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Please, just leave us alone!

Steve Campbell

Steve Campbell

I hope you’ve been following these columns, or reading the local papers, because I can’t possibly provide background for all the attacks that are facing the County right now.
Remember when The County was “Ontario’s Best Kept Secret”? Lord, how I long for those days now.
The promotional slogan did bring us extra tourists, and lured people to move or retire to our Island Paradise. That took some adjusting for some 7th generation locals but, all in all, it made the County a more vibrant and interesting place.

What we didn’t expect is that the provincial and federal governments also dusted off their maps, found us, and decided to adopt us. Suddenly our strict, omnipotent and somewhat sadistic parents decided that being a pristine paradise does not remotely fit the ‘plan’ for whipping Canadians until they bleed.
The Ontario government must have been shocked, because we totally contravened the official provincial slogan: “Yours to Discover, and bulldoze down by legislated mandate, and kill every creature that doesn’t serve our purpose.”
I know what you’re thinking: You forgot to read the fine print at the bottom of your car’s licence plate! That’s how they get ya!
So, brief recap: Industrial Wind Tribunal still going on, and has found new endangered species to kill, in aid of energy we don’t need, and which can’t be controlled by Ontario’s Power Workers. I don’t know how the guys at MOE keep a straight face!
“Yes, we are true to our mandate of protecting endangered species and other wildlife, except in cases where we choose to kill them ourselves.”
I imagine these guys at home at the supper table, when their kids ask: “How was your day protecting our dying species, Dad?”
“It was great! I bagged two Bald Eagles today. We think there’s only 50 pairs left, so I have to leave early tomorrow to find the rest.”
“And is this going to make a better world for me, Dad?”
“You bet! If you love concrete, you’re going to love your future!”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health, the LHIN and QHC (combined they can be called HealthDon’tCare Ontario) suddenly found a couple of mill laying around, and the Picton Hospital cuts are not going to be so severe.
I have a number of problems with this. First: County people are not stupid. We have seen this ‘trial balloon’ approach long before the MOE decided to start killing wildlife and destroying environment.
QHC shocks the hell out of us, and then goes: “Wait, it’s not so bad! We have reduced the total destruction of your hospital to semi-destruction level. You might have another three years to live! Don’t get sick in the meantime.”
And they expect us to go, “Whew!”
If HealthDon’tCare wants to do its job, they should get the hell out of their nice office in Belleville, get on the ground in Picton, and act like someone who knows something about Health Care. Balancing your personal chequebook is of no concern to us. We paid for it – make it happen.
Second: Finding a loose couple of million dollars “don’t impress me much”. It simply shows you didn’t do your useless, office-bound bean-counting job right in the first place.
How many times have you been short a couple of million dollars, and then gone to the closet and said: “Oh! I forgot! I put two mill here in this old overcoat! Well, that’s better.”
My advice to HDCare: Next time, before you shout “The sky is falling, the sky is falling,” and putting the health care of 25,000 households in jeopardy, check your numbers with a calculator. Or get your teenager to do it … they’re pretty good with those new-fangled electronic gadgets.

And we’re not done yet. Now the feds have discovered us! (Damn Google Earth!)
First, they’re remaking the voting district for Prince Edward. Belleville, south of the 401, and the County … to be known as the Bay of Quinte district, or something like that.
Sure, I’m ticked that the words ‘Prince Edward’ disappear for the first time since Confederation. But I see their plan. Votes come from urban centres … everyone knows this. With this new cut, the City of Belleville outnumbers the known-to-be-worthless rural vote. We’re having our voicebox removed one slice at a time!
And, of course, commercial fishing may be dead at Point Traverse, thanks to Environment Canada. I’m sure they have visited the Point many, many times. Or have seen it on a computer a couple of times. Or maybe have a rough idea where it might be – in some forgotten, formerly-enchanted land – not near their offices in Ottawa.

With a stroke of a pen, the Action Plan Canada group – dedicated to creating jobs, jobs, jobs – eliminated jobs, jobs, jobs. Going back many generations, involving dozens of County families. Maybe Harper’s new slogan should be: “Getting as many people on the dole as we can!” Still better than the Ontario motto, since it hasn’t yet involved killing things.
Isn’t it strange?
Threats to most areas come from actual criminal activity. Belleville and Trenton seem to have an endless string of thefts, vandalism, home invasions, assaults and break-ins. So far, no drive-by shootings.

Here in the County, our threats come from two sources: the provincial and federal governments.
There is something definitely twisted in this. Talk of Independence? No big surprise. And, what started as a means to ridicule the government may need to become a reality, in order for us to live the lives we chose. Newcomer, 7th generation, makes no difference. We all chose the County as our personal paradise. And we have a common enemy.
Thanks to everyone who fights against these attacks on our County lifestyle. Some do it with money, others with words, others with planning spontaneous gatherings.
As much as the County seems to be the convenient dumping spot for ill-conceived legislation, we don’t fall into depression or turn to apathy. We rise to the defense. Gloriously.

