Category Archives: Politics

When the Going Gets Tough, Council Shouldn’t Get Going

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By Jason Menard

It may be fair and balanced, but it doesn’t mean it’s right. And if Ward 4 councillor Stephen Orser advocates letting the citizens make the tough decisions, then perhaps it’s time for us to just abolish council altogether and let every city decision pass through a plebiscite or referendum.

If one of the leading advocates for full-time council is so ready to abdicate the responsibilities bestowed upon him, then maybe it’s time to let majority rule.

Actually, it would probably be a plurality. A plurality empowered to decide regardless of knowledge, information, big-picture perspective, or responsibility. Continue reading →

I Remember So I Never Have to Know

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By Jason Menard

I wear a poppy and participate in Remembrance Day not as a celebration of war, but as a reminder to learn from its lessons and, hopefully, never repeat them.

I celebrate and memorialize our history so that I never have to know war in reality.

Sadly, our society often forgets those lessons in a rush to fetishise war. We misguidedly conscript military terminology to use in our day-to-day efforts. There are various “Armies,” “Corps,” and “Regiments.”

The organizations will claim they’re fighting for someone; but what’s missing from that statement is the fact that it means they’re in combat against another group. It means we haven’t learned our lessons from war. And in trying to claim these words for our own, we muddle their meaning. Continue reading →

Collaboration, Compromise Not Dirty Words

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By Jason Menard

A friend whose voice I respect on Twitter as one rooted in common sense and decorum recently attended a conference on growing her market. One of the takeaways, she Tweeted, was that the most common word heard at the conference was “collaboration.”

As in, collaborative efforts between organizations to foster growth; as in collaboration amongst different groups to maximize strengths and fortify weaknesses; as in collaboration to reach a mutually beneficial goal.

Collaboration: whether you’re talking business or politics, it’s almost always the solution.

Unfortunately, too many of us see collaboration — and its necessary ingredient compromise — as dirty words. Continue reading →

For Me Mentality Misinterprets the Political Forum

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By Jason Menard

For me.

These two words are what have been holding me back from making any sort of comment, posting any sort of reply, or engaging in any sort of debate.

For me.

As in, why bother trying to be rational because the Twitter debate is exclusively centred around, “For me.” Continue reading →

True Strength Lies in Negotiation, Compromise

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By Jason Menard

I am frequently disappointed in the decisions made by my political representatives — and I can honestly say that there’s no other way I’d rather have it.

Well, that’s not true. But until I’m appointed Supreme Overlord, I’ll just have to get over the fact that my government won’t do exactly what I what, in the way I want it, when I want it all the time. Unfortunately, there are too many who see politics as a game and expect their team to win. Continue reading →