Bernard Steps Up!

As some of you have been following on this site lately, I've been watching the Ward 10 race, mainly because of the splash made by Juan Pablo Bustamante.  However, at the same time, I've been razzing a fellow challenging candidate, mostly for lack of visibility.  I suppose it got rather too much for Bernard Josipovic who rightfully let me know of his displeasure in my neglect.  I explained myself and asked him some questions to get to know him.  I probably know more about Bernard than I know about Pablo.  The one thing you learn when covering election campaigns is how easy it is to jump on a bandwagon and it's just as easy as getting off.  While there is no bandwagon for me to jump on in Ward 10, there seems to be some quality choices to be made and that says a lot about the candidates and hopefully the people who live there.

I would like to congratulate Bernard, with whom I've been rather harsh and neglectful, and I wish him all the best in the fall elections.  His press release follows:


Fresh Ideas, Fresh Face, Fresh Start

HAMILTON, ONTARIO, 9 July 2010—It is with great pleasure that we welcome and formally introduce Mr. Bernard Josipovic, the newest candidate running for Ward 10 Councillor in Hamilton. With his “Fresh face, fresh ideas, fresh start” campaign under way, Bernard is ready to listen, understand, and give a voice to his residents in order to address the issues that matter most.

Bernard joins the candidacy with a professional, academic and personal background in the communications field, both in journalism and public relations. Having lived in Stoney Creek for over 22 years, Bernard knows firsthand the issues that residents face, and is ready to take on the challenge of addressing and solving these problems.

The main agenda of the “Fresh face, fresh ideas, fresh start” campaign is to bring much needed change to Ward 10 through regular open dialogue and a representative that is prepared to listen to the residents and their ideas and concerns. Bernard is ready to take on that challenge with a political platform agenda including—but not limited to—solving traffic issues (Highway 8 and Fruitland Road), making sure every resident enjoys the City of Hamilton's services, cleaning up local parks, noise complaints, loitering, to name a few.

Achieving a Diploma in Journalism and Broadcasting from Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology, and a Post-graduate Certificate in Public Relations, Bernard brings to the table a passion to listen, communicate and tackle problems head on. Fluent in Croatian, Bernard has also travelled extensively and studied abroad in Munich, Germany to strengthen his understanding of other cultures, while also learning a new language.
Having previously worked for Stelco (U.S. Steel), Dofasco and Y108—where many in Ward 10 have and/or continue to work—has enabled Bernard to work with a wide array of hardworking men and women who want their concerns to be heard and their tax money spent responsibly. “I see myself as an 'everyday' guy who has worked in the arts and manufacturing industry, and I really want to bring that 'everyday' voice to City Hall so we, in Ward 10, can be heard,” stated Bernard Josipovic when asked why he chose to run for office. “Bi-weekly meetings are crucial, whether there are issues or not. I believe that being in contact with residents consistently enables a councillor to get a clear idea of what is going on in the hearts and minds of our residents. It is our money, our tax dollars, and we all deserve a voice.”

Bernard believes in giving back to his community, and has volunteered for several organizations, such as Canadian Blood Services and Artists at the Center. As an active volunteer with Settlement and Integration Services Organization (SISO), Bernard leads cultural orientation group circles, to ease newcomers to our city in both language and customs. As an immigrant himself, Bernard knows the importance of acceptance and integration at this crucial stage of resettlement, and has devoted his time to helping newcomers ease into their new country.

An active member of recreational sports in his city, Bernard is involved in both the baseball and soccer. Bernard believes that sports bring our community and families together and motivate us, and our children to be active and healthy. “Quality parks and sports centers are crucial for any community and encourage our children to be more active, and have fun in a safe environment” stated Bernard.

Bernard is in the running against Mrs. Maria Pearson and Mr. Pablo Bustamante.

For more information regarding Bernard Josipovic's campaign goals and political platform please contact: josipovicforward10@gmail.com and visit:

http://josipovicforward10.blogspot.com/

Calling all candidates! Calling all residents!

I want to hear from all of you.  I want to know where you stand.  I want to know about you and pass that information onto my readers and followers here.  If you have any special ideas which you want me to critique or what you're hearing out there, I want to know.

I want to hear your stories and try to paraphrase your positions the best way I can.

And candidates, if you want to be heard, let me know!  My line of communication is open.  Go to my profile and e-mail me!

Let's Get to Know What I Do Here!

