O Canada, The Anthem

There’s been lots of talk over the years and more recently about changing the words in Canada’s National Anthem to make it “more Inclusive” and better reflect our current and complex population.. Gender neutrality is the subject du jour. But, methinks that gender neutrality is but a part of the opportunity. To be truly inclusive, in addition to changing the current reference “in all thy son’s command” to” “in all our command”, let’s go for the gusto and make the all the changes to “Neutralize and Reflect and Represent”. Here’s a few ideas.

Sports Teams, Names, Political Correctness and Kids

There have been several articles recently in my local newspaper regarding these topics. My thoughts follow as you might expect)!

(i) Team names are not chosen to offend or weaken. They are chosen to celebrate desirable characteristics...like confidence, achievement, strength and the ability to overcome obstacles. They are chosen to inspire players and fans alike. Names are chosen to portray strength and courage...hence we have: Lions and Tiger Cats..but not Pussy Cats; Sharks, but not Minnows.

It behooves the users of the name and the logo to educate, inform the public of the logo’s history and to tell the stories of the strength and positive attributes of the peoples and things they reference and/or depict. Black Hawk was from what I know, a very courageous and proud man Good qualities for anyone on my team. 

(ii) Mascots are something entirely different. They are meant to engage, entertain, attract TV cameras and need not reflect the name or the logo of the team’s brand in any way. Who is Carlton Bear anyway? Is he a slight to Brown(-ish) bears? 

(iii) Re the Equity Summit Group reporting to the TDSB about kids wearing certain team sweaters etc. to school: they cited Chicago Black Hawks, Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians  which are all longstanding team names. People of many if not all colours, ethnicities and orientation have played for and cheered for these teams. Many players have been enshrined in respective Halls of Fame wearing the team logo. People have played for and cheered for these teams and others like them for years. Many players have been enshrined in respective Halls of Fame wearing the team logo. 

Will the Equity Summit Group also forbid kids from visiting those Halls? Or reading old game sheets, or books about the teams, their owners, their players etc.? Will the Equity Police order Google and other search engines to eliminate all references to these teams? Will they then ban all “oater” movies or worse still...order a burning of the sweaters and books and...who knows what else. Will I have to burn my baseball card collection?

(iv) While we're all at it,

why not ban “Maple Leafs”?  What a poor name that is (they look good in the spring, excite themselves during the summer, then, change colours and drop every fall).

Open Up the CPP eh!

Letter to The Editor, published June 6th 2015, Toronto Star

Your May 28 editorial calls Finance Minister Joe Oliver’s proposal “half-hearted” on the basis that there are already financial vehicles in which Canadians can invest for their retirement.

The Star defends its criticism by saying: “Fewer than 6 in 10 Canadians contributed to a RSP and the average was a modest $3,700” and “just 1 in 10 contributed the maximum to their TFSA.” The piece concludes that, “If pension contributions aren’t mandatory, many won’t make them.”

Some Canadians don’t invest (fully) in their retirement because on one hand they lack the confidence in the existing investment providers and products and, on the other, do not feel qualified to manage investments themselves.

The voluntary CPP top-up option is a great idea. It could be a major step in helping Canadians prepare for retirement because the CPP is just one mean investment vehicle.

It is easy to access (the investor is already identified). It invests in stuff that no private fund let alone investor can. It has generated returns that are extremely attractive. It could offer a very competitive fee structure to manage the funds. It could be made available even after retirement until the RIF years begin. It just is a very strong brand.

The “fewer than 6 of 10” Canadians now investing in RSPs would have the confidence to invest more. And those who are not now investing voluntarily would have an easy-to-use and familiar vehicle to access.

The provision would be attractive to self-employed folks too. Helping more than half of Canadians at all ages and stages without any delta cost to the public purse would be good thing I’d guess.

Let’s forget the debate, implement this program and then argue out further incremental changes to the system over time. Brian Caldwell, Collingwood 

Things I Don't Know

I am continuously aware of how much I don't know. It's shocking on the one hand and perhaps just so very normal on the other.

The latest head-ringer was the discovery of a very, very good folk singer, author and activist whose songs resonate and whose experiences parallel  my own in many, many ways. His name is Bob Bossin! We were born the same year and raised in the same City. We attended the same University. He sang with some famous folkers (Seeger and Guthrie) with whom my uncle (Paul Bain) sang in New York in the 50's. Bob grew up watching the same baseball team in Toronto that I did. Better still, we shared a common hero, a centre fielder named Sam Jethroe. The Bossins were around the baseball players at the Barclay Hotel in Toronto. My father and I were around lots of the Argo and Leaf players for a time at the Isabella hotel.  Bob and his dad Dave used to go to the same Racetrack that my high school friends and I did. After school we'd make a mad dash to Greenwood to get there for the last 2 races. (Ed note: entry was free for the last 2).

