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The mayor is politicking in the media
03 December 2009
[indent]
There's a very interesting letter on the Collingwood Connection website today, written by our own mayor. It's a letter campaigning for Mayor Cal Patterson (Wasaga Beach) as the next county warden - as well as taking pointed shots at the competition. I was sent a copy of the letter via email from a county contact, but was later directed to the Web site where it appears.
It's very surprising for two reasons. First, it comes from a mayor who in the past has shown himself deeply distrustful of the media. He seldom passes up an opportunity to make a snide comment about them. So it's surprising to see him using the media as his platform. The end justifies the means, I suppose.
But to do it in a letter to the editor? Why not merely send an email to other members of county council?
Second, it's the first time, in my experience, that a local politician - let alone a mayor - used the print media to criticize another candidate's campaign, to criticize other members of county council, and then to actively campaign for another candidate. And it's written in no uncertain terms:
Pretty strong words: rumour and impeach. Wikipedia notes this on Canadian defamation law: "At common law, defamation covers any communication that tends to lower the esteem of the subject in the minds of ordinary members of the public. Probably true statements are not excluded, nor are political opinions. Intent is always presumed, and it is not necessary to prove that the defendant intended to defame."
Mayor Carrier continues:
Propagandized? Misinforming? More strong words. A simple, neutral "he said..." would have carried the message without the need for emotionally-laden words.
As for those "controversial" meetings between county mayors and Barrie - well, Collingwood Council never discussed them nor were they approved by our council. Neither the meetings nor their topics of discussion have the consent of council. The mayor is hot-dogging on his own here. But that's a topic for another post.
Flip-flopping. Attack mode. Accused. I question whether this is the way we expect any mayor to describe a colleague and fellow mayor, especially in the media. Discretion would suggest these views be kept out of the public eye and that, at least in public, they appear polite and civil with one another. We don't expect vituperation.
By the way, I just copied the letter as printed, so any missing words or odd punctuation are in the original.
Rumour mongering? Not checking the facts? Not words I expect will make any friends at county, least of all among the warden's camp. Not that we have many friends there this term. But with a year left in the term, I don't think it wise to be so confrontational.
Our mayor describes these contentious meetings in a bit more detail, later in his letter:
Again I point out that our council has not been properly informed about these meetings, nor consented to them or their content. So it's hard to comment on whether these are "reprehensible" or positive. But then, this council is seldom informed about the mayor's doings at the county, even though they appear to impact significantly on our community.
Mayor Carrier concludes:
Self-serving? And this letter isn't?**
We are all entitled to our opinions, but when you're in public office, most are best kept private. The letter is signed with his title: Mayor of Collingwood. That gives it an official stamp of authority that it otherwise might not have had just coming from a resident. It could be construed that this represents the opinion of Collingwood, since the mayor is the official spokesperson of the town.
If mayors are official municipal representatives, are criticisms of them from other mayors also official criticisms of their communities, as well? Some will construe them that way, I suspect. Official mudslinging, eh?
Is it wise to actively campaign this aggressive way, to do so in the media and to offend other members of county council? To me, it defies understanding: one mayor campaigning for another using newspapers as his platform. At least in county council, people can respond to criticisms face to face.
This letter could alienate Collingwood from other county councillors. When it comes time to ask for support at the county for issues that serve our needs, I suspect this letter will be foremost in some county councillors' minds. Since our mayor chose to send it to everyone at the county by email, it will be easily recalled on laptops.
And no doubt since the precedent has been set, the other side will feel free to use the same media format to respond. What will it say to the rest of the county, or even the province, if others in the county respond in kind, criticizing our mayor?
Mayor Carrier made his support for Mayor Patterson quite evident last county election, even showing up uninvited on Cal's local TV show to promote Cal for warden. He's showing it again. One hoped that, personal preferences aside, mayors would be more discreet.
To dichotomize the candidates like this won't give any credit to Mayor Patterson's campaign, either. It could as easily drive fence-sitters into another camp. With friends like these, as the saying goes...
I don't doubt Cal would make a good warden, but I have no issues with the current warden either. I respect both men - they have served their respective communities for a long time. I have had no cross words with either of them. I suppose I can afford that luxury because I don't vote on the warden's position (and our mayor never asks council's advice on how to vote at the county).
