Campaign's End

By now you've received your mail-in voting form and may have already sent it in. It's time now to hang up my skates for this political season and give us both a break. Time to walk through the forest, enjoy the sunny weather, and watch the leaves fall.

It was a real pleasure to meet the great majority of you. Especial thanks for sheltering me from the rain in your homes and cottages. I discovered much kind consideration on the campaign trail. Maybe this shouldn't be surprising, but I never knew for sure what sort of reception would be on your side of the door.

I started on the campaign trail with an open mind and let you tell me what you wanted. Your words are quoted on this website in the Seguin Quotes section. Your words became my basic political platform:

• Clean Lakes
  
• Safe Roads
  
• Pro Business
  

If elected, I will continue our conversation with a town hall style meeting held every three months to discuss Seguin politics. I will continue to listen and learn from you. The Ward 1 town hall meeting was an idea that came out of my conversations with you. May town hall meetings be adopted by other councillors to get up-to-date feedback from their constituents. Feedback is essential to learn how to fix problems and make improvements. If this democratic tradition were established and maintained many of the problems of the past could be avoided in future.

If elected, I will continue to use this blog to communicate with you about Seguin politics. If not elected, this will be my last One Seguin blog post. Thank you for your interest.

Have a fine Thanksgiving weekend.

All Candidates Meeting

Many thanks to the Otter Lake Ratepayers' Association for hosting the All Candidates Meeting on September 25th at the Foley Agricultural Hall.

To read a report on the event, click on the link of Cameron Ginn's article appearing on the Cottage Country Now website.

Know the Candidates

Your mail-in ballots are on the way or have already arrived. Make sure you mail it before October 15th to be counted.

This blog should give you a good idea of who I am and my political platform. I realize now that the theme of One Seguin is 'Community and Communication'. If I am elected, I will continue to use this website to inform you of Seguin council business and my activities as councillor.

The other Ward 1 candidates are Dale Graves and Alex Chidley. I don't believe these two gentlemen have campaign websites. The best source I have found for on-line information about Mr. Childey is available at http://www.cottagecountrynow.ca/ (search 'Alex Chidley'). I have found no on-line information about Mr. Graves. I understand Mr. Graves is a long time resident of Seguin, but that is all.

On September 25th, from 1-4 pm, the Otter Lake Ratepayers Association is hosting an all Seguin candidates meeting at the Foley Agricultural Hall. I'll be there to give a short speech and answer any questions you may have. Please feel free to say 'hi' and talk with me after the meeting - most things take longer than (the official) one minute to discuss.

There will be another all candidates meeting held on October 2nd in the Humphrey Community Centre. This meeting will also begin at 1 pm. [THIS MEETING WAS CANCELLED].

Hope to see you there!

The Foley Fall Fair

Come one, come all to the 2010 Foley Fall Fair!

Today is the opening of this traditional Seguin fair held on the Foley Agricultural Society grounds.

I regret to report that there will be no Smash-Up Derby this year. But there will be tractor pulls, so that's not too bad.

In case I've missed you on the campaign trail, please come on by and say 'hi' at the Pioneer Church's quilt raffle table on Saturday afternoon. I'll be there moving raffle tickets.

The Blackstone Creek Misadventure

When I'm campaigning door-to-door I always get asked the same old question, "What are you going to do if you get elected?". It's a fair question.

One of the things I would do is use this website blog to communicate with people about the various Ward 1 and Seguin issues. I would use photos and words to document my understanding of the facts and arguments surrounding issues. Here's an example of the sort of issue research I would report on if elected.

ISSUE: Water Levels (Blackstone Creek between Horseshoe Lake and First Lake)

In speaking with waterfront property owners on Horseshoe Lake the common concern is the lake water level. This is determined by the amount of rainfall, and the water run off from Blackstone Creek which feeds into First Lake at a lower elevation.

At issue is the question of the appropriate height of a blast rock weir at the mouth of Blackstone Creek located at the western edge of Horseshoe Lake. This contentious, artificial weir regulates the level of water in Horseshoe and Virtue Lake (as they are connected by a channel) and the entire watershed system along Blackstone Creek. I understand that there is some ongoing discussion regarding the installation an adjustable wooden weir to better regulate the flow out of Horseshoe Lake.

