truth2010.ca

Lets get involved. Yes Lets.

Yes Lets is a great device used in Improv Comedy. To make sure the scene keeps advancing the performer(s) respond(s) "Yes, Lets" and goes forward with the suggestion of the other person on stage.

So, lets get involved.

So much rhetoric, name calling and now, threats (a developer in Council Oct 28th). Today I learn of a petition. One man admonishes a Councillor for not listening to a "majority" and yet demands she make decisions. With only 26% voting in the last civic election, should cause us to ask what a majority really is these days.

This (Inquiry debate) is actually a good development, or can be depending on how people keep their perspective open, blinders tossed aside and begin to review what is really going on. Passion. I love it.

Lets ask: what facts do you possess?

Where did you get that information? Did anyone "massage" the message before you got it? Did you ask a second or perhaps third source to see if the information is still the same? 

Have you attended an Audit Committee Meeting? What about Council Meetings? Ever hear something that just made you curious and you wanted to apply a quick "smell test"?  Just because someone says it is so...is it? Look at the people fooled by Bernie Madoff's wealth and the client list doing business with him. The Gomery inquiry was the result of people asking for proper explanations - after having been made sound unpatriotic at time of their first questions. Other beliefs since proven false are here.

A number of people are quite up in arms about this Judicial Inquiry. Yes a large sum could be spent, but think of it in terms of the size of our City's budget and overall spending while recalling that this is "an usual item". There will be benefit from this. Toronto's MFP inquiry was costly but provided benefits to other communities as their Managers too were asked to state purchasing policy and if such transgressions could occur. Diligent readers can go to the City of Mississauga's website and see Janice Baker's report. If you don't know how to search, write me, I'll send it to you plus teach you where to find such information. 

Before getting too caught up in fighting this decision or debating it in defence - ask yourself - why would so many risk credibility and challenge an icon if there weren't truly doing proper duty and acting on information they have (and I as a citizen do not) and requesting outside help?

Are those who would distract us now by raising a kerfluffle, stopping us from being focussed on something else? Like the fact that we need an immediate 15% increase in City taxes to take care of crumbling infrastructure? Or why we try to provide other levels of government's funding for social issues? Or why we have five levels of government instead of just two (municipal and federal) amongst many, many other worries today. So many paid consultants and only one you.

 Yes. Lets.

The foregoing is only a draft - and I let it print early because many folks are getting silly and pushback is in order. The 2010 Election Date has been changed too - moved forward to October 25th, 2010.  

Anybody who is on a big board knows how tough it is to lift your hand, let alone your little finger, to suddenly make a point that is different from the trend - from the sheep that are all in the newspapers and going off in the same direction. (Paul Desmarais Jr.)

It is hard to stick with your conviction when many around you shout and tout otherwise. Doubly so when trained professionals are paid to target a message to you and you do not have the time, money nor experience to sit in on meetings or file FOIs (Freedom of Information request) for real proof about a statement.

Have you yourself counted the number of PR people we have on our City's staff? Ever wonder how big the Media/External Communications budget is?

Conformity experiments: 

Dr. Solomon Ash asked groups of students to participate in a "vision test." In reality, all but one of the participants were confederates of the experimenter, and the study was really about how the remaining student would react to the confederates' behavior.