It is far easier to sit on a Committee or Task Force or go to “Summits” (featuring speakers from out of town) or organize more bloody golf tournaments…. then give each other pretentious awards for all they have done for the community. (Of course, a big banquet is required for this process, attended by the usual suspects giving the same self-righteous speeches).
I wasn’t at the breakfast panel meeting but from what has been reported in The Spec (see story here), it seems like it may have been more “happy talk”, if it weren’t for a pointed question posed by Doug Barber.
"I came here to find out if Hamilton is winning or losing," said the co-founder and former CEO of Gennum Corporation, who's also an engineering professor at McMaster University."I heard a lot of cheerleading and that people are playing well together as a team but I'm disappointed that I don't know how we're doing. We're either winning, losing or treading water, but I don't know."
This appears to have led to a downward spiral to the conversation. Perhaps Mr. Barber’s question may have been too simplistic but it did appear to bring things into perspective. When I question the value added of these discussions, I think that walking away feeling deflated is as much destructive as the “happy talk” syndrome that Harry seems to have described .
I think it would be better for the Mayor to select a topic(s) and then charge an individual(s) to lead a solution to it. For example: Come back and present a plan as to how we can solve graffiti in our city ( I picked this because it is fairly tangible- there are many things to pick from). The person would then have to formulate a plan, engage support, come back and present it, validate it and then, most importantly, execute it with attached outcome measures and in a declared timeline.
What do people think?
Poverty is a real issue in this community and it does no good, when the focus is on big box store developments in which these jobs pay only minimum wage, offer no benefits or the chance to save for retirement.
ReplyDeleteCosts keep going up and well the cycle just continues. More people could find themselves homeless, relying on a social safety net that does not reflect the true cost to live, being sent to many agencies that adhere to the oppressive policies of Ontario Works, which deny working people their rights as workers. It is a never ending cycle.
I wonder if instead of the high placed people speaking at these types of events, that they should include other groups, grassroots groups which speak for others. The social safety net is failing people, the many programs are fruitless and well if there are no jobs, well people are left within their own devices to survive.
People wonder why homelessness, crime and other social ills are in the forefront.
Sometimes those who have, seem to ignore those who do not have, and then chastice or complain because they do not like the symptons they are seeing, yet they are the cause, when they close their eyes and ignore the very policies that are contributing to the problem.
I know the slogan is the best place to raise a child, but if you do not help the parents of those children, then what is the point.
A poverty industry exists in this community.
Sounds like just another "hot-air" convention to me. I remember the good old days when Mr. Ryder had a hand in amalgamating the "new" city of Hamilton. I honestly thought the local politicians had my best interests at heart. Some of them still can't get over it. In my oppinion, Hamilton needs to elect a whole new council, wipe the slate clean.
ReplyDeleteI think if they did that, nobody would ever come back. they'd have to actually DO something
ReplyDeleteElvis P.
I certainly agree with Harry Stinson, this event was it not a breakfast with the Mayor? Regardless this event had an agenda and certainly wasn't to dispel the fact that we are losing the economic battle with our traditional economy. These events are not to announce bad news and I wonder if Mayor Fred would have answered the same as Mr Ryder. At what type of events are these situations addressed? Does somebody knows or does this go on without been honestly studied. It appears that Hamilton is always on the cusp of the next big and beautiful thing, it does not happen because nobody's in charge or accountable to make it happen. It really makes me wonder if our Mayor is really in the know.
ReplyDeleteQ4TT made a profound Tram-Law statement, "Poverty is a real issue in this community and it does no good, when the focus is on big box store developments in which these jobs pay only minimum wage, offer no benefits or the chance to save for retirement."
ReplyDeleteAfter Doug Barber's statement, panelist Marvin Ryder,
a marketing professor at McMaster's DeGroote School
of Business, was the first to respond.
"I feel like we're losing," he said.
MAW declares, "Some of them still can't get over it."
Ryder says, "To put it in perspective, if all of the different Walmarts proposed for Hamilton are built, there's a good chance Walmart will be the third largest private-sector employer here."
