It's Greek To Me

Over the weekend I visited The Frat. The one I belonged to when I was an undergraduate at the University of Toronto. I never thought I would ever be considered frat material. To me, the quintessential frat member had Hollywood looks, was captain of the football team, and his girlfriend was the head cheerleader. In school I was clumsy at any and all athletics, only average-looking and extremely shy with the opposite sex. Nevertheless, I was "rushed" by my classmate John, accepted by the guys and endured an "initiation" during which I pretty much had to check my pride at the door.

The frat experience was mostly a positive one. I rose in ranks on the executive and served as chapter president in my final school year. I overcame my fear of speaking in public. But as the years went by, I felt it was time to put away the interests from my past and move on. Life in a student frat chapter has always been, and still is, based on partying until sun-up and chasing skirts.

Still, I felt compelled to accept an email invitation and meet the new members who had just been "initiated." There has been a renewal of interest in the frat recently. The house has been spruced up with an influx of donations of time and dollars from alumni. The student chapter has a good number of members who all seem quite keen. The new members are very nice, polite and intelligent. But they're so YOUNG looking. Either they keep getting younger or I'm getting older with every passing year. I'd like to think it's the former.

The Frat circa 1971. I am in the front row third from the right (wearing glasses). John, the classmate who brought me in, is in the middle row 3rd from the left.

You Can't Fight City Hall

Nor, it seems, can you change the makeup of City Council. In the Toronto election it was, as usual, the incumbents who were mostly returned to their seats. It's next to impossible for a challenger to win against an incumbent at the municipal level. The field is opened up only when an incumbent retires, then the new elected official has that seat for as long as he or she wants. In one of the open races, the candidate who won is a television journalist. This, I think, is an unfair advantage over other hopefuls who don't have the same visibility.

The person I voted for as mayor came in second last. My choices for both councillor and school trustee ran a distant second. Once someone gets a municipal office, they can pretty well do anything they want and still get returned time after time. Like a councillor who showed up drunk at a hockey game, acting rude and obnoxious, swearing and insulting everyone around him. Later he lied and said he was never there, but confessed when pressured about it. Did he get voted off city council? You guessed it - he coasted back to victory.

But if I was disappointed at the Toronto results, journalist Christopher Hume was downright despondent. He called the Toronto voters "dangerously contented" and even though they seemed to want change, opted "for the same old, same old." He even goes as far as to question why we bother voting. There were however a few upsets in the municipalities surrounding Toronto. Jim Coyle of the Toronto Star viewed this as a "fine mix of the old and new."

Nothing has changed much since 1982 when I ran for school trustee myself. I ran against a lady who had been acclaimed several times and now was miffed because she had to get campaign literature printed. She needn't have bothered; she kicked my ass. People told me that you have to get your name in the news and it doesn't matter whether it's for something good or bad.

Maybe I'll resurrect my political career yet. I'll knock off a few banks, engage the police in a high-speed chase and consign my stolen car to a watery demise in Lake Ontario. Then run for Prime Minister.

Old School

It's municipal election day across Ontario. The polling station where I voted was in the very school that I attended from Kindergarten to Grade Eight. I've set the Wayback Machine for the spring of 1963. Lester B Pearson was Prime Minister of Canada. John F Kennedy was President of the United States. It was recess time and my classmate Wayne and I were deep in discussion about one of the issues of the day. Wayne loved talking about current events; he was much more up on it that I was. Wayne was also more articulate and a better debater than me, but I never understood why his grades weren't better than mine.

We were interrupted by a shrill, stentorian voice. "What are you doing here!" It was Mrs. T, the walking definition of the stereotypical "old bat" schoolmarm. The school had two entrances designated as "Girls" and "Boys." So also was the schoolyard divided into girls' and boys' sides. Wayne and I hadn't watched where we were going and had inadvertently wandered onto the girls' side. This was an eggregious faux pas. For some reason, seregating the girls and boys outside the classoom was deemed crucial by the educators of the time.