While a lot of you will not admit it, you like coming to see me and I appreciate that!  But I do need to clarify some things about what I do here.  Here I am part reporter, part critic, but all in all, I am a commentator.

In a Hockey Night in Canada metaphor, I am not Bob Cole here. I am Harry Neale. Yes I report what's happened, but I try to give the best possible explanation to why things are the way they are. While I seem prophetic here, I am no prophet.

A lot of what I observe, I wish wasn't true, because I for one do not like the idea of voting for someone that one likes as opposed to someone who can actually do the job or is fresh with new ideas and creativity.

This city needs new ideas and creative energy, because the old ideas don't work. They never did and they never will.


Above all, I want to help candidates succeed and if any of those I have criticized here have won their election as the result of something I said, then I did my job here.

This blog gives me some opportunity to tune up my analytical skills and keep the gears well oiled.  But understand that a lot of my observations come from experience and a general understanding of the psychlogical make-up of the human being and his or her surroundings.  So enjoy reading and understand that I don't know everything.  I am learning something new every day.  That's the commitment I make to myself.

I thank you all for reading!

The Incumbents Come to the Table...

It's not like it was expected.  Three incumbents have recently submitted their candidacies for re-election.  And they have storylines to boot!

Tom Jackson has submitted his candidacy for re-election as Ward 6 councillor, setting the stage for a rematch with 2006 rival Dr. Natalie Xian Yi Yan.  Because I just moved to Ward 6, I don't know what else the good doctor has done to promote herself.  Now becoming the longshot candidate, I see this as her last chance to win this, because if she doesn't do it this time around, I just don't see how she will win in the future.  This observation is not a reflection of her abilities or any lack thereof, but one of public sentiment.  You can be the best person for the job and still not get it at all.  It just seems that those who win these seem to deserve it the least.

And speaking of those who deserve it the least, Maria Pearson has a long way to go to show why she should be re-elected and with a strong challenge from Pablo Bustamante, she will have her work cut out for her.  At this point, her only advantage is demographics.  When you consider the fact that people in that ward have a quasi-rural attitude, you would have to say that Maria has a slight advantage.  Now I'm not saying that Pablo's nationality is an issue, it's the general attitude of the suburban communities.  Once again, this is an observation.  I think Pablo can pull it off because he has general support in the Fruitland community and he just needs to overcome Maria's advantage, which he has been chipping away at for the last couple of months.  At this point, he is doing a great job of it.

Finally, Dave Mitchell recently submitted his papers to fight for his re-election.  Ken Chartrand has some support in such a way that he could really give Mitchell a run for his money.  But once again, we have a demographic issue here.  Ken Chartrand has some partisan support with him, but it's not clear if the rural residents in the Glanbrook area are looking for some sort of change in representation.  Perhaps someone from that area can give us some perspective.  At this point, things have been eerily quiet in the southeast.

So the incumbents have begun submitting their candidacies for re-election and so the real fight begins for the challengers.  Right now, only one of these incumbents has a significant advantage.

Change and New Beginnings

As the Gauthier household reflects on the time we've spent at our home in the east Gage Park community, up to our move to the Templemead community, we come to an opportunity to reflect on something that discussed many times, but not really thought on:  change and its necessity.

It was Sir Isaac Newton who outlined the term "inertia" which says that an object at rest tends to stay at rest, while an object in motion tends to stay in motion and anything that changes the nature of these states involve some level of force.  So in the case of politics, there are several types of forces that come into play, but either way the result is the same.  Something needs to get your attention to the point where you are forced to decide on the necessity of remaining in that state you are in right now.

So what is your force?   What is it that makes you want change?  Is it the job you lost?  Is it a broken promise?  Is it some form of a tragedy?  Is it a concern that has disrupted your harmonious state?  And knowing that force, what will it take to make you desire change?  And what is really getting your attention these days with city hall?

These are questions being asked by the challenging candidates, because just like me, they are concerned with the recent direction this city has taken and to those like me who care, city hall has been a major source of frustration.

And to our misfortune, the people of this city are used to disappointment.  It's been a way of life since the late 80's, when the decline of the downtown core began.  In places where office buildings once stood, parking lots are there.  Parking lots even sit on places where department stores once sat.  We've settled for second best for decades to the point where we've come to accept that no matter what happens, it will always end in disappointment. 

At what point do we stop settling for second best and start taking our place as one of the more populous cities in this country?  At what point do we stop playing to not lose and start playing to win?  We have to stop acting like losers and start playing like winners.  We need to change!