In order to better understand the water system that connects these lakes, I decided to navigate down the 1 km section of Blackstone Creek which connects Horseshoe Lake and First Lake.

At the entrance to Blackstone Creek a Ministry of Natural Resources sign is posted warning people not to remove any rocks from the weir. The sign did not prohibit the addition of rock to the weir. An oversight? Too much rock would eliminate Blackstone Creek.

DOCUMENTATION:

A small map showing Blackstone Creek (center), Horseshoe
Lake (right), and First Lake (left). The creek passes under three
road or highway culverts and ends with a large, boggy fen
as it spills into First Lake.

A view of the blast rock weir at the Horseshoe Lake
entrance to Blackstone Creek. The McKaig Drive culvert
forms a concrete bank. As with every other creek obstacle,
I lifted the canoe up and over the weir.

Here's a reverse view of the weir and Horseshoe Lake to the east.

At the far end of the McKaig Drive culvert you can see more artificial
blast rock set at the culvert entrance along with a water pump
hose which snakes through the culvert to no purpose.

View from underneath the 69 Hwy culvert which is longer, deeper and
wider than the McKaig Drive culvert.

A reverse (westside) view of the 69 Hwy culvert.
Notice the lack of artificial blast rock rubble on the
creek bed.

Onwards along Blackstone Creek. I could paddle the canoe through
the creek's narrow passage without scraping the canoe on
creek bottom. Though I began to see trees fallen across my route.

And another tree across Blackstone Creek. Those Boy's Own
Adventure novels don't mention all of the trees fallen across
unexplored creeks. I stopped counting the number of times
I stepped into the creek and lifted the canoe over a tree.

Then I reached the eastern entrance to the 400 Hwy culvert. It
was long, wide, but very shallow with blast rock. The creek bed
slopes way up with blast rock at the entrance to the culvert.

I had to pull the empty canoe through the twisting rock passage.
The canoe still scraped bottom blast rock. I was reminded of
Dante's Inferno as I sloshed through the culvert. I felt like I was
passing into another world - the stuff nightmares are made of.

A reverse (westside) view of the 400 Hwy culvert. Notice the lack
of shallow blast rock on the creek bottom.

More fallen trees.

The blur in the middle of this photo is a low tree branch I leaned
forward to avoid and managed to tip the canoe. The important
thing in any water misadventure is to get completely soaked
so you don't have to worry about getting wet anymore.

I waded in waist-deep water to a large tree across
the creek and managed to roll the half-filled canoe
over to dump out the water. Sometimes obstacle
trees can be your friend, kids.

Beautiful creek scenes like this almost made the near constant lifting
of canoe over fallen trees worth the struggle to continue.

This was the second beaver dam obstacle I had to lift the canoe over.

Here's the most beautiful scene on the 1 km route down
Blackstone Creek as it enters First Lake. Water lilies among
boulders fallen into the creek from the slope above made
me think of a tranquil Japanese garden.

And here I came to the end of the navigable portion of Blackstone
Creek connecting Horseshoe and First Lake. The weedy fen
prevented further paddling. I was tempted to pull the canoe
though to open water, but wasn't sure how big the fen really was.

I landed the canoe near the fallen boulders and
prepared myself for the next part of my ordeal -
a portage to the open water of First Lake.

Those Boys Own Adventure novels also don't mention
that real life canoe portaging sometimes means carrying a heavy
canoe up steep ridge slopes through dense bush.

Here's a view of the the First Lake Fen from a small clearing
on the ridge. I'm glad I didn't try to carry the canoe and gear
through it.

I followed deer trails over the ridge to an opening onto First Lake.
The sun was about to set and I was glad to get back onto open water.

Here's a reverse view of Blackstone Creek (middle of photo) as
it spills into First Lake. Actually Blackstone Creek barely trickles
into First Lake due to two beaver dams across the creek. Without the
beaver dams Blackstone (Swamp) Creek would be very low indeed.

ANALYSIS: Blackstone Creek is no longer a functional drainage system for Horseshoe Lake into First Lake due to the presence of two beaver dams located between the Hwy 400 culvert and First Lake. The artificial presence of blast rock in and around culverts also raises the historic levels of the Blackstone Creek bed inhibiting water flow. Blackstone Creek, due to inadequate water flow, is more characteristic of a swamp than a creek.