"Who's your teacher," she demanded of us. "Mr. Scott," we replied. "Well, since you like it on the girls' side so much, I expect to see you lined up with Mr. Scott's girls when class is called back in!" The only way she could embarass us more was to demand that we go into class naked. "I don't know about you but I'm not doing it," Wayne said. I had never bucked authority before, but I was so impressed with Wayne's fortitude that I joined my companion in defying Mrs. T. We went back into class with our fellow boys, acting like nothing had happened.

It wasn't long before Mrs. T came to speak to Mr. Scott and we we summoned into the hallway. We were told to apoligize to Mrs T and Mr Scott assured her we would be dealt with. I think Mr. Scott was inwardly chuckling his bald head off. He was a very kind man, a passionate teacher and in no sense a disciplinarian. We were given a week's detention for half an hour after school. On the first day Mr. Scott explained that we should never be rude to our elders. He also pointed out that we would be going to high school in September and if we wanted he would give us a head start on the subjects. We accepted his offer.

Mr. Scott taught us algebra, French, physics and chemistry. When the week was over, we asked him if he would be willing to continue the lessons for the rest of the school year. He obliged, and when we told our classmates what was happening, about a dozen asked to join in and stay after class. When I started high school, the first months were a breeze because of the prep work Mr. Scott has given us. I heard a while ago that Mr. Scott had departed this mortal coil. If there's a place in heaven for wonderful teachers, he's surely its principal.

When I showed up at the school to vote, I defiantly strode up to the Girls' door. It was locked. The main entrance is now the Boys' door. I wondered how they knew that 43 years later I would be looking to redress an old injustice.

Decisions Decisions

I have made my choices for the Toronto municipal elections being held tomorrow.

Mayor. The incumbent mayor David Miller has been an utter disappoinment. There's been no leadership; no initiatives; no vision. During the 2005 "summer of the gun" violence which rocked the city, the mayor was slow to react, and never offered any concrete ideas, let alone plans, to address the situation.

The problem is, the supposed frontrunners are also duds. Challenger Jane Pitfield doesn't know which end is up, and Johnny-come-lately candidate Stephen LeDrew is a joke.

I looked through the list of 38 candidates and saw a name I recognized. John Weingust has campaigned for better control of city parking, which has been a mess. The rules change from one street to another, and if you don't watch the signs like a hawk, you'll face a hefty ticket or even get towed. For a time in the 1990s, the private towing industry made millions of dollars in towing fees when the city permitted tows to be ordered from private property for the most spurious of reasons.

Maybe Mr. Weingust is a one-issue candidate, but it's an important one, and he has my vote.

Councillor. Incumbent Howard Mosoce has got to go. He's a loudmouth, a blunderbuss, a bully. He's been accused of using city property for his pesonal use. But the final straw was when his crew put campaign signs on every front lawn in the ward, without asking. His response? "Just let us know if you don't want them and we'll take them away." I pulled up my sign and trashed it immediately. I'm voting for Ron Singer. He seems a little too conservative for my liking, but if he works hard for the ward, I'll be happy.

School Trustee. I'm voting for Mark Riczu. Whenever a smear campaign comes along telling me I must not vote for a certain candidate and offers up another slate which will vote as a block, I get nervous. I spoke to Mark - he's young and intelligent and involved with a volunteer organization dedicated to teaching math to youth. He's got my vote.

The polls close at 8 pm tomorrow. Get out and vote!

Remembering

The eleventh day of the eleventh month. At the eleventh hour I was at Toronto Old City Hall for the Remembrance Day service. The colour party marched past to sustained applause from the assembled crowd. Once the clock tower boomed out eleven times the bugler played The Last Post almost flawlessly. Two minutes of silence were followed by Reveille, then the National Anthem and the hymn O God Our Help In Ages Past. Toronto Mayor David Miller delivered a thoughtful and introspective address. After prayers, two school children read John McCrae's poem In Flanders Fields. The ceremony concluded with the laying of wreaths and a benediction. A touching service, and a fitting tribute to Canada's soldiers who have fallen both generations and mere days ago. Brave men and women all.

My uncle Vic Belton (1918 - 1991) served in WW II but hardly ever talked about it. The only story he related was seeing a truck in front of him being blown up at a bridge. Vic's brother and my dad Cecil Belton (1915 -1956) was also determined to serve, despite certain health issues. He joined the Royal Regiment of Canada, a reserve outfit which met weekly at Fort York. My dad was sent to training camp at Niagara-on-the-Lake, but he kept one big secret from his superiors - he was a diabetic. Just at sunrise each day he would steal away from the tents to self-administer his insulin shots. Dad was never called up for service and he told my Mom he wasn't sure how he'd handle his insulin requirements if he was sent off to war.