The Gauthier family moved from their home in the Gage Park community to a newer, more vibrant neighbourhood, because we don't want to settle for second best anymore.  We want to move forward.  But to achieve that desire, we have to desire some level of change.

You see in the end, change happens and there is nothing wrong with it.  All you need is the desire.  So what will it take for you to desire change?  And what will it take for you to give these people your vote?

Just like the Gauthier family, our city needs a new beginning, because as it stands, this council has lost its shelf life and the majority of those sitting in council deserve to be replaced.

Taking a break...

It's been a crazy month in the Gauthier household and now it's time to concentrate on the final push towards our moving day.  So for the time being, I'm going to be doing more reading and less writing.  There are some changes to the blog on the horizon as well, but all in time.  My friends will be informed when the changes are solidified.

Candidates should start sending those flyers out introducing yourselves as Ward 3 Candidate Paul Tetley has done with us already.  Those who want to satiate the voters' need for someone who can bring change should be introducing themselves at least a month ago.  Now people in Stoney Creek know who Pablo Bustamante is because he participated in Stoney Creek's Canada Flag Day Parade.

And most of all, stay civil and make yourself available.  And please, at least leave your e-mail address on the Municipal Election website.

Good luck to all and we'll be ready to do some more next weekend!

Fred Eisenberger and Opportunity - They don't mix!

Emma Reilly at the Spec has an interesting report from this morning's paper.  Obviously, the Chamber of Commerce is unhappy, especially when a big decision as planning a center of economic activity is being deferred.  Not a big surprise there on both fronts.  Typical council move, followed by typical outrage on the part of the Chamber.

"So Ren," you ask.  "What's the kicker?"

Well here it is.  Here are a couple of passages in the story.

Hamilton businessperson Ron Foxcroft said the delays are rooted in a council full of career politicians.

"That's their only job. That is maybe not always a healthy thing," he said.

"When it's your livelihood, sometimes the vote doesn't go for the betterment of the city."

So what did Fred say about this?

Eisenberger also doesn't believe the city has a pattern of waffling on controversial decisions.

"Council is pretty decisive on most issues," he said. "I haven't seen anything that suggests that there's been dithering."

Well ain't that a knee-slapper?  When I did 10 tough questions with Cal DiFalco, he asked me what made me upset about Hamilton and here's a couple of excerpts.

When great things happen, they take too long and great visionaries are dead before they’ve realized their visions coming to fruition. Victor Copps may not have seen the NHL come to Hamilton, but he wasn’t around to see the cool new facility with his name on it. Jack McDonald was lucky. It took almost a half a century to once and for all finish the Red Hill Valley Parkway.

...

The city has a history of deferring major challenges, including the downtown core, to future councils. It frustrates people like me who care about the direction this city is taking, because either it seems that they don’t care or they don’t want to be the one who makes the decision to see it end up in failure. They just don’t seem to want to try to do something. And the problem will not take care of itself.

So Fred is not just boring. He's clueless. Oh but when money comes to their table to pork-barrel, they waste no time!

I have another idea of why this was deferred. The Aerotropolis plan by the nature of it, is controversial. Just like Copps Coliseum, they are planning on making land available for commercial use around the airport, little knowing whether or not a major player would take on the opportunity.

And there have been plenty of arguments for and against it. One group is concerned with the loss of farming land. Understandable, but tell that to the developers who have already started building homes around the airport.

Another is concerned with who will even come to the table if the opportunity showed itself. It's a point I made and I have said on other blogs that the plan should be looked at for what it is - a plan to manage growth should the need arise. The little understood thing about plans like these are that this is what is done at City Hall on a daily basis. They plan growth and zoning to facilitate growth in certain areas and the area around the airport is no different. A lot of this is psychological really.

And of course the other point that we have to ponder is how much longer will air travel be around? As oil sources are getting more difficult to find to the point we're taking dumb risks, à la BP, we have to wonder if there will be some sort of fuel to do what jet fuel is doing right now.  A lot can happen over a while.  There are other forms of fuel out there and we just need to find it, but for the time being jets are the way to go and they are doing everything they can to prevent this multi-billion dollar industry from going down the tubes.

The Aerotropolis if used correctly will manage the growth, should a need arise, but let's at least ensure that the horse is in front of the cart.

But here's my point altogether.  The city has squandered five years on this and the fact that this is being deferred yet again is not a good indication.  It's more than a sign that it won't happen, to the delight of some.  It's a sign that the city hasn't changed a bit.