All this to say: I am amazed by Bob's accomplishments, a bit embarrassed that I have not followed him all these years but, I am ecstatic that I have found a new "brother."

Which is to remind us all to keep looking and realize there is so much yet to discover and enjoy. Once again, the blog's message rings true; "Keep On eh!"

Minerva's Ark,the Ship We Sailed in at Jarvis Collegiate in the "60s

Regular readers know that there is a group of guys –proud alums of JCI from the 1960s - who hold a Golf Tournament & Reunion/Revival each year. Benita has often asked about the people involved. When I sent the details of the 2013 event to The Diary the other day an interesting thing happened!  Lady Minerva calls and says: “If I’m going to promote this event, I want to know who these people are. What are they like? What keeps them interested in getting together? What have they done for the last 50 years or so?”

In deference to Benita and particularly Lady Minerva, this short piece is offered. It is not about any specific alum, but about us all.

By “all”, I mean a group of about 50, a number we grow a little each year. We share a fascinating Jarvis experience, and are all about the same age. To a man there is a respect for Jarvis, many of the teachers and coaches and each other. We enjoy golf and love to tell stories. We like to play and participate in the broadest sense of both words. Most important, we are good friends. How we got to be is not a simple story; we came from very different places and backgrounds, but we’ll try to explain. 

Reach Out; Don't Preach Out!

Mr. Kevin Deveaux wrote recently for a CBC podcast about the need for Parliament to become better at reaching out to the public. (http://fw.to/CftGONX). 

Deveaux makes a good point, and he’s certainly not alone. As reported in the Toronto Star (November 24^th) Stephen Lewis recalled the respect that existed in the Ontario Legislature during the William Davis years which he attributed (in part) to the attitude of the Premier. Lewis was quoted as saying: “Vitriolic nastiness in debate does not breed respect…nor does the spectre of …exercising authoritarian control.”  

I served as Director of Research for a Select Committee of the Ontario Legislature on the Highway Transportation of Goods. It sat during a time of minority government (1976/77). The members of the Committee represented 3 parties and became a cohesive unit in search of reason as they reached out to the public, industry groups and other government bodies. It traveled to every corner of Ontario and examined regulatory systems in the US and parts of Europe. As noted in the Final Report, the Committee went to great lengths to ensure that its inquiry would be open and fair and would consider all the views of all who wanted and should be consulted.  The Chairman said in the final report: “…the Members of the Committee approached the task with vigour and a sense of purpose which enabled them to ...report on time and with unanimity…I congratulate them for their ability to work well together…”

There is need for our politicians and governmental systems to reach out and not preach out; my experience suggests that the Multi-party committee philosophy & model can be extremely useful to this end.  We know that people of different political persuasions can work together (and often enjoy doing so). We also know it creates better public policy…and that is what we need…public policy, not policy.

Getting Back to Keeping On

I am becoming sadly cynical about people who don't follow through with their undertakings to "get back to others." Sure, I've missed or forgotten a few deadlines, but despite the constant to and fro via Twitter and Facebook and other social media, it shocks me that people who say they'll get back on a subject, very often don't. It seems to me that it's trending. Is it that there is just too much noise out there for people to remember what they said they'd do? Or is it that today's tweets are more important than what we said we'd do yesterday? I still prefer voice-to-voice (if not actual face-face) communications. I sense that with the dwindling use of phones as phones the "etiquette of replying" is dying. Any comments?

What’s with the name? “Keep on” suggests keeping on with the search for peace  and however fleeting, some relevance, satisfaction and happiness. The “eh”...well, it reflects the inherent Canadianism of the commentator.  I intend to post about things that happen or that I see or read that strike me as humorous or meaningful in other ways to the challenges of Keeping On, particularly in our regular lives and relationships.

I am often taken with cartoons as they so directly make us laugh at situations and ourselves. I am also fascinated with the simplicity of certain quotations that- like cartoons- elegantly put things in clear perspective. Then of course there are lessons to be gleaned from “real life” events and occurrences. All these can alter our willingness and ability to Keep On.

Regarding relationships...someone once said: “People will forget what you said, and forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” 

And, regarding both relationships and even the environment: “If you want to use something again, treat it very well!”

Have a good day and, "keep on, eh."

 

 

Hockey Thoughts from Downtown

A little guy downtown said to me;

“The NHL I don’t trust, but in the game I still must.”