Cecil Belton with the Royal Regiment of Canada circa 1940.

The debate currently raging in Canada is why are troops are serving and dying over in Afghanistan. But today is a time to simply reflect on their sacrifices and to honour and admire them - for their committment to their country and for their heroism.

Who Needs Letters to the Editor? Okay, Maybe I Do!

I never promised outright that I wouldn't write another letter to a newspaper editor. Just not the Toronto Sun. I couldn't resist ; I E-mailed an abridged copy of the "unions taking over the TDSB" story to the Toronto Star. Time will tell whether I still have the knack ...

My, What a Big Slate You Have

In an Ontario municipal election, the most overlooked contests are arguably those for school trustee, who form the local school boards. Media coverage is usually minimal, the voters have trouble knowing who the candidates are and where they stand, and turnout is abysmally low. This was even the case before 1997, when school boards had the power to levy an education portion of property taxes at the municipal level. Fully half of one's property taxes went to education. And no one seemed to care. I remember a candidates' meeting where only the ones running for councillor showed up. "Where are the trustees," I asked. "They weren't invited," replied the chairman. "Not enough interest."

In 1997, the province took away the power of taxation from the school boards and it funded schools exclusively. The public involvement in school board elections waned even further. But there's been a flurry of interest in the Toronto race following an accusation of undue influence by unions.

I came across a letter addressed to "Parents and Voters in Toronto" that suggests the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and unnamed "teacher unions" are fielding a "slate" of candidates in 21 wards with a view to gaining "union control" over the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). The letter's authors accuse the unions of hiding behind an organization called Campaign for Public Education (CPE). The letter is signed by outgoing trustee Peter Rutledge and parents Jane Steele Moore and Donna Wright.

I looked at the CUPE Web site and saw that labour is endorsing candidates not only for the TDSB but virtually every contested municipal seat across the province of Ontario. Now if endorsing candidates is equivalent to fielding a "slate" then this is a very impressive feat indeed.

I'm having a time understanding why a labour union endorsing candidates for office should raise an "alarm." Unions aren't in any public position of authority. In past municipal and provincial elections the Toronto Police Association openly backed certain candidates. This is a completely different matter and it didn't bring about nearly the public outcry it should have. I wonder if the writers of this letter were "alarmed" by the police endosements? To its credit, the police union isn't doing it this time.

The communique, long on innuendo and short on facts, recalls the union-bashing rhetoric from the days of former Premier Mike Harris. In fact, about the only thing missing from it is Mike himself denouncing "union bosses."

Having read this, I'm thinking maybe the schools ought to be run differently than they have until now, and status quo trustees replaced. These authors need to go back to school and bone up on their math. If only twelve of the labour-endorsed candidates win election, "control" of the board will be lost, they caution. They offer up their own "slate" of nine (incumbent) candidates. Just how is a bloc of nine supposed to maintain "control" in a field of twenty-two?

One Election Down, One More To Go

It's all but certain that the US mid-term elections have gone the way of the Democrats, with a clear majority in the house and the slimmest majority possible in the Senate (51-49). Ol' Dubya done got bucked off his bronco.

The municipal elections across Ontario will be held next Monday. As noted before, the one in Toronto is sleep-inducing.

The only race that comes into your living room is the one for mayor. However, each ward in the City of Toronto will also choose a councillor and public school board trustee. Unless you're Catholic, then you vote for a Catholic (Separate) school board trustee. The right of the Catholic church to have its own school system from Kindergarten to Grade 12 (and to teach religion in class) is guaranteed by the Canadian Constitution. The Catholic schools also receive public funding from the province.

I happen to be in favour of one public school system for all, regardless of one's faith. If you want religion to be involved, then it should be through private schools. A hotly debated topic in this province is whether private school tuition should count toward an income tax credit. The provincial Conservative party which held power from 1995 to 2003 is in favour of such a policy and had actually implemented it just before they were voted out. The Liberal party campaigned to eliminate the private school tax credit and did so soon after they formed the government upon winning the October 2003 election.

