Lots Of Fun In Tecumseh These Days

Lots Of Fun In Tecumseh These Days 

Seriously, I'm having a good time these days at my new home in Tecumseh.  I was able to adjust to the other places within a few weeks, but after moving to my new townhouse, it feels so different, but in a very positive way. 

Quite often I feel that I just moved into this new place, even though I have been here since May.  Unlike my other moves, I have different ideas about things that should be done here or where my wife and I should go for the neighbourhood walks. Naturally, changing the interior appearance of the house is also a bit time-consuming and yet fun to do. The best thing that I am experiencing is meeting so many new people who are just so friendly to Marsha and me. It is so great to be able to say hello to so many people when we are out for a walk here in the nice weather. I rarely saw any other people in my old neighbourhood in Windsor, but I guess it was just a different atmosphere. 

Even though I don't write as many stories on items that I see in the media, I still have that desire to write articles and post them to the public. 

Accordingly, here are a few stories that interested me and I thought that I would give you my opinion on them. 

star vs. star 

What a hoot! Which Star newspaper do you think will be the winner in the big fight between them in their stories over the construction of the new bridge for the crossing between Windsor and Detroit? 

Of course, the 2 "Star" newspapers are the Toronto Star and the Windsor Star. Although their names are similar, they are part of competing newspaper chains. 

The big issue that I am talking about these days is the Toronto Star story on February 13, 2016 that was about the letter sent by the Ambassador Bridge Company to the Toronto newspaper about issues happening in Windsor. The tone of the letter seemed to be quite favourable given this comment by Matthew Moroun, who is one of the main people working for the Bridge Company on this matter: 

"I’m inspired by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s desire to take a new look and a fresh approach to fix old problems. This situation is just such a problem. 

“I’m ready to do the same.” (Linda Diebel Toronto Star Feb 13 2016)

Of course, the Toronto newspaper got the story and especially the important facts while the Windsor Star did not. All that the Windsor paper really could do was point out the Toronto story. The tone of the Windsor story was rather sharp I thought and expressed their disapproval of what was going on since it seemed that it was really a Windsor issue and they should have known what the facts were first to disclose them to the public as the first newspaper did. 

I thought these lines were rather interesting in the Windsor story published on February 14, 2016 which was written by Dave Battagello:
 

"Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said he has also been subject to having an “olive branch” extended to him by the Morouns.
 

“But three weeks ago, they sued us again,” he said. “It’s hard to believe the offer is genuine based on their behaviour and history.” (Dave Battagello Windsor Star February 14, 2016)
 

Nice smash back to the Bridge Company don't you think. It is a quite a story that now seems to be being projected by the Windsor newspaper.  Presumably, that means not to believe very much about what the Bridge Company is trying to do. The story has a comparable tone to the lines in the story that were also posted based on what was said by the Ferry Company's Gregg Ward and MP Brian Masse (NDP—Windsor-West).
 

Anyway, let's see what happens down the road with respect to a possible settlement of the border file between the Ambassador Bridge Company and the Governments both in Canada and the United States. If the talks are going to happen, I would expect something to happen fairly soon.

I wonder if someone from the Windsor Star will have the sense to meet with the Ambassador Bridge Company people and try to re-establish their relationship with them so it can get the leading stories for publication. I must admit that I do not expect it to happen.

Which Premier Has A Real Future Politically NOW

Oh my, is any Premier in Canada going to survive?  Take a look at this quote with respect to most of them:

"Most premiers just aren’t very popular in their provinces, according to a new poll showing seven of Canada’s first ministers get more negative ratings than positive ones.
 

Most premiers had approval ratings stuck in the 30s, with Quebec Liberal Premier Philippe Couillard and Nova Scotia Liberal Premier Stephen McNeil both at 36 per cent approval, Alberta NDP Premier Rachel Notley and New Brunswick Liberal Premier Brian Gallant both at 33 per cent, and B.C. Liberal Premier Christy Clark at 31 per cent. Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, a Liberal, had the approval of 27 per cent of respondents and Manitoba’s NDP Premier Greg Selinger, who is about to face a tough re-election fight, had the approval of just 19 per cent.
 

Ms. Kurl attributed the lack of popularity to the fact that the shine comes off most governments once the hard task of governing actually begins, plus the “collateral damage” to political leaders of a depressed economy.

“It’s common for the political honeymoon to not last in Canada."  (Chris Hannay Globe and Mail

Feb. 18, 2016)

 

Childhood tooth decay

 

The Windsor Star story on the subject written by Dave Battagello was an interesting one to me, as it is important to take care of our citizens.
 

"Windsor’s city council voted in 2013 to remove fluoride from drinking water after community groups voiced concerns and presented evidence the chemical causes weaker joints and more broken bones over time.

But concerns over its removal were triggered again Wednesday after a study was released by a University of Calgary research group which showed tooth decay troubles have more than doubled among youngsters in that city since removing fluoride from the drinking water in 2011." (Dave Battagello Windsor Star on February 17, 2016) 

Could the situation be the same thing Windsor? Are we willing to listen and make changes?

Here is what Dr. Ed Sacilotto, president of the Essex County Dental Society said:

"Kids we are seeing in the last little while are having cavities. Before you never saw that at all until the last few years. It’s been a big change.”

There are 270 dentists across Windsor and Essex County who largely “believe kids have to have (fluoride in the water) growing up,” he said."

 

AMALGAMATION

Nice to see that Lloyd Brown-John agrees with me now to expect that we're going to have a "Metro Windsor – Essex County" as our future. I'm not sure that he is in high expectations that it is going to happen relatively easily but he did make this comment:
 

"Nonetheless, the province does have a role and a potential big stick and with a little courage, money and impetus at Queen’s Park, a new round of intelligent municipal amalgamations could and, perhaps, should be on the horizon.

Essex County and the rural municipalities and mayors might consider that, just perhaps, the days of an unamalgamated Essex County and City of Windsor are numbered. In this region it is highly probable that in the long-run municipal amalgamation will occur."
 

There is no doubt in my mind given all of the stories recently in the news media that the system of an amalgamation of all of the various governments in this area is being worked up.

What is interesting is to try and guess is which politicians around now could have a big role in setting up the amalgamation of the new municipal Government and perhaps have a key role in its future.

Given his role as Mayor of a very small town where I live now, Tecumseh, and being President of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario as well as a good contact with the Provincial Liberal Government, he has to have a very good opportunity to be deeply involved in all of this. Perhaps Windsor's Mayor is looking more to this function for his future as well rather than to be re-elected as Mayor. Who knows who else could be involved to get a better position down the road.

The Michigan Governor's future looks better now

Rick Snyder still has several years that he remains as Governor before he needs to take action for his future.  He supposedly is in a tough position now BUT it may be starting to get a lot better for  him so that he can capitalize on it to be a big hero.  Take a  look at this:

"Edwards: Water testing shows Flint is healing  Chad Livengood and Jim Lynch, The Detroit News February 18, 2016

New state testing data released this week shows 7 percent of about 10,000 Flint homes tested since September were above the federal safety standard for lead — a measure considered by a leading water quality expert to be progress.

“These values are much, much better than what we measured last August,” Virginia Tech researcher Marc Edwards said Wednesday. “At a minimum, the system is healing.”