levels were like their personalities…. all over the map, covering the full range of possibilities, some easy to deal with and some were a royal pain in the ass.

From my perspective the real talent in a commercial artist [of any specialty] is the ability to utilize their creative abilities to deliver an end product that truly represents their customer’s vision. In our ever more web & digital world the task for any web designer is to capture that elusive essence of the business in a package that will be shown to the world. A lot of designers loose track of one of the core sales philosophies….. KISS… you know ‘keep it simple stupid’. The over use of Flash, java, video clips and the wiz bang of what appears to be a circus on your screen does nothing but confuse, slow down the loading of the site and frustrate most users and they leave never to return.

Any of you who have visited my blogs are aware that I admire Kerri Dawe’s design talents. She is an exceptional artist with that special ability to capture that essence that so many other designers miss. As well she has an intuitive sense for the ‘art’ of marketing a combination not often found in young web designers.

Kerri recently launched her own web site with a portfolio of her work. I think my friend [even if Facebook doesn’t think we’re friends … we are] has done an exceptional job of capturing her personality and has built a site that speaks for itself….

Visit www.kerridawe.com and you will see clean lines, beautiful colour choices, the site is easy on the eye, with a logical layout, and a straight forward confident statement of her many talents. This in not a cluttered site….. classic understatement of talent and much like its creator there is so much more ….

The times they are a changing…… at least politically.

There is a bielection today in Bedford with two worthy candidates each hoping to fill Gary Martin’s seat. They will face a challenge ….. Gary left a large void to be filled and the winner will only be in office till October and then its back to the poles.

When I arrived home yesterday there was a message from Stephen McNeil inviting me to the Nomination Meeting for Halifax Citadel …a reminder of how easily we could be facing a federal election.

Halifax councilor Sheila Fougere was in Dartmouth on Friday to unveil her mayoral campaign platform that has such planks as safer communities, improved public transit, better conditions for the city’s needy, more recreation centers and a smaller regional council.

All political parties and their candidates have to face the fact that the world has changed. The old world of ‘what’s your father’s name ….’ as an indicator of how you voted is over. The current generation of voters needs of feel that they are being heard, that their votes count and they will hold the political system to its promises….  or the next time they vote for somebody else.

This years mayoralty election in HRM will be interesting, this is the first time that Peter Kelley will face a credible opponent. In the previous election the only competition was from disgruntled bus drivers without any political capital.

Its still early and there very well be more people throw their hats in the ring but if it comes down to a choice between Peter & Sheila … to me its a no brainer… Sheila’s got my vote.

Originally Posted on

Technorati Tags: Les Muise

Will they ever learn? I doubt it!

By Les Muise, March 26/08 posted to www.myhalifaxca.wordpress.com & www.lesmuise.wordpress.com

Recently MLA Diana Whalen posed an interesting question in her Letter to the Editor of the Halifax Chronicle Herald that pointed at the shoddy handling of the ‘ Mainland Common Recreation Center by the staff and elected officials of the Halifax Regional Municipality. I’m in full agreement with Mrs Whalen’s position and the comments offered by Bette El-Hawary, P.A. Kidd, Rhonda Beers, Francis MacDonald, and Doug Boudreau each in their own Letters to the Editor, all of whom speak from their personal frustration with the whole process and lack of involvement by our elected leaders.

I have a few comments of my own but first some personal history.

Where to start?

This issue has been part of my world for as long as I can remember.

• I’ve lived between Meadowlark Crest.,Chadwick Place and Westridge Drive for 30 of the past 35 years.
• I attended Halifax West High School when it was on Dutch Village Road and was considered a New School with 1,500 students from the area now serviced by Halifax West, J.L. Ilsley & Sir John A MacDonald. All bussed in each day by a fleet of 50 buses and requiring 6 portable classrooms and split shifts in my grade 10 year.
• I remember when Lacewood Dr. stopped at Bayview, when the YMCA opened the Northcliff Pool with its inflatable roof, and when there was no Dunbrack Dr or Bayers Lake or Parkland Drive.
• I remember when the old city of Halifax took over the Northcliff Pool from the YMCA (they could not afford the upkeep of the roof) to serve a population of   20,0000 in its catchment area.
• I’ve witnessed the phenomenal growth of the community referred to as Clayton Park & Clayton Park West from a sleepy bedroom community, where new homes sold for $  28,000 to $35,000 as it grew into a dynamic, thriving, multicultural center with new homes in the $  250,000 to $ 500,000 range and a population in the service catchment area that is pushing past the  200,0000 mark. Most of that growth exploded into the area in the last 10 – 14 years.
• I have watched the change in what ‘we the people‘ want in our community. There is a much greater demand for municipal services that would not have been considered in the past.
• I have campaigned door to door with the candidate in the past two Provincial Elections and was campaign coordinator for a candidate in the past Municipal Election   & was at his side at every door, every day of that champagne and I have a pretty good idea of what this community was asking for at that time.
• I have attended Chebucto Community Council meetings on this issue when I was one of a dozen people in attendance & when the room was over filled with angry residence objecting to a proposed Recreation Center that resembled a resort with out the floating bar.
• I have attended ‘Town Hall’ meetings at the New Halifax West with a couple of hundred other concerned citizens where we were treated as unwanted interference and at one session managed and controlled as to what we were allowed to ask.
  • I have spoken out at every one of these sessions of my concern that the      City was not building a facility for the future of our community but was doing the minimal that it could get away with and ducking the responsibility.
• I have been involved with the Build It Right group from its inception as a public participant, a petition signature gatherer and I’ve attended meetings as a member with the Managers of both the Department of Planning        & Development and Recreation and Sport. where our concerns were treated with a rather condescending attitude.
• I have talked personally with those same Department managers where they have commented that ‘anything is possible if there is the political will’. And there is the biggest part of this problem, that lack of political will starts right at the top.
  • Every project with in the Recreation and Sport domain had been waiting with baited breath for a successful Commonwealth Games Bid. It was absolutely mind boggling the number of times that the Management of those departments commented that ‘everything depends on getting the Commonwealth Games and being able to tap into the ‘extra’ funding that would be available from the Federal Government because we were hosting an international event of this stature.
  • This logic came to a grinding halt the day that his highness Peter Kelley unceremoniously pulled the City’s support of that Bid. Not only was that decision an insult to the hundreds of bid participants in business community but it ended every one of those projects that had been using the strategy of waiting for the Holy Grail…. there was no plan B, so back to the drawing board we go…. effectively pushing each of those projects a year or two further down the road or in some cases off the road all together.