The ridings (electoral districts) within the city correspond to the ridings at the provincial and federal level. At one time the boundaries of federal and provincial ridings in Ontario were differently named and laid out, leading to a lot of confusion. The Conservative government under Premier Mike Harris (1995-2002) put the provincial ridings in sync with their federal counterparts. (It was the one sole action taken by Harris that I ever agreed with).

There are 22 provincial/federal ridings within the City of Toronto. Each is divided into 2 wards for a total of 44. Each of these 44 wards will elect a councillor. For public scool trustee, each riding becomes a single ward for a total of 22 trustees. Unless you're Catholic, in which case there are 12 wards for the Catholic (Separate) school board made up of combinations of the 22 wards. If French is your first language, then you elect a French Public Trustee in Wards 2, 3 and 4. Except that the Trustee in Ward 4 (Alain Masson) was acclaimed. If you're French and Catholic, you elect a French Separate Trustee in Wards 3 and 4. Except that the Trustee in Ward 4 (Claude Legere)was acclaimed.

For the purpose of electing a councillor, I reside in Ward 15. For public school trustee, I'm in Ward 8. If I were Catholic, I'd be choosing a separate school trustee for Ward 5. What could be simpler?

It's hard to miss who the leading candidates for mayor are, due to all the coverage. It's at the councillor and trustee level where the voters have to do their own digging to be informed. There was a complete list of who is running where across the Greater Toronto Area in today's Toronto Star. At the ward level you have to keep on top of things, such as be on the lookout for candidates' meetings (if any) or find out their stand on the issues. Contacting candidates can be a chore, especially if no campaign literature has been dropped at the door. Not all of them have a web presence.

I think I have narrowed it down who I'll be voting for in each office. That's for an upcoming blog. But for now, I'm going to try and find out what happened to the sun. It was shaping up to be a nice afternoon for this time of year.

The weather here has been as dreary as I'm sure the mood must be in US Republican war rooms. But just as I can be optimistic that the weather will improve by next May, the Republicans can take heart that their poster boy, AH-nold, coasted to victory for the governorship of Cal-ee-FAWN-Yah.

Another intersting result is that a propostion to ban same-sex marriage in Arizona was defeated by the voters.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1108AzGayMarriage08-ON.html

It was widely thought that the measure would pass easily in a state that is seen as solidly conservative; Arizona being a Republican stronghold in recent presidential elections save for a relapse in 1996 when the state went to Democrat Bill Clinton. But maybe the issue is not so clearly divided along conservative-liberal lines.

Same-sex marriage in Canada is permitted under federal law, the final bill having passed easily in June 2005 through legislation introduced by a minority Liberal government. It was not quite a "free" vote - House of Commons members were free to vote as they wanted except for the Prime Minister's cabinet, who were required to vote in favour of the bill. At least one cabinet minister resigned his position in order to vote against the measure. The Liberal government proceeded with a same-sex marriage law after the courts in many provinces and ultimately the Supreme Court ruled that a ban was contrary to the Charter of Rights and therefore unconstitutional. Taking the safe way out, the government asked the Supreme Court to rule whether a draft bill would pass the Charter litmus test.

Since January 2006 Canada has been governed by a minority of the Conservative party led by Prime Minister Stephen ("Steve" as christened by Dubya) Harper. His government has vowed to re-open the gay marriage issue, but has taken its sweet time going about it, given that it was his first pledge during the election campaign. During an interview on a Global TV program called Focus Ontario, Harper's Finance Minister Jim Flaherty supported the initiative to again debate the issue. When asked to articulate the reasons behind his view, all he said, repeatedly, was "what's wrong with a free vote?" Flaherty wouldn't reveal his true feelings - that gay marriage stuck in his craw and he would not rest until the measure was rescinded. I'm sure however that certain conservative politicos south of the border would have no trouble with such a stance.

As things stack up, even with an actual "free" vote in the House of Commons, a motion to re-open the issue is certain to fail. A handful of Conservatives support gay marriage, a number of Liberals are against, but the Bloc Québecois and NDP are almost unanimously in favour.

