Harry Stemp was born in Uxbridge in 1934. He started his career with the Uxbridge Times-Journal as an apprentice typesetter at age 14. He soon began writing sports for the Times-Journal and eventually owned 10 community newspapers in central Ontario including the Times-Journal. He started writing his award-winning Stemp’s Stew in 1965. The column came to an end shortly after he sold his newspaper chain in 1989, but was rejuvenated in 2006 when Harry became a regular contributor to The Cosmos.
It is our turn to give
A long hard-fought election campaign is over and congratulations go out to the members of our new council who were chosen by over 50% of the eligible voters in the Town of Uxbridge. Would have been wonderful to have reported a percentage closer to 100% but, under our democratic system, you can't force people to show an interest in choosing the people who will run our community for the next four years. Even though they are often the first to bitch and complain when things aren't going right. That's life.
Putting that aside, the new council seems to have good balance. There are returning councillors who have served us well in the past and will continue to do so in the future. Both Mayor O'Connor and Regional Councillor Ballinger have track records of serving our community that go back to their teenage years. Knowing them as well as I do, I can guarantee that will not change.
At the ward councillor level there is good balance of old and new which will bring stability to council while, at the same time, the two new members, one very young, will bring fresh ideas to the table.
Operating our municipality is never easy. All of us want as many services as possible, but we don't want to see increased taxes. This makes for a tough balancing act for members of council who will immediately put in long hours trying to balance the budget among other things.
So let's wish them well. The election campaign was hard-fought but, I'm sure everyone will agree all candidates went about trying to get elected in a civil manner which is how things should work in a small community. If this attitude moves to the council table, and Mayor O'Connor is successful in building a cohesive team, we will be well served for the next four years.
And a word to those who ran a good campaign but failed to get the required number of votes to be elected. There is no doubt that this is a major disappointment for you. But your interest in trying to gain a seat on council is what makes our election system work. And you did something the vast majority of residents would never think of doing: putting their name on the ballot. So take some pride in that.
It wasn't that long ago that election time in this community would see acclamations to several positions on council. The interest of residents was not there. This time around interest in the election was top of mind. Regardless of where you went the election soon became a large topic of conversation. This was due directly to the large number of candidates we had on the ballot.
So don't feel bad that you didn't win. Lick your wounds and take the next four years to prepare yourself for another battle. It's what makes a free society work.
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This may sound strange, but I wasn't terribly disappointed to see Roger Varley not elected. Not that I didn't support his running for council, and not that I didn't think he would have been a valuable contributor at the council table.
No, it is for selfish reasons I make the above statement. I really miss his “Am I Wrong?” in the Cosmos. Roger has a unique and interesting way to draw our attention to what is happening around us. Something I missed during his sabbatical.
So I watched Roger's quest for a council seat with mixed emotions and although I am sure Roger is very disappointed with the outcome, he can take much comfort that readers will be pleased to have him back. -------------------------------
And speaking of a free society and our treasured right to vote, it is ironic that shortly after the ballots were counted, a large number of volunteers will be out around the community asking you to support the annual Poppy Campaign. The dollars you give to buy a poppy go to support the very people who answered the call and risked their lives defending our right to live in a free society - our veterans.
Uxbridge residents have always been very generous in supporting the annual Poppy Campaign and I know that won't change this year. Remember - all gave some and some gave all. It is our turn to give.
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Just when you think that our justice system has gone off the tracks with lenient sentences, early release of sex offenders, etc. a decision comes down that gives one confidence that we can usually depend on the courts and our judges to make sensible decisions. I speak of the assault charges against shopkeeper David Chen in Toronto in which he was charged with assault and forcible confinement when he chased down a habitual thief who was stealing expensive flower arrangements from in front of his store.
I'm sure everyone in Canada was watching to see whether this innocent person, who was simply protecting his property, would receive a harsh jail sentence while the thief got off with just a few days behind bars. What a relief to hear that all charges were dismissed against the Mr. Chen. The incident happened in May 2009 and the thought of a long jail term has hung over his head for all these months. Can't even imagine the stress this must have caused.
As a Globe and Mail editorial writer commented: “It's an upside-down world in which police don't show up to arrest thieves, but come quickly and take away the merchants who make the arrests themselves.”
