Category Archives: Thoughts

Hmmm

Salutary end for 2010.

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I am on occasion razzed (or take some flak) for ‘always being negative’. My reply is that it is not that I am negative but that politicians, government and bureaucracies demonstrate a profound capacity for accomplishing negative outcomes or actions and that where praise is due I bestow it.

Since there were several items that ended 2010 on an upbeat note I thought I would kick off 2011 with those items.

Swimming laps on a (almost) daily basis is a necessary part of my mental and physical wellness plan.

Which is why I give two big thumbs way up to the person (or persons) responsible for the Abbotsford parks and recreation program that will enable those of us who need to make frequent use of the recreation centre’s facilities for exercise and wellness to purchase a year pass even if our budgets do not enable us to pay for it in one large lump sum.

Excellent news to end 2010 on – Kudos and Thanks.

I found myself stopping at the Wave Pool on Clearbrook Road to snap a few pictures of the growing hole in the ground as construction of the supportive, affordable housing complex for women and children began.

With the growing need in Abbotsford for properly managed and healthy affordable housing the ground breaking for this project was a positive end to 2010.

On a negative note, and what would the end of 2010 be without a demonstration of politician/government/bureaucracy non-think?

I sent a Christmas card to a relative in Kent Institution in Agassiz and as I do with all personal correspondence used sealing wax and signet to sign the card. December 31, 2010 brought the now opened card back to me. The reason cited for the return has me pondering whether a major contributor to Abbotsford, BC and Canada being in such dire straits is that prolonged exposure to bureaucracy causes brain damage.

‘Unknown Substance’? Exactly how badly damaged does ones mental capacity have to be not to be able to recognize wax, especially wax that has been impressed with a signet? As Homer Simpson would say “Doh!”

The question of why they did not simply cut the offending Seal off and deliver the card to the addressee in time for Christmas comes to mind, but I suppose you really do not want someone who cannot recognize wax or a wax seal playing with scissors.

Still, all in all 2010 ended well – and should Santa have brought politicians, bureaucrats and prison authorities an abundant sized stocking stuffed with common sense, careful consideration, thoughtful decision making, sound judgment and appropriate priorities this trend could extend into 2011.

Consider, Media, Provincial

Ironic Economic Reality

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On Mondays Global news cast was a story about the rebirth of Mackenzie, a forestry mill town in northern BC. It is a story that contained a number of ironic twists.

There is a certain irony in the part that demand from China is playing in the rebirth of forestry, in the economic benefit as lowest cost provider to China that is a result of BC’s location and in the fact that the Liberals will undoubtedly claim credit for what is, at it’s core, blind luck.

There is a higher level of irony involved in the fact the hated HST, which the people of the Prince George – Mackenzie riding (and people throughout BC who will benefit from the returning health of the forestry sector) signed a petition to repeal, contributed to the rebirth of the forestry sector.

But the largest and most darkly humorous irony in the report is the reality of life reflected in a seemingly small but very significant change between the 6 PM and the 11 PM Global newscasts.

On the 6 PM newscast the products of the forestry industry were referred to as BC’s most valuable export.

On the 11 PM newscast the products of the forestry industry were referred to as BC’s second most valuable export.

This change is reflective of the reality that BC Bud (marijuana) is, by a substantial margin, BC’s most valuable export. A further irony is that it was the substantial size of the marijuana business and the recession proof nature of the export market for BC marijuana that protected BC’s economy from the hard, deep economic downturn that would have hit had BC been forced to rely on its traditional (and legal) economy and exports.

Reality does not care what we want to be nor is it changed or affected by denial; Reality simply is. A very ironic truth for politics, politicians and many others in BC – and Canada.

Consider, Municipal, Snafu

Spare Clearbrook Library!

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That was what flashed into my mind as I read city manager Frank Pizzuto.’s statement “There are plans for that space [Clearbrook Library basement], great plans”.

Mr. Pizzuto’s statement was contained in an article on the cost incurred by the MSA Museum Society to store its collection of approximately 17,000 items after it moved out of the Clearbrook Library basement for a planned expansion of the library intro the basement.

Mr. Pizzuto’s statement was made in response to the fact that the new library scheduled to be built in Abbotsford means an expansion into the basement of Clearbrook Library is no longer necessary.

What is so disturbing about the city having “great plans” for the Clearbrook Library’s basement? The city’s track record with council “great plans”.

The same story included reference to half of the MSA Museum Society’s collection being at the Reach Gallery MUSEUM; a facility that was part of Abbotsford City Council’s great plans Plan A. Even though the size and contents of the MSA Museum Society’s collection was know at the time of Plan A the Society has to pay for storage because the Reach Gallery MUSEUM didn’t include storage space for the collection to relocate into from the Library basement.

Great Planning!

Then there was the recent front page story in The Province on the high cost to taxpayers of operating the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Complex. A Complex that was promised, as part of city council’s “great plans” to put $ million(s) into taxpayer’s pockets, not take it out of taxpayers pockets.

Council called those who asked to see the numbers the promised profits were based on ‘naysayers’; called they uniformed naysayers when they suggested council wait until the construction market cooled off to build the arena to avoid having something like the nearly 100% cost overrun happen; called them ‘naysayers’ again when they pointed out that it would be better for the taxpayer’s pocketbooks to not open the AESC until conditions were favourable. Council ploughed ahead leaving taxpayers covering the multimillion dollar yearly operating loses.

More Great Planning!

Of course the focus of the Province’s front page article was City Council having the taxpayers of Abbotsford subsidize the purchase of a professional hockey team for wealthy local businessmen; the fact that that council has failed to disclose to disclose the subsidy taxpayers paid in year one of the ten year agreement (a $ million, $2 million, $3 million?) for the purchase of the team – a subsidy for which taxpayers receive no ownership interest in the team; and that with the poor attendance numbers the subsidy is threatening to be higher in year 2.

More Great Planning!

The original plans for the Clearbrook Library basement by the library staff was as the Children’s Library. Of course that was before council had another of their “great plans” and cut down the shade trees, tore up the grassy slopes and put a pond right outside the basement entrance in building their seldom used $ million+ taxpayer unfriendly garden.

More Great Planning!

Council’s track record is why Frank Pizzuto referring to council having “great plans” for the Clearbrook Library basement is enough to strike terror in anyone who is a supporter, friend or user of Clearbrook Library.

Terror that has one wanting to scream “hands of that library you varmints” and preparing for a campaign to Spare Clearbrook Library any city council great plans.