Harper once sent around a survey to small businesses to find how the government could best serve us. My answer was uncharacteristically simple: “Leave us alone. Stay out of our way. We know how to do our jobs. Let us do them.”
I think that’s around the time both governments started to ignore public input, and run their own game. But at least I made it to the Magic Public Input Paper Shredder!

Filed Under: News from Everywhere ElseSteve Campbell

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  1. m york says:

    Doris, I heard that to… See how much people are talking and its from all levels.

  2. Doris Lane says:

    Everyone seems to know a lot about our CAO but no one does anything, I was told it would be too expensive to get rid of him. HAVE WE GOT ANOTHER PERSON COMING IN FROM THE NORTH?

  3. m york says:

    Marnie, I have no issue with jobs being given to qualified out of towners. What I do have issue with is when it is PROVEN that HIGH mngt. hires from their previous job. ie: For the the director of community development position. And once again rumor has it another individual has already been hand-picked for the operations manager position,before the interview process has even started? We’ve become the laughing stock of everywhere you turn. So if this rumor becomes a reality like it did the last time then we all know well in advance and can take proper action against it. If its one thing that I have learned over the past few months its that everyone is un-happy with the way things are being run (crooked as hell) and those people love to share this information in the hopes that those elected officials will put an end to it???? BUT, they won’t listen to us in regards to council size so why do I think they will listen in regards to any other issue? All I can say is that I WOULD be embarrased as hell to walk the streets of P.E.C. if I were an elected official at this point in time.

  4. Marnie says:

    Sad but true M. York – many of the jobs here do not go to the locals.Like it or not one of the main reasons is that a lot of highly qualified individuals from urban areas have chosen to retire here. Many of them want part-time or full-time jobs and are actually over-qualified for the positions they hold. Often these are the jobs that local men and women once filled but what chance do they have against the impressive qualifications of these newcomers? You certainly cannot blame the newcomers for looking for work or their employers for hiring them but it does limit the opportunities for less qualified locals who could do the same job. The pay is pin money for semi-retired or retired persons on pensions but could be vital income for a local person.

  5. m york says:

    Doris,

    Yes I saw that also about the new trucks (5). These trucks are needed so that (mngt.) don’t have to drive their own vehicle when they travel from the places in which they were hired(Napanee,Kingston,Belleville, etc)
    Like I have stated time and time again, no one seems to care that these vehicles are being used for personal use. The only good news is that the taxpayers are aware and are growing angrier each and everyday. If Shire Hall decides to sit idle over these issues then we won’t have to worry about who to keep at Shire Hall next election because they will have decided their own fate.
    NOTE * Kingston Township has a policy that you use your OWN vehicle to get back and forth to work as I’m sure others do as well.

  6. m york says:

    Yes, I agree there is no longer glory days in P.E.C. I was also told that the jobs here are no longer for the residents of the County????? So, the new news (gossip) on the street is that somneone let it slip that this other position (director) I believe will ALSO be given to an aquaintance of (upper mngt.) no names given at this time. If this does occur I will be the first person to rally the troops to call for a complete investigation. We have good,dedicated,qualified individuals right here in our own municipality and surrounding areas. Mr. Mayor/CAO you continue to say that you promote from within but this statement is a blatant lie to the taxpayers. So as the old saying goes first time shame on you, second time shame on us.(Not no more) Council, by sitting back and doing nothing about this makes you liable as well,just remember that.
    On another note I think its time we took to the streets/Shire Hall and said enough is enough were not going to continue to loose all the things that are important to us. (hospital, turbines, fishing)

  7. Marnie says:

    Prince Edward County is no longer a good place to live. The glory days are over. Government is running roughshod over it and everything that made it unique is fast disappearing. It is now little more than a playground for tourists. Five generations of my family have lived here but with current conditions in the county the Belleville area is beginning to look better and better to me. There is a hospital there and no wind turbines as yet. The job situation is more favourable on the other side of the bridge too. What happened with the local fishermen’s cottages at Long Point is a disgrace. It seems that our government has decided to take a bulldozer to our whole county. Maybe there are plans to make it a big theme park for the summer people or one big wine vat.

  8. Doris Lane says:

    Everything in the County gets worse as every day progresses–What next??No fishermans houses at long point–they added to the rustic value of the County–A fence went up a couple of years ago to keep people from the lighthouse. The next thing our heritage will be gone.
    Our Heritage was not in a couple of old houses on main Street. it was in the canning industry-gone,the cheeseactories–nearly gone,the fishing villages, the shoreline of the South shore–nearly gone,family farms–mostly gone.
    Thank God we have winneries,a lavendar farm.
    Oh and I notice that the County is buying 5 new trucks, so the employees have something nice to drive .
    to the casino in Gan.
    Yes and we are even going to lose the Prince Edward out of our voting district
    Gee I nearly forgot our hospital is all but gone too.
    I am glad I lived in the best of times because they are sure over now.

