Virtue Development

My interest in virtue development led me to create the 'Virtue Model' shown below.

'Virtue Model', Bill Pocock, 2007

This model helps me to understand at a glance how individuals with the desire to develop virtue may do so. At least this is one possible explanation.

Via Romana - The Roman Way

Here is a list of virtues both public and personal which guided the citizens (or slaves) of ancient Rome. (Source Birth of Western Civilization, James Laughlin 1986).

Experience has taught me to believe people's actions more than their words. May my actions be the virtues described here....

PERSONAL VIRTUES

Auctoritas: "Spiritual Authority" The sense of one's social standing, built up through experience, Pietas, and Industria.

Comitas: "Humor" Ease of manner, courtesy, openness, and friendliness.

Clementia: "Mercy" Mildness and gentleness.

Dignitas: "Dignity" A sense of self-worth, personal pride.

Firmitas: "Tenacity" Strength of mind, the ability to stick to one's purpose.

Frugalitas: "Frugalness" Economy and simplicity of style, without being miserly.

Gravitas: "Gravity" A sense of the importance of the matter at hand, responsibility and earnestness.

Honestas: "Respectability" The image that one presents as a respectable member of society.

Humanitas: "Humanity" Refinement, civilization, learning, and being cultured.

Industria: "Industriousness" Hard work.

Pietas: "Dutifulness" More than religious piety; a respect for the natural order socially, politically, and religiously. Includes the ideas of patriotism and devotion to others.

Prudentia: "Prudence" Foresight, wisdom, and personal discretion.

Salubritas: "Wholesomeness" Health and cleanliness.

Severitas: "Sternness" Gravity, self-control.

Veritas: "Truthfulness" Honesty in dealing with others.

PUBLIC VIRTUES

Abundantia: "Abundance, Plenty" The ideal of there being enough food and prosperity for all segments of society.

Aequitas: "Equity" Fair dealing both within government and among the people.

Bonus Eventus: "Good fortune" Remembrance of important positive events.

Clementia: "Clemency" Mercy, shown to other nations.

Concordia: "Concord" Harmony among the Roman people, and also between Rome and other nations.

Felicitas: "Happiness, prosperity" A celebration of the best aspects of Roman society.

Fides: "Confidence" Good faith in all commercial and governmental dealings.

Fortuna: "Fortune" An acknowledgment of positive events.

Genius: "Spirit of Rome" Acknowledgment of the combined spirit of Rome, and its people.

Hilaritas: "Mirth, rejoicing" An expression of happy times.

Justica: "Justice" As expressed by sensible laws and governance.

Laetitia: "Joy, Gladness" The celebration of thanksgiving, often of the resolution of crisis.

Liberalitas: "Liberality" Generous giving.

Libertas: "Freedom" A Virtue which has been subsequently aspired to by all cultures.

Nobilitas: "Nobility" Noble action within the public sphere.

Ops: "Wealth" Acknowledgment of the prosperity of the Roman world.

Patientia: "Endurance, Patience" The ability to weather storms and crisis.

Pax: "Peace" A celebration of peace among society and between nations.

Pietas: "Piety, Dutifulness" People paying honor to the gods.

Providentia: "Providence, Forethought" The ability of Roman society to survive trials and manifest a greater destiny.

Pudicita: "Modesty, Chastity." A public expression which belies the accusation of "moral corruptness" in ancient Rome.

Salus: "Safety" Concern for public health and welfare.

Securitas: "Confidence, Security" Brought by peace and efficient governance.

Spes: "Hope" Especially during times of difficulty.

Uberitas: "Fertility" Particularly concerning agriculture.

Virtus: "Courage" Especially of leaders within society and government.

Knowing Me, Knowing You

Had a long talk with my neighbour, John, about Seguin issues the other day. This is how a former 'cottager' slowly becomes a 'resident' - talking with people who know the history. I like John. John is a good guy. John has gone out of his way to help me in the past and that I don't forget.

