Living in Interesting Times

Are the insane running the asylum?  Certainly the managers are not.

Consider the blustery demand from OC Transpo's union boss that City Council shut up about labour issues and focus on governing the city.  Well, guess what?  Labour issues are city business and the fact that councillors are discussing it is only right.  Geez Louise, how flipping arrogant can you get.  Wages make up 50% of this city's budget.  Council should tell the union that talks are finished, tell the arbitrator that the cupboards are bare and then announce a wage freeze for one or two years.  If the arbitrator wants to ignore the city's financial problem, then lay-off every Transpo worker by announcing the sale of Transpo to the private sector.  You want to fight the people who actually own city hall, Mr. Union Boss?  We will give you a fight you could never dream of in your worst nightmare.

Don't forget this is the same union that blamed a mother because a bus drove off with her two year old after shutting the door in her face while she struggled to get on the bus with a stroller an another child.

Now I am on a roll.

It is time that city staff were told by council that arts and cultural funding is such a small part of the budget (It represents $7 million in a $2 billion budget.) that it is time that they quit trying to destroy the arts in Ottawa by their constant sniping at it.  Does cutting the $935 allotment to the Torbolton Historical Society sound like it is going to solve the problems of this city?  How about the the $24,000 cut to the Dragon Boat Festival?  The Dragon Boat Festival brings in thousands of competitors and tourists to Ottawa.  They spend money at stores, hotels and restaurants.  Those stores, hotels and restaurants pay taxes to the city.  For every $1 that the city gives the arts, heritage and festivals, they get back $1.50 in direct revenue - they recover their investment, with interest - and another $20 is earned in this community.  Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face.

When all is said and done, it is beyond the time when the ENTIRE city council must be replaced by new people with new ideas.  New councillors will not be carrying the baggage of past decisions.  It is time to start over.  And it is time that we tell the city unions to smarten up or we will privatize everything in the city including janitors and police service.

Council MUST run this city.  Staff MUST to be told that they work for US not for THEMSELVES!