I asked how that could be.

“Because my skates are sharp and the ice is still fast

and my heart in the game is forever to last.

My comrades on side I will always abide.”

He went on to say with such little delay:

“Oh how I feel that strong, smooth stride

as I swoop on the net…that I’ll score is a  bet

but I pass to my friend who’s swifter than I…

he scores I think… or surely I’ll die.

That’s the end of my thought but not of my dream

Maybe Mom and Dad will buy us ice cream.”

I wondered about the kid’s story.

Did the friend score? I don’t know, but sure there was glory

for trying his best and playing with zest

the game we still love that’s such a great test.

love by the kids will survive big interest unrest.

E Bikes are the Cat's Meow!

An e-bike is to cycling and mobility what the vote is to freedom and democracy...they both enable people!

An E-Bike is a  2 or 3- wheeled bike with bike gears and brakes that can be pedaled like a regular cycle but that also provides you with a battery-powered motor that'll help you when you need it. Millions of e-bikes are in operation around the world. They may seem new to us in Canada, but they are firmly entrenched in most European and Asian countries and pretty well every where else in the world. Some are classic bicycles, others look more like a motor scooter; I am opining about the former.

E-bikes are safe; they are accepted by people young and old; their performance is proven on city streets, bike trails and pathways and even in factory settings. They are reliable enough that police and emergency workers ride them in many communities. They are convenient; parking is free in most areas. You can ride them (almost!)* anywhere you can ride a pedal-only bike. You do not need a driver's test or licence to ride. You do not need vehicle registration and plates. You do not need liability insurance. Some models fold up for easy storage in apartments, condos, boats and RVs. Other models fit on a bike rack comfortably so they can go with you to town, or camping or to Florida. With ever-better Lithium batteries they have "legs;' you can get up to 60 kms on one charge. Best of all, they're cleaner and greener than motor scooters. And, they are price competitive with middle to upper end pedal-only bikes. 

* There are in my neck of the woods, some trail snobs who continue to deny e-bike riders (some e-bike needers) the legal permission to ride the extensive trail system around my hometown. They can walk or run their huge dogs, race around on their multi-speed titanium road bikes, but an older person who needs a little lift can't ride their bikes on the trails. Wake up eh.

Admiral Place Collingwood

Many want to debate whether the development should be treated as a heritage property; be it yes or no, this is not the important point. Mark Krause’s (Espresso Post)  comment at the meeting was right on; the new facility - whatever it’s density and height -  is replacing something special…something that people would have wanted to see and when inside, imagine and be at one with. The least we can do is make sure that it is replaced with something that itself is special.  If we all argue about process and regulation, we’ll lose sight of the fact that the town NEEDS something special there.

And by special, I mean special looking, something that oozes the history of the town and begs people to “come on in” to the greatest little downtown in Ontario. It must be a (good) siren on the shores of the main street.

When I look down Hurontario there are lots of buildings that breathe warmth…but there are far too many that are non-descript, unspecial and not looking like they belong in an historic district at all. They just look new…they just don’t have heritage in their DNA.

As cases in point….Loblaw is just a big building with little character, particularly the fort-like wall along 1^st street. Take a look too at the RBC Plaza, the Scotiabank building, Macs and Sporting Life, the Collingwood Plaza the add-on to 158 and I could go on. The new Library is highly functional but not a “special” building…it is neither warm nor inviting. It pales beside the Tremont which looks like – and really is – a heritage building. Why can’t we make structure that really fits with the older stuff that we want to celebrate? 

On the subject of density, the more people that live downtown the better. So…let it be what it needs to be to make the development economic…too few units and we miss out on attracting some great families and downtown customers; but too many and we’ll have an economic disaster for the developer and initial buyers. To those who seem to feel strongly about height and think that 3 stories is economic, I say…let them put their money on the table and finance the development. Those who are putting skin in the game should be the primary assessors of what the marketplace needs and will support.

So, the issue is look and feel. That should be it. Forget how we get there procedurally…just work together…Council, the developer and “us folks”…to make sure that we (all) get something special. 

I am not convinced that the proposed design is the best it can be; it’s not the height…it’s not the density…it is the look and feel. It looks new; it feels like Big City; it is not a series of 5 buildings as the architect stated at the meeting (which sounded good). The next iteration of the design just needs some more creativity. Mr. Architect, let’s make it look warm and inviting… provide for a mural or two…give it some relief from the army of (new) bricks along Hurontario in the current design… make it look like a multi-story Tremont on steroids… make it look a bit like a school! I’d bet if you do the people will love it, visit it, shop there, move in and  just feel special being there as part of our great downtown.