Our wise proselyte again propounds, "I wonder if instead of the high placed people speaking at these types of events, that they should include other groups, grassroots groups which speak for others."
From my own sanctum sanctorum, there stirs
a plain and simple truth; that grassroots
don't mix well with that class of suits.
Fortunately, we have a place where folks
from all walks of life may share opinions
in an open forum where our class distinctions
do not appear too obvious. I can sit here at my
keyboard in my underwear and a cup of home-brewed
wake-me-up at 5am and still feel like I am dressed to
the 9's at a gourmet event and my precious Mercedes is
safe with the valet. I can't look up or down at anyone
seated around Cal's round table of hallowed Hamiltonians.
If only our leadership in a similar fashion,
could lose their fear at entering into the
blogosphere. Cal's been doing IT and he's
got IT right with elections forthcoming
and media spotlight. But let's not be
distracted on this Thanksgiving Day,
let's rejoice with family and with
them let us pray:
Good food good meat good God let's eat!
Happy Thanksgiving My Fellow Hamiltonians
A lot of thanks and giving
http://thespec.com/News/Local/article/651241
AN OFFENSIVE AGAINST HUNGER
http://thespec.com/News/Local/article/651112
I agree.
ReplyDeleteToo much talk and not enough focus on outcomes.
Mr. DiFalco wrote
ReplyDeleteI think it would be better for the Mayor to select a topic(s) and then charge an individual(s) to lead a solution to it. For example: Come back and present a plan as to how we can solve graffiti in our city ( I picked this because it is fairly tangible- there are many things to pick from). The person would then have to formulate a plan, engage support, come back and present it, validate it and then, most importantly, execute it with attached outcome measures and in a declared timeline.
What do people think?
What do I think? I think YOU should be the mayor!
The Plain and Simple
Re: Walmart
ReplyDeleteI found this article about the sweatshop conditions growing across the US and that included Walmart. Please see "Addendum on Wal-Mart", at the bottom of the article.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=15605
While this next article is off topic, I think that it should be a wake up call for people. Everyone needs to say a prayer for this gentleman.
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/708458--fiorito-from-home-to-shelter-to-hospital
Plain and simple wants Cal for Mayor,
ReplyDeleteCal has not expressed any political aspirations
that I am aware of. Cal appears from this side
of the screen to be a man already well placed
behind the scenes. Why compromise that position?
Mr. Dubeau asks, "At what type
of events are these situations ad-
dressed? Does somebody knows or does
this go on without been honestly studied?"
Mr. Dubeau thinks out loudly,
"It really makes me wonder if
our Mayor is really in the know."
But by far the most important thing
Yves said was, "we are losing the econ-
omic battle with our traditional economy."
T R A D I T I O N, tra-di-tion!
Yves, we're just fiddlers on the roof.
What we need is a member of Hamilton's
Media Advisory Council to understand
that what Tram-Law allows is in fact
racism to the worst degree. We're
not allowed to call a shovel a
spade if IT is a multinational
horizontal and vertical, near
monopolistic corporation that
undermines local economies.
Because IT provides JOBS!
Please show some respect for our moderator.
If we do not like where these postings
lead us to, we can always head over to
the specthread speaker's corner and
comment on noble Obama prized pieces.
That's where the media turkey stuffs
pressure cooked Hamiltonians with
topics debased in IT's own juices.
Who says there's no value in
the staleness of our daily bread?
I'm stuffed.
Stick a fork in IT
http://thespec.com/News/Business/article/648188
WRCU2, you said Plain and simple wants Cal for Mayor,
ReplyDeleteCal has not expressed any political aspirations
that I am aware of. Cal appears from this side
of the screen to be a man already well placed
behind the scenes. Why compromise that position?
Ever asked the guy? Maybe with a little encouragement we may get someone like him to step up. Everyone always says we dont have good people stepping up and we get the same ole charcters. Its a wonder. We need to approach people and support them!
Its Plain and simple