John had absolutely no problem saying, "One strike against you is you're not local". I told him, I planned to go door-to-door this summer and fall. John said that was important. My only neighbour says he doesn't 'know' me. Part of the beauty of country life is the frankness of conversation. But how well can someone really know me after talking for ten minutes on their doorstep?

John says residents won't know me and that's one reason why residents may not vote for me. If people won't vote for me simply because they don't know me well enough, or I haven't lived here forever, that's something to seriously consider.

Familiarity is more important to country people than city people. As a country boy who's lived in the city I know the truth of it. City people, for the most part, don't want to know their neighbours, try to avoid them so they can have some sense of privacy in a sea of humanity. Maybe that's part of the reason residents and cottagers don't mix often - different social values.

People elect people not just political platforms. You'd like to know how someone would react in certain situations. That's understandable and, I think, at the heart of the whole 'knowing' problem. I've described my thoughts, feelings, and actions into seven different web logs (blogs) over the past four years. It's all there if you really want to know me. I try to spice it with humour for entertainment's sake now and then.

So, even though you don't know me and I haven't lived in Seguin my whole life, I'm going to go half way to respect and honestly understand you if we meet. Those are my country values - respect and the effort to understand neighbours. But it goes both ways.

If you can't get past the fact that you and I are little different, or don't know if I prefer chocolate or vanilla (chocolate), I get it. Trust the thing you know even though you don't like it. My prescription? Phlebotomy.

Tree Cutting By-Law

Yes, I finally did read the tree cutting by-law (found here) after expressing my thoughts at length on 'Environment First'.

The tree cutting by-law isn't so horrific after all. Anything less than 6 inches in diameter (at breast height) isn't even considered a tree and may be cut at will.

Tree pruning and topiary (sculpting) is also allowed and limited only by your imagination.

Proper Pruning Technique (University of Minnesota).

I think this is a reasonable by-law. 80% of tree life is less than 6 inches in diameter. If you don't like it, then that's just one more of life's little disappointments.

Springy-Winter Seguin

It was a nice day to be working outside. Damp snow and warm sun.

Here's a few photos...

Close up of an icicle.

The big poplar log arrives at the mill yard for campaign

signage. More poplar to come.

Campaign Signs

I've decided to try out a campaign signage idea - wooden signs. Don't like the plastic thing for this one.

Wooden signs are in keeping with my sustainable forestry pastime and a bit original for creativity. We'll see how it goes. Build a policy platform out of a bunch of planks, eh? Hand painted? Why not.

So, today I zoomed over to a poplar colony along a southern ridge of Deerwood, and dropped some standing deadwood.

Now all I have to do is skid and mill the logs, dry, paint, then place the plank signs. Piece a cake.

Dead. See?

The bigger they come, the harder they are to skid.
Glad to see the chainsaw's back to business.

Interesting fungal activity in this log. Tempted
to mill it into slabs for furniture....

The hollowed trunk on this tree makes for a
suspenseful drop.

Suspense over.

'Environment First'

It would be funny to see this image printed into handbills and posted
around Seguin Township. Tossing them from a plane would
almost be poetic. Not by me, though. I swear it.

When people talk about radicalism, they normally speak in threatening terms of a socialism or communism which will turn us all into bad haircut sporting 'comrades' clutching some sacred text. Mao's little Red Book is a classic example.

Seguin's 'Environment First' programme is radicalism in the opposite direction. Seguin has undergone a radical conservationist policy change. I'm surprised people aren't running around, hands in the air, screaming, "The Environmentalists have landed!" I kid, but it's no joke that this is a radical departure from the past and - according to some of the people I've spoken to - a shock to many in Seguin Township.