Mayors, in fact all politicians, should eschew such public expressions of support and subjectivity. In the end, no matter who wins, we have to work with him or her, and such overt campaigning will only cause us grief later. Discretion is, after all, the better - often bitter - part of valour.
~~~~~
* Greater good? In 2007, 2,500 local people signed a petition asking the mayor and council to restore the Admiral Collingwood approvals the mayor and his supporters had repealled. They had their petition shrugged off with a let-them-eat-cake comment by our mayor. I wonder if they feel there's much this term for the"greater good" in local politics.
** I wonder what others in our town might say about our mayor calling a special meeting of council at the Leisure Time Club to accommodate the schedule of a special interest group - one he has publicly supported in the past - that wanted to grill councillors about their mid-term performance? Wasn't that awfully self-serving? It certainly didn't serve the needs of council or the community. [/indent]
It's very surprising for two reasons. First, it comes from a mayor who in the past has shown himself deeply distrustful of the media. He seldom passes up an opportunity to make a snide comment about them. So it's surprising to see him using the media as his platform. The end justifies the means, I suppose.
But to do it in a letter to the editor? Why not merely send an email to other members of county council?
Second, it's the first time, in my experience, that a local politician - let alone a mayor - used the print media to criticize another candidate's campaign, to criticize other members of county council, and then to actively campaign for another candidate. And it's written in no uncertain terms:
Quote
...Essa Mayor David Guergis got caught campaigning "American style-take-no-prisoners" in a round of telephone calls last week.
Supporting his brother's re-election for a fourth year as Simcoe County Warden, Guergis admitted he didn't verify any of his claims about Wasaga Beach Mayor Cal Patterson. Instead he chose to let his fingers do the walking calling some of his county council colleagues spreading rumours impeaching the integrity and credibility of Wasaga Beach Mayor Cal Patterson who is challenging his brother Tony Guergis for Warden.
Supporting his brother's re-election for a fourth year as Simcoe County Warden, Guergis admitted he didn't verify any of his claims about Wasaga Beach Mayor Cal Patterson. Instead he chose to let his fingers do the walking calling some of his county council colleagues spreading rumours impeaching the integrity and credibility of Wasaga Beach Mayor Cal Patterson who is challenging his brother Tony Guergis for Warden.
Pretty strong words: rumour and impeach. Wikipedia notes this on Canadian defamation law: "At common law, defamation covers any communication that tends to lower the esteem of the subject in the minds of ordinary members of the public. Probably true statements are not excluded, nor are political opinions. Intent is always presumed, and it is not necessary to prove that the defendant intended to defame."
Mayor Carrier continues:
Quote
David had propagandised that Patterson favoured a weaker county and a stronger Barrie, because he was part of a controversial committee that has some county mayors talking with Barrie.
Wasaga Beach Mayor Cal Patterson asked him why he didn't call him directly before misinforming other councillors about his position.
Wasaga Beach Mayor Cal Patterson asked him why he didn't call him directly before misinforming other councillors about his position.
Propagandized? Misinforming? More strong words. A simple, neutral "he said..." would have carried the message without the need for emotionally-laden words.
As for those "controversial" meetings between county mayors and Barrie - well, Collingwood Council never discussed them nor were they approved by our council. Neither the meetings nor their topics of discussion have the consent of council. The mayor is hot-dogging on his own here. But that's a topic for another post.
Quote
"I'm sorry," he told Patterson and then of continuing along the high road He went into attack mode and further accused the Mayor Patterson of flip-flopping.
Flip-flopping. Attack mode. Accused. I question whether this is the way we expect any mayor to describe a colleague and fellow mayor, especially in the media. Discretion would suggest these views be kept out of the public eye and that, at least in public, they appear polite and civil with one another. We don't expect vituperation.
By the way, I just copied the letter as printed, so any missing words or odd punctuation are in the original.
Quote
Honestly David - are you kidding me!"
Is this the same person who had just admitted to not checking the facts when his rumour mongering would better serve his brother's chances of re-election?
Is this the same person who had just admitted to not checking the facts when his rumour mongering would better serve his brother's chances of re-election?
Rumour mongering? Not checking the facts? Not words I expect will make any friends at county, least of all among the warden's camp. Not that we have many friends there this term. But with a year left in the term, I don't think it wise to be so confrontational.