The Current Reality

After ten (10) years of public involvement it angers me that here we are seven     (7) months before the next Municipal Election and the City & Province are still stonewalling the public as to their plans for this facility.

• How can anyone be expected to believe that the huge amount of heavy earth moving that is currently being done on the proposed site is in preparation….without a plan!!! Talk about throwing money away! I f you believe that I’ve got some swamp land in Florida that you can buy for $1,000.00

From my perspective in this situation the ‘City’ lacks leadership and any firm vision & direction that would come as part of a strong Mayor & Council. There has been a deliberate effort to pacify the community by using the       HRM’s version of Public Consultation and much like what has been happening with the    School Review Process and lets be clear …. this attempt has failed.

By ignoring the the input of community based organizations like    Build It Right and the hundreds of voices heard at the many public meetings the ‘City‘ is setting its self up for ridicule, criticism and controversy.

The attitude of ‘Concerned Citizens’ has changed over the years. The hundreds of people from this community who have taken the time out of their busy lives to be involved in the process, to make their concerns known, ultimately   need to know that their voice was heard and taken into consideration.

Short of that, the process is flawed, the project will become a lightning rod for all the complaints that will be rightly aired.

The Missing Link

In all of the years that this situation has dragged through the painfully slow process, the missing component has been the political will of our elected representatives. The counselors for this area have resisted any objective input from the public and for the most part have avoided any involvement, despite repeated invitations. Not once have I seen, heard or read of Mayor Kelley having attended a meeting on this matter, nor has his opinion ever been expressed publicly although comments from staff as to the lack of Political Will starting at the top have made it clear what position        Mr Kelly has taken.

If Halifax wants to continue to grow and keep its youth, to keep some of the new graduates from our universities and have the young geniuses of the (RIM) technology world make this their home its time to face reality.

• Its time to invest in our youth by giving them a chance to grow to their potential with a ‘Center of Excellence’ .
• Its time to invest in a positive and healthy community by providing a community / recreation canter that promotes an active and involved lifestyle for all ages.
• Its time to invest in our communities by putting the services where they are convenient and stop using the logic that oh well you can do that over there … on the other side of the city …    45 minutes each way [by car  & 2 hrs by bus ... during peak hours]
• Its time for strong, aggressive leadership that chases all potential stakeholders and doesn’t stop till they get the best for Halifax. If Port Hawksbury can raise the funds…. you know the rest of that comment!
• Its time to make the changes in all of the processes to effective allow public participation    &   to speed up those processes thereby allowing Halifax to grow into the great city that it could be.

In Closing

Halifax is a great city & Clayton Park is a fabulous area in which to live.

To me the fix for this situation comes down to a change in attitude and a new approach. The key objective of any project undertaken by the Halifax Regional Municipal  should be;

• by using effective community consultation the project meets the needs of the community,
• all the participants can be proud of their involvement, proud of the facility      and proud of Halifax.

In reality it is a team approach with bottom up concept development combined with conciliation and facilitation, add some creative problem solving along with a consistently positive attitude by all involved. And that’s an approach will make the difference. I’ve been known to say on more than one occasion “give me the right attitude and anything is possible”.

Couple that approach & attitude with a strong leadership team that is willing to be involved in the community, to be transparent in its methods, accountable to the voters, and willing to promote Halifax as a great place to live at every opportunity and through every method and most importantly be ready & willing to fight for every ounce of funding that we are due.

No matter what Moncton says Halifax is the regional center and should start acting accordingly, on all levels. Invest in the infrastructure, the facilities and the people …. the rest will be here or come here.

Unfortunately it appears that the Mayor and Counselors have decided to go into the upcoming election with a [potentially] flawed proposed facility hoping to gain community support for their version of what is needed.

I wouldn’t want to be knocking on doors this fall with any of them…. its not going to be nice.