For example, there's a house building lot cleared and ready for construction on the north end of Windfall Lake. I spoke with the owner a while back - he was all ready to build when the 20 metre from shoreline rule came into effect. That lot - with the snowmobile trail and a sturdy barrier of trees between it and the lake - has been vacant for three years now. To my knowledge, Seguin Township has never properly estimated the dollar value of wealth vaporized by implimenting the 'Environment First' policy.

Personally, I'm in favour of Seguin's sustainability plan. I believe this may be the majority position. That said, if we don't at least consider the views, the valid arguments of the minority side on any given issue, representative government is skating on thin ice.

I'll wait to read the results of my upcoming survey of Ward 1 residents before I take a political position on 'Environment First'. Don't know people's preferences yet. This is just me turning the issue over in my mind. If we're going to be radical in policy, it's better to go conservative (time stand still), than suddenly declare we have to get rid of all the trees and build solar-powered toothpick factories.

I prefer incremental, small-changes-to-see-if-they-work projects. Learn low-impact lessons, fix mistakes, try something else for a better fit. Radical change, in my experience, changes everything at once and it is difficult to measure effects in a controlled way. Culture shock to the new way disturbs people and often destabilizes government.

My immediate reply to the order of 'Environment First' is 'People Second'? My own back-to-the-land lifestyle doesn't mean I agree with all ideas and schedules of the environmental movement. Big change, to my mind, is the plaything of the young, the inexperienced, the brave, or the narrow-minded. More than brave, I think implementing Seguin's sustainability plan was audacious.

I look to the future and know that what is considered good public policy today will likely be different tomorrow based on the ever-changing wants and needs of the people. No government has the right to fix public discussion for all time. The enacted by-laws offer room for amendment and individual appeal. An essential activity in democratic government is reconsidering past policies to consider if they're still valid. Just as general stores are no longer required to provide water troughs and feed for customer horses.

Better to go slow with public projects - like moving through school zones. At least 'Environment First' gives Seguin time to pause and think about next moves.

I like 'Safe and Predictable' as a motto for good government.

Work Gnomes Comic

For your possible amusement, here's one of my odd 'Work Gnome' comics. Gnomes are small beings who inhabit different environments. Not many people are aware that gnomes really exist. I've invented a new breed of gnome for our contemporary times. They live in places of work. I call them Work Gnomes.

I normally feature them in my BILL POCOCK creativity blog. But, considering Seguin's 'Environment First' slogan, I thought...what the heck.

Don't fret if you don't 'get it'. Not many people do, appearently.

Cottage Country Now Article

I would like to thank reporter, Stephannie Johnson, for interviewing me about my run for Seguin council.

Ms. Johnson's article appears in this week's Parry Sound North Star and Cottage Country News.

Hitting the Books...Again.

I tell all those kids out there that it's never too late to hit the books.

After a hard day lumberjacking, I sit down to read
and take notes from books on politics.


Handwriting analysis.

The book I'm currently working on is called, "Speaking Truth to Power: The Art and Craft of Policy Analysis" by Aaron Wildavsky. I go over it every year or so. Like all very good books, I get a different read from it because new experiences and perspectives gained help me draw new insights from the same text.

Writing out passages from the books I study, then boiling down the ideas into things I can easily remember is how I take in the information and make it knowledge for use in life. I laughed when I read this line from the book...

PEOPLE MAKE PROBLEMS.

Funny because it's true.

Mucho Macho

This is the obligatory post where the candidate shows how big and strong like bull he is. I don't know why I have to do it, but The Committee to Elect Bill Pocock says I have to.

So, here' s a couple photos from my forestry blog, HICKWILLY, demonstrating my prowess flipping maple logs end over end. Kind of like caber tossing, but more likely to get me landed in the Emergency Room.

Municipal Councillor's Guide

Ever want to know what an Ontario municipal councillor does? Sure you do!

Well, just click on over to The Municipal Councillor's Guide provided by the ever helpful Ontario provincial government.

A romping, roller coaster ride of fun and adventure at only 73 pages.

We're gonna need more coffee.

