protest restrictions on small, exotic animals.
and prompted some to make a way for the
Apparently in an effort to prove some point,
exit. Anyway, nobody was hurt and the
certain members of the delegation brought
exotic animal by-law was adopted. Good
along some cold-blooded friends, including
times.
an iguana. Some citizens in attendance
So now that question period has returned,
freaked out when one animal lover, with a
Hawkesburgers with queries about local
penchant for drama, addressed council. He
government can try to get answers straight
was wearing a boa, and he was not making
from the horse’s mouth. But there are
a fashion statement. There was a really big
guidelines to be observed. Bring only your
snake, that looked like a fire hose, coiled
questions. Leave your ego and your reptiles
Up front and questioning
around his neck. It got the attention of council
at home.
PERDEZ 20 jusqu’à d’ici Pâques Résultats garantis. † livres
There are many things that make you
We trust complete strangers with our
want to go, “Huh? Really? On purpose?”
« Grâce à Herbal Magic, je sens que j’ai retrouvé ma vie! Je suis heureuse, j’ai confiance en moi et j’ai retrouvé goût à la vie! »
money; it is like going to the bank.
For example, let us take the state of being
When governments spend our money,
up-front. Being straight-forward, without
most of the people who are paying the bills
being “in your face,” is usually a good way
are not in the room when the decisions are
to approach life.
made.
Nancy a perdu 191 livres et 179 pouces. et 22 tailles de vêtements*
Frankness, earnestness, sincerity are all
Thankfully, we can sleep on both ears
admirable traits. Honesty is the best policy,
because our governments are up-front, about
etc., etc.
most things, most of the time.
But a state of up-frontness is not good
Besides, trust, and the belief in the basic
when it costs you money. Which brings us to
decency and integrity of human beings, are
the bill Hawkesbury taxpayers foot, up-front,
the basis of the age-old social contract, one of
to their council members.
the pillars of our democracy. (Want to know
You are no doubt aware that for decades,
more? Check out contractarianism. It is not as
Hawkesbury town council members have
scary as it sounds and does not require a
received one-third of their salaries in
prescription.)
DE VRAIS ALIMENTS CONSEILLERS PERSONNELS PRODUITS NATURELS Un système bien pensé pour une perte de poids qui dure :
advance. This amount, deemed to be for
Despite a widespread dislike for
expenses incidental to the discharge of their
politicians, we still have faith in our
duties as representatives of the people, is
representatives. As the Americans say, there
250, rue Main Est, Hawkesbury, ON Tél. : 613 632-9282 • Télec. : 613 632-0791
paid in January. “Usually, you pay when a
are checks and balances in our systems.
service is rendered,” pointed out Councillor
Plus, we live in small towns. If anything
Michel Thibodeau when the tradition was
untoward was happening, and we are not
* Notre clientèle est variée, tout comme ses résultats. †Voir les détails en magasin. Certaines conditions s’appliquent. © 2011 Herbal Magic. Tous droits réservés.
endorsed by the new council recently. He
herbalmagic.ca
suggesting that it is or ever has, the scandal,
and Councillor Johanne Portelance voted
real or imagined, would be out on Facebook
against the custom, which is not recognized
or YouTube before you could say
by provincial law but is accepted through
“misappropriation.”
one of those peculiar “grandfather” clauses.
Understandably, there is a general sense
(Yes, sadly, some political jargon remains
of optimism in the air. The new terms of our
gender-specific.)
newly-elected municipal councils have just
The Ontario Municipal Act does not
begun and representatives are eager to get
permit the town’s tradition, however, since
down to work and begin fulfilling all those
the practice was in effect prior to the revision
election promises.
of the law, the town can keep on paying the
In Hawkesbury, thankfully, members
one-third up-front by adopting a by-law
have wasted little time in putting into effect
that continues the practice. What kind of
a pledge made by several candidates during
money are we talking about? Well, this year,
the fall campaign – the reinstatement of the
Mayor René Berthiaume will get a total basic
public question period.
salary of $31,405 and the six councillors will
Of course, the people who run the meetings
each receive a basic $16,322.
are very concerned about maintaining
Sweet little set-up, eh? The members get
decorum. So, there are rules to be obeyed to
paid for services they have not rendered.
ensure that question period in Hawkesbury
Now, no doubt, the pay-now-work-later
does not resemble the Question Period in the
concept is based on some sane, time-
House of Commons, which sometimes can
honoured method. But, where did this idea
become a real zoo.
come from? Perhaps it goes back to one
Speaking of wild shows, years ago, a
particular grim and cold January, when
Hawkesbury council session took a walk on
council members were paying off Christmas
the wild side during what is fondly
bills and had to buy new winter coats and fill
remembered as The Night Of The Iguana.
up furnace oil tanks, so they decided that it
People had shown up at the town hall to
would be handy if they got one-third of their
pay right away.
The Plan
Anyway, this dubious deal makes one
wonder how the voters can be assured that
Town council will begin working on a
they are getting their money’s worth. In
long-term development strategy for
effect, members are paid for four months of
Hawkesbury that will be held Monday,
service without having lifted a finger. Is
February 7 at 7 p.m. at the town hall.
there some sort of performance review? Has
All members sit on Le Comité 100 jours du
a member ever had to reimburse some of the
plan d’affaire visionnaire et stratégique. he
money because he or she was found to be
formation of the committee was one of Mayor
slacking off? Of course not, silly.
René Berthiaume’s key promises in his
Taxpayers are in effect absentee bosses of
election campaign. Berthiaume has pledged
workers who get a performance evaluation
to seek input from the public and council
every four years. That is how democracy
members to draw up a plan within 100 days
works. Every four years, we elect people
of the new council being sworn in.
who are supposed to work for us. These
Volunteers Needed
workers set their own salaries, and decide
how much money we pay to ensure that the
The Hawkesbury Meals On Wheels
wheels of local government keep turning.
program seeks two volunteers to deliver
Our money is spent, ostensibly, in the
meals to elderly, handicapped and
best interests of all. Then, every four years,
convalescing people between 11:30 a.m.
when the next election rolls around, we
and 12:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Call
electors hope that we know enough about
the elected’s actions to be able to decide
Isabelle Lalonde at 613-632-0939 for more
whether to retain or fire them.
information.
INTERNET SANS FIL • RURAL • WIRELESS INTERNET FREE INSTALLATION GRATUITE
$ 39 .99 SYSTÈME CANOPY par mois per month
2-YEAR TERM / CONTRAT DE 2 ANS LIMITED TIME OFFER / OFFRE DE DURÉE LIMITÉE
$ 49 .99
par mois per month
SYSTÈME EXPEDIENCE
2988 Highway 34, Hawkesbury, ON K6A 2R2 • 1 866 632-0868 • totaltelecom@xplornet.com 298
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker