Well it's official; Cobourg is an old Farts Town and there's more coming!
In the latest edition of "Money Sense", and you will hear a lot about this one - Cobourg has been named as #22 on the list of the top 154 places to live in Canada. If you look deeper into the webpage that explains this you will notice that Cobourg is #8 for the best place to retire to. So it's official, after decades of Council decrying retirement communities and Cobourg not wanting to be one - we are one. How's it feel folks to get old so fast? Interestingly enough we are not even mentioned on the list for "The best places to work" , or the "best place to buy a house" so the message is clear all the unemployed and young had better clear out of Town the Old Farts want your spot!In the wake of the GM announcement that Pontiac will bite the dust, I had a conversation with one of Cobourg's local historians - Don Macklin - whose prestigious memory is worthy of the adjective. Anyway Don, who is in his 80s told me that the first Pontiac dealer in Town was owned by "Windy" (a wonderful monicker for a car salesman) MacDonald working out of his garage on King St. where the Masterbed place is now. He gave it up and a guy called Ralph Rennie took it over and finally after the War Wib Thomas who was selling International Trucks, on University Ave decided to take over the Pontaic franchise and built it into the place it is now. So when people tell you about the demise of Pontiac and dismiss it as "change" just remember the heritage of the Brand and the number of people that have been, and will be, affected today.
Today is the "Workers' Day of Mourning" it will be interesting to see if any of our local pols turn out for the event. Considering it took ten years of struggle by myself and then finally John Lindsay succeeded in getting Council to lower the Municipal Flags just how much further than that will Cobourg go? I see that Sid Ryan is the Speaker - congrats to Carol Kirton for getting him, perhaps that will persuade the right wing to drive this event further away from the mainstream because of him.
4 comments:
One of the most profound pieces of public art in Toronto is the one by the CBC building commemorating one labourer who had died on the job for each year spanning 100 years. Wonderfully executed, a plaque is set into a low wall proving the name of the worker, the year of the death, and the cause of death. At the end of the fence, a labourer with hammer and chisel and hard hat adds another inscription.
The lack of concern is political ennui. A small group of political activists were able to obtain a chunk of Victoria Park on which to add a sculpture about the abuse of women. There is already enough clutter in Victoria Park without burdening it with more.
Seeing as how many workers voted conservative (aka right wing fascist old fat white guys with hockey logos painted on their cheeks. Well, at least there is that demographic available for denigration by those who self-righteously claim that they oppose denigrating anything, including ideas) Sid Ryan is an unfortunate choice for a worthy cause.
(Sheesh, imagine that. Wally Keeler, the bad boy of blogdom, "hated" by a great demography of Cobourgers, coming out in support of the Workers Day of Mourning.)
Wikipedia says the following:
The purpose of Day of Mourning is twofold: (1)to remember and honour those lives lost or injured and to renew the commitment to improving health and safety in the workplace; (2)to prevent further deaths, injuries and diseases from work.If Sid Ryan focuses on these two purposes, criticism will be seen for the small-minded bogotry that it is. Ain't that right, Wally?
Absolutely, William. Unfortunately, Ryan comes with that baggage of small minded bigots.
Well, Ben, Dep. Mayor Gil showed up, hat in hand--you saw the photo in today's gazette. So, why not send the guy a thank you for putting in an appearance?
And, Wally, the remarks by Sid's stand-in avoided the small-minded bigotry crap. So, why not congratulate the organizers on his message?
Something tells me that neither or you fellas is gonna do either of these things.
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