  9. Paul says:

    My Father fished out of Point Traverse with Roy VanCott it was back then quite a little fishing village in the summer months.I spent many summers there with my family in a cottage directly across from the Ministry dock helping to scrap barnacles of my Grand Fathers tugboat helping reel gill net onto the huge reels to dry and remove tangles.All around the small harbour were cottages that belonged to Comercial Fisherman.I feel terrible for Tim McCormack who managed to hang in there and continue this long with his Families buisness.Sorry for your lose Tim he Government ought to be ashamed of themselves..

  10. Olmanonthemtn says:

    “The Gods Must Be Crazy” is a comedic story of an African Bushman who on one of his travels through the Kalahari discovers a coca-cola bottle thrown from an airplane and is convinced it is a powerful, magical gift from the Gods to his tribe. At first the people find different uses for this new “Gift” . Unfortunately the people who were once satisfied with living off the land and happily caring for each other began to covet and argue over the gift leading to dysfunction within their community. The bewildered bushman undertakes an odyssey to hurl the bottle over the edge of the outside world. The Gods he thought must be crazy to give people a thing that would create such problems. On his travels through the outside world he finds just how crazy the Gods’ world could be.

    Well folks of the County lets get serious for a moment. It appears our Godds (Governments of Dead Democracy) must be crazy. We’ve been offered the gift of higher orders of responsible government which would be respectful of our local strengths and needs while we participate in the worlds of provincial and federal jurisdictions. As an example we trusted in their promise of an efficient, effective and equitable health-care system responsive to our needs, as well as a considerate and enlightened stewardship of our local human and natural resources. This we believed would be accomplished through a fair balance of services based on our interests and those of other communities both urban and rural. To receive this gift we only had to give them more control of our own financial and human resources and services.

    Well the gift was disingenuous at best, our interests have been ignored by disinterested,   inconsiderate bureaucracies or worse shrewdly sacrificed by politicians for political gain.The financial and natural resources we entrusted to the Godds which we thought were to be scrupulously administered were squandered on ill-conceived schemes or more grievously to appease the self-interests of segments of the electorate and corporations that in some cases were contrary to the betterment of our County and the province as a whole. The businesses and services we developed to serve our local needs as well as employ are people which were supposed to be enhanced are now considered expendable.

    Jane Jacobs, known as an important social activist was critical in preserving vibrant local communities such as Greenwich Village in New York and the Spadina in Toronto .She warned in her Book “Dark Age Ahead” that a sign of of civil deterioration is irresponsible government. She remarked that two ingredients of healthy communities are Subsidarity  which “…is the principle that government works best—most responsibly and responsively when it is closest to the people it serves and the needs it addresses.” Hmm I wonder how prorogation of the legislature and the use of untimely, attenuated and preconcluded appeal processes can be considered attentive and responsive? The other principle is Fiscal Accountability which ensures that “….the institutions collecting and disbursing taxes work most responsibly when they are transparent to those providing the money.”  She comments that the Roman Empire had ignored these principles in its final days before its collapse. Its Gods became crazy, their treasury “extorted” as much funds from the people as it could “…and disbursed money for schemes and needs according to its own, frequently crazed, priorities.” Sounds familiar doesn’t it? She warned that the old governmental structures of the 19th century which we are still struggling within may not recognize the modern reality that local communities have within their populace or have access to the expertise needed to build upon their strengths and address their needs. Our communities should be less rather than more dependent on centralized government control which seems to be premised on the archaic paternalistic assumption that it is more capable of knowing and serving the needs of those vassals who hew the wood and draw the water living in its feudal hinterland. Yes thats us folks !!! We with a vibrant arts community , a dedicated, professional, innovative local medical team, a knowledge based as well as skilled work force and farmers, fishermen and vintners who have cultivated the expertise and wisdom to be wise stewards of the land and water in their own right.

    There has been satirical columns written by County Steve on his County Live site as well as a recent call to be Silent No More in the Wellington Times calling on us to secede.These pieces recognize that our trust has been taken for granted and that Ms Jacobs warning signs are at hand. We are in a dysfunctional relationship with our Godds who appear to have gone crazy lets give their gift back and file for separation. While they may ignore our issues in the current political reality at least in a politically satirical manner we can have some fun and hopefully expose and embarrass our Godly ruling classes.

    “This Hour has Twenty-two Minutes” here we should come!!!!!

    Sincerely,
    the old man on the mountain

       

  11. Cheryl Anderson says:

    Just so you know, they’re here – a juvenile Bale Eagle flew over my head at Petticoat Point last Saturday. That would be right on the beach betwwen the point where Gilead and WPD plan to instal 400 ft wind turbines.

  12. Paul says:

    The comercial fishing industry that was once a major part of Prince Edward County has slowly been picked away at by slowly lowering fish quota’s, a very similiar approach its seems is being taken against our Hospital fewer and fewer beds until the bulldozers roll in and take Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital for good.

  13. Doris Lane says:

    Right on Steve the feds and the province beside the usual taxes, use most of the pie chart of our municipality

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