All done?

Moving right along to the Ontario Municipal Act. Yippie!

I don't know if I'm in heaven or hell!!!!!!

Campaign Song: 'What's Going On"

Download 'What's Going On' at iTunes.

John Crosbie: 'No Holds Barred'

As I can be gleefully unpolitically correct sometimes - just to wind up the humour impaired - I scanned through the John Crosbie bio, 'No Holds Barred'. The former Progressive Conservative cabinet minister from Newfoundland has amused me in the past. I read to glean some insider views on hardball politics and getting in/out of trouble.

Here's a lengthy passage from the book for your consideration...

Like a lot of Canadians, the news media are totally ambivalent, even hypocritical, about honesty in politics. They say they want honest politicians, but if they find one who actually says what he means, they turn on him. They patronize him, sneering that he may deserve high marks for candour, but none for common sense.... No political party ever says in detail what they will do about government overspending, because the truth will cost them the support of voters.

The public, I'm convinced, don't want their politicians to tell them what they're really going to do. They've heard all the talk about deficits and spending cutbacks. They know that, when the election is over, there are going to be cuts. They know that whoever is elected will have no choice. But they don't want politicians telling them there will be cuts, making them face the issues, and forcing them to participate and to take responsibility for what will happen. They want the politicians to take all the responsibility. They want us to deceive them. Then, when we get elected and have to make cutbacks a few months later, the public can feel free to be outraged, to denounce deceitful politicians, and to claim we lied to them and cheated them.

The public doesn't want, won't accept, and will not support honest, forthright, and truthful politicians. They love to look down on politicians for not being truthful and straightforward. This is the underlying hypocrisy of Canadian politics and it is fed by the news media, who understand perfectly well that they are agents for the destruction of trust and candour in public life ('No Holds Barred: My Life in Politics', John C. Crosbie, pp. 304-5).

I'm interested to read any comments you may have.

A Funny Foley Lumberjack Story

It's bigger on the inside.

Here's a good story about a lumberman who drove logs down Boyne River to Parry Sound for the Conger Lumber Company. The last river run was in 1904.

The men used to stay in the camps logging all winter, then in the spring they would go on the drive. Abbie Bennett used to be quite a famous river driver. After a winter in the bush, washing their clothes in an old wooden tub, come spring, Abbie docked his pants and drawers at the knees so when they got wet they wouldn't trip him and by the time he got to Parry Harbour his shirt and pants would stand alone, they were so dirty with pine pitch. Abbie stopped at the Kipling to see his friends then he high-tailed it up to the Queen's Hotel. Coming back down the street he met two very dignified ladies in the persons of Mrs. Pearce, the local merchant's with, and Miss Ellis, her sister, a dedicated school teacher. They stopped to talk to Abbie and noting his very dirty shirt they asked Mr. Bennett how long he wore his shirt? "Well," said Abbie, grinning at them with his one squinty eye, "If you really want to know, about two inches below my ass." (You, Me, and Foley, by Bertha Clare, P.85)

Foley's First Reeve

I'm doing some homework on Ward 1, reading the excellent "You, Me and Foley" by Bertha Clare. Copies of this history are available at Seguin Pioneer Church.

Thought it might be interesting to contrast my campaign portraits (following post) with a portrait of Thomas McGown, the first Reeve of Foley.


The first nomination meeting of Foley's administration was held on December 18th, 1874.

Here's a quote from By-law 20 enacted in 1874:

The Municipal Corporation of the Township of Foley hereby enact and declare that the prayer of Stephen B. Richmond and others be granted for a road from the eleventh concession to the Parry Sound road running down lot 143, Concession A, and be hereby enacted.

Formal Campaign Portraits

Seriously, here's two formal photos I'll be using in campaign materials.

Media, please feel free to use these photos...

Bill Pocock, 500x432, 300 dpi.

Bill Pocock, 600x450, 300 dpi.