This issue, along with capital punishment (which was abolished in Canada in 1976), is over and done with. It's time to move on with the really important matters.

Most of the dust has settled in the US mid-term election, and as most expected, it was not a fun time for the Republican party. By 11:00 pm on election day it was projected that the Democrats had won control of the House of Representatives, but even now the Senate result is too close to call. The Democrats had a little more trouble with the Republican "firewall" in the upper chamber. The most significant upset in the senate race was seen as the defeat of Rick Santorum in Pennsylvania, characterised as an ultra-conservative firebrand and even a presidential hopeful for 2008. Today the Republicans were putting their spin on the results, citing the public's "sour mood" and "self-inflicted injuries" as some of the reasons behind their losses. It was the first time I'd followed a US mid-term election and I noted certain terms that differ from Canadian ones such as a "district" and a seat "pick-up." In Canadian elections at the federal and and provincial level, the results that pour in after the polls close are described as "gains" and "losses," electoral districts are "ridings" and precincts are "polling stations." In municipal elections candidates most often run as individuals without party affiliations.

Last summer I spent a week in Northern Ontario with an Alaskan from Fairbanks. He was quite knowledgable about Canadian politics and familiar with most of the country's major issues. But I had him scratching his head when I explained the situation of minority government. It's something that doesn't happen in a two-party state.

The vote is seen as a repudiation of George W Bush and his administration. Observers wonder whether Bush will be more conciliatory if he also loses Senate control, or whether he will hunker down and resort to his veto powers.

Just when it couldn't get any worse for the US Republicans on the eve of an election. Word through the wires is that the actor who portrayed Doogie Howser, a beloved TV kid genius who embodied the principles of family, straightness and decency has declared his gayness!

In fairness to Mr. Neil Patrick Harris, there is some suggestion that he may have been outed before he was ready. I am opposed to outing. The decision when, or if, to come out is a personal one and a person's right to privacy should be respected.

Unless they're a hypocrite who privately hunkers down with the same sex while publicly denouncing same-sex-sex as "an abomination to God."

Yawn! Oh, excuse me, it's my natural reaction to next week's Toronto municipal election. I'm entitled to cast a vote for mayor, councilor and school board trustee. But this year's race completely lacks excitement. Three years ago, we had a guy vowing to take a new broom to City Hall, another guy who admitted lying about taking a paid trip to the US to watch a hockey game, another who accused someone of paying him to drop out and so on. Well, the guy with the broom became mayor, and this time his closest opponent has suggested he just used the broom to sweep things under the carpet. Gee, what a Watergate moment. And that's how it's been - dull as dishwater.

More on the Toronto election later. Tomorrow, it's the US elections. Now this is more interesting to watch, even for a Canuck. I've had the US political system explained to me time after time, but I'm still at a loss to fully comprehend it.

From what I've been able to make out, all of the seats of the House of Representatives will be chosen and one third of the Senate. Right now, the Republicans have a majority, and therefore control, in both houses. The big question about tomorrow's outcome is whether the Democrats will be able to wrest control of one or both houses.

The Republicans had been riding high in public opinion for quite a while. They were the ones who could guarantee public safety and uphold the morals of society. Tantamount to the latter objective was to condemn perhaps the greatest threat to the fabric of the American family, the homosexual. The religious right was unrelenting - gay unions undermine the sanctity of marriage (even though Britney Spears went through a mock wedding on a lark - but that was OK because at least it was straight).

However, it turns out that at least two Republicans - a politico and a supporter may have taken, in Lou Reed's word's, "a walk on the wild side." A Florida Congressman who resigned after being accused of taking Bob Dylan's song My Back Pages a bit too literally. And the Republicans must also be a bit Haggard when a top evangelical was alleged to have pushed the brotherly love message over the top.

All this must come as a real blow (pun intended) to the Republican party. How could any their own turn out to be the very ones they rail against?

Here in Canada, we've become used to openly gay politicians, and what was once a stigma that would end one's political and social aspirations, now hardly raises an eyebrow. In 1987 a member of the House of Commons stepped forward publicly and said he was gay. Faster than you could say Svend Robinson, the hue and cry from the redneck faction was front and centre. One provincial Premier (a conservative) said "we're all tarred by the same brush." Another Premier (a conservative) said that Mr. Robinson had set a poor example for young people. Like yeah, there aren't any gay youth in Canada (sheesh).