So ends my documentary report of a canoe trip down Blackstone Creek in the summer of 2010. It helps me to better understand the current condition of the creek in relation to Horseshoe and First Lake. I hope it is of some value (and possible amusement) for you to read the account.

I wouldn't recommend it as a first date canoe trip.

Horseshoe Lake Canoe

Here's a view from my canoe on Horseshoe Lake.

Yesterday I did an all 'water access' campaign tour of Horseshoe Lake with the old cedar strip canoe. The water part was fairly easy. The 2 km portage down Rankin Lake Road and Hwy 69 was the not so easy part.

So begins the 2 km canoe portage to Horseshoe Lake which I almost
instantly regretted. Such are the small scale heroics of an
aspiring Seguin township councillor.

Portage 'action' photos aren't as pretty as official portraits.
That life jacket phrase pretty much captures my state of mind.

After carrying the canoe on my shoulders for 500 metres or so,
I would set it down and take a rest. Looking at this photo, I flash
back three years...

Another of my cedar strip contraptions rests at the side of
a New Brunswick highway. In 2007 I built this velomobile and cycled
it from Victoria, B.C. to St. John's Nfld., talking to kids about
Global Warming along the way.

Back in Seguin, I make another canoe portage stop where Hwy 69
turns into Rankin Lake Road with a northbound ramp onto Hwy 400.

I make it to Horseshoe Lake's municipal beach!
Then I 'take five' - maybe ten.

I didn't get to all of Horseshoe Lake's many water access
properties, but I did try. Instead of portaging the canoe
back along the roads, I decided to take the Easy Route home
by navigating Blackstone Creek. But, that's another adventure....

Angry Voters

Talking to constituents is sometimes like drinking from a fire hose.

I sympathize with people who believe they have been treated unjustly by an uncaring municipal government or inconsiderate neighbours. Frustration can lead to anger. Spoiling anger may surrender to rage.

When I step onto someones property, to talk about local politics, I now realize that I have to be ready for anything. Anything.

On my last stop yesterday I was invited into the home of two ardent supporters of the incumbent. The couple was livid on a single issue in the Township (I won't provide names or identify the issue) and I quickly realized that they were never going to support me. Regardless, I remained to discuss the issue because I'm interested and may have to decide on it if elected - I would certainly represent them as constituents even if elected against their wishes.

But at no point did I feel welcome in their home, though I was invited in. Near the end of the conversation, which lasted at least half an hour, I had to warn the man to stay out of my personal space as he had repeatedly swiped a sheet of paper back and forth, inches from my face. This man's rage was so intense that I felt at any moment he could attack me.

It's unfortunate that otherwise good people could be driven by circumstance to exhibit such unwelcome behavior to a neighbour. I'm just a carpenter trying to serve his community, okay?

If elected I will consider the issue without prejudice, but I will never again knowingly step foot on their property.

Beware of Dogs

Yesterday marked the beginning of my door-to-door talks with Ward 1 constituents. It's definitely full of surprises. A basic survival instinct kicked in when confronted by territorial barking dogs.

My right hand bears the scars of a deep dog bite - so I know to be cautious around even seemingly friendly dogs. While owners may say, "The dog's really a big baby", you can never tell for sure with a strange dog. And you can never know for sure about a dog you've known for years. One person's vote isn't that important to me that I'm going to risk that the rope or thin chain won't snap as the snarling dog leaps towards me again and again.

I say this as a someone who really, really likes dogs. It was my own dog that scarred my hand.

Campaign Brochure

Many sincere thanks to Cindy at Minuteman Press for the fine advice and many copies of my campaign brochures.

Excellent service and I was surprised at how inexpensive it was. Small adjustments made a big difference.

It's good to accept help and take advice from others. That's something I tend to forget - or reject. As I like to think of myself as a rough 'n ready forest guy, it can create a blind spot - either not acknowledging that I need help, or refuse it from some macho need to go it alone. Maybe it's just a guy thing. That and not asking strangers for directions to the mastodon hunt. That's another problem I have.

So, I'm giving myself permission to get someone else to fold these brochures....

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.