Our mayor describes these contentious meetings in a bit more detail, later in his letter:
Quote
Both politicians were, of course, referring to the growth nodes committee, which some county councillors (one of whom is Mayor David Guergis) view as a meeting of the "haves", those the Province is acknowledging as Urban Growth Nodes. In the province's vision for the region, it calls for a larger more sustainable Barrie, supported by a network of smaller urban centres.
The committee's discussions around cross border servicing with the County of Simcoe acting in an advisory capacity has caused anger and disdain at the county, with one county official calling it "reprehensible".
The committee's discussions around cross border servicing with the County of Simcoe acting in an advisory capacity has caused anger and disdain at the county, with one county official calling it "reprehensible".
Again I point out that our council has not been properly informed about these meetings, nor consented to them or their content. So it's hard to comment on whether these are "reprehensible" or positive. But then, this council is seldom informed about the mayor's doings at the county, even though they appear to impact significantly on our community.
Mayor Carrier concludes:
Quote
I grew up in a home where politics and politicians were viewed as serving the greater good* and this particular day I was witness to self serving statements by one brother for another. It was a bad day for Simcoe County politics and a worse day for our constituents!
It is time to restore trust and integrity in the political leadership of Simcoe County Council and all of us will be better served by the election of Cal Patterson as Warden of the County of Simcoe Tuesday December 8th 2009.
It is time to restore trust and integrity in the political leadership of Simcoe County Council and all of us will be better served by the election of Cal Patterson as Warden of the County of Simcoe Tuesday December 8th 2009.
Self-serving? And this letter isn't?**
We are all entitled to our opinions, but when you're in public office, most are best kept private. The letter is signed with his title: Mayor of Collingwood. That gives it an official stamp of authority that it otherwise might not have had just coming from a resident. It could be construed that this represents the opinion of Collingwood, since the mayor is the official spokesperson of the town.
If mayors are official municipal representatives, are criticisms of them from other mayors also official criticisms of their communities, as well? Some will construe them that way, I suspect. Official mudslinging, eh?
Is it wise to actively campaign this aggressive way, to do so in the media and to offend other members of county council? To me, it defies understanding: one mayor campaigning for another using newspapers as his platform. At least in county council, people can respond to criticisms face to face.
This letter could alienate Collingwood from other county councillors. When it comes time to ask for support at the county for issues that serve our needs, I suspect this letter will be foremost in some county councillors' minds. Since our mayor chose to send it to everyone at the county by email, it will be easily recalled on laptops.
And no doubt since the precedent has been set, the other side will feel free to use the same media format to respond. What will it say to the rest of the county, or even the province, if others in the county respond in kind, criticizing our mayor?
Mayor Carrier made his support for Mayor Patterson quite evident last county election, even showing up uninvited on Cal's local TV show to promote Cal for warden. He's showing it again. One hoped that, personal preferences aside, mayors would be more discreet.
To dichotomize the candidates like this won't give any credit to Mayor Patterson's campaign, either. It could as easily drive fence-sitters into another camp. With friends like these, as the saying goes...
I don't doubt Cal would make a good warden, but I have no issues with the current warden either. I respect both men - they have served their respective communities for a long time. I have had no cross words with either of them. I suppose I can afford that luxury because I don't vote on the warden's position (and our mayor never asks council's advice on how to vote at the county).
Mayors, in fact all politicians, should eschew such public expressions of support and subjectivity. In the end, no matter who wins, we have to work with him or her, and such overt campaigning will only cause us grief later. Discretion is, after all, the better - often bitter - part of valour.
~~~~~
* Greater good? In 2007, 2,500 local people signed a petition asking the mayor and council to restore the Admiral Collingwood approvals the mayor and his supporters had repealled. They had their petition shrugged off with a let-them-eat-cake comment by our mayor. I wonder if they feel there's much this term for the"greater good" in local politics.
** I wonder what others in our town might say about our mayor calling a special meeting of council at the Leisure Time Club to accommodate the schedule of a special interest group - one he has publicly supported in the past - that wanted to grill councillors about their mid-term performance? Wasn't that awfully self-serving? It certainly didn't serve the needs of council or the community. [/indent]
I wonder who lifted what from whom? Seems to me there's plagarism by someone.