Raise the Hammer

Why complain about the demise of Ivor Wynn? It's been a complete success. We're about to build a whole NEW stadium. And when that stadium sits and rots, as it eventually will, we can build EVEN MORE STADIUMS!!!

Just like the Hovercraft lunacy, the point here is development, not what is developed, who it's developed for, or even why it was supposed to be needed in the first place. Like some Orwellian dystopia, we instantly forget about the tens of millions we argued over, as the new projects fail to live up to their claims.

As for Larry, he's old news. His failure against Eisenberger was proof that despite all the Official Political Opinion in this city, the people of Hamilton actually weren't that thrilled with him. Eisenberger tries lots of things that don't work. It's a dialogue, and as much as I'd like to see a pedestrian Gore Park, I'm not sure we're ready for it. With Larry, everything was a battle. The city was divided, and cooperation was nearly impossible between progressive elements and city establishment. If somebody's going to replace ole' Fred, let's pick someone who doesn't have this kind of poisoned legacy.

Larry, a relatively small player at the time, was put there to put a steamroller through the Valley. It was something nobody else could do. And whoever was going to do it would never be forgiven by the people of this city, especially as the inevitable toll added up (or washed away). The Liberal Party's courtship of him has to be seen in the light of the horrific war over the riding which had just taken place between Sheila Copps and Tony Valeri, as well as some pretty ugly national scandals. They needed someone with name recognition for something other than "Liberal Scandal". And given his ultimate disgrace via the Municipal Elections Act, even that's debatable.

Hamiltonians are getting very very sick of the elite club which feels it owns our city. Fred has his faults, but he's got an underdog appeal which everybody has already underestimated once, and learned their lesson. I don't doubt there's a better Mayor out there, but Larry ain't it.