The press asked David Peterson, the Ontario Premier, if he would be concerned about the presence of gay people within his govenment. Peterson said he "wouldn't have a problem with it." It turns out that Peterson's own Attorney General, Ian Scott was gay. But Mr. Scott, for his own personal reasons, decided not to disclose.

The Toronto Sun was very critical of Svend Robinson. "Gays have never been our favourite people," declared one editorial. Rumours abound that the Toronto Sun was itching to out Ian Scott. I surmise that they did not because Ian Scott was very popular, and it might well have turned public opinion against the Sun.

Today, there are gay public figures all over the map in Canada and I've seen no evidence that our society is in an inexorable tailspin into depravity. Will it happen south of the border? We'll know by tomorrow night.

I figured I'd finally get on the blogger bandwagon. I'm a little behind the times on this but better late than never. I just have to say, the Internet and Web are the greatest things since sliced bread. It's probably too risky to drop yet another cliché, but just to demonstrate my last point, I found out through a simple Google search that the phrase "better late than never" is attributed to English dramatist John Heywood in a work titled Proverbes. Without the net, it would have taken so long to find that out, I wouldn't have bothered. Geez, students these days have it made in the shade.

Anyway I used to have fun sounding off about any number of issues, mostly by writing letters to newspaper editors. It started with the Toronto Sun, whom I took to task for prominently featuring a daily columnist named Paul Rimstead (1935-1987) who wrote nothing but inane, irrelevant claptrap. (Actually, I was extremely jealous that a person I figured had no talent whatsoever could make it and I couldn't). That newspaper is one of only two publications I've seen where a reply to a letter writer is inserted by the editor and is often personally insulting especially if the opinions expressed run counter to editorial policy. Indeed, when a woman visiting from the UK made a disparaging remark about Toronto, the reply was "have a nice flight back on your broom." The only other place I've seen letter writers treated like this is in Mad Magazine. Knowing the editors at the Toronto Sun like I do, I wouldn't be at all surprised if that's where they got the idea from.

My batting average for letters printed vs letters sent was quite high, well over .900 and I was given the dubious honour of the Toronto Sun's "Letter of the Day" 10 times. I told them I intended to retire after an even dozen. Strangely enough, the Toronto Sun never printed another letter of mine. I had a high acceptance rate at the Toronto Star as well as the Ottawa newspapers when I lived there 1993-1998. I think the reason I became persona non grata at the Toronto Sun is because I love to rattle right-wingers' cages. I happened to pick up a discarded National Post after the June 2004 Federal election and those columnists made the guys at the Toronto Sun sound like commie pinkos.

Then there's a Toronto radio station with the call letters CFRB, AM 1010. I remember a broadcast in the early 60s when the announcer asked his manager in a shaky voice what was the number 1 hit. "They're not," I mused, "going to play a Beatles song?" The station was far too square to do that. True to form, they played Hello Dolly by Louis Armstrong which was actually number five on the charts. The station is still around, square and conservative as ever, but the format is now 24-hour talk shows with call-ins. Constant right-wing diatribe extolling ultra conservative politics and social ideology. Callers who agree are praised to the skies while dissenters are insulted and cut off. I made up my mind I would never be one of the losers who calls in to this station. And though I'd probably never get a letter past the blacklist at the Toronto Sun, I just won't bother. Never give a redneck the last word, I figure.

Now there's this thing called blogging. You can say your piece without some paper's editorial hack discarding yor letter, or editing it so heavily your arguments are weakened. No one at the other end of the phone to hang up just because he or she disagrees with you. I like it!

The only consideration is - who sees what you're expressing? Newspapers and radio stations still have wide circulation, but that could change. Newsgroups are another forum, but spammers can be a problem and some groups are not as friendly as others. You have to choose the proper group to post in because if you're off topic, you'll be flamed. And if you write anything the least bit provocative, you'll get called a "troll."

So away I go. Not everything is politics, though. There's movies, restaurants, books, TV shows, travel experiences; the list is endless. This could be kind of fun.