Honouring our Politicians

Drive around Newmarket and you will find numerous examples of streets and parks named after current and former members of Newmarket Town Council.  In fact, our local politicians are quite adept at naming things after themselves.  But, ever since public scrutiny has been brought to attention through numerous recent mis-steps (including the backroom politics behind not naming a field after the young athlete who died upon it, naming a street after someone who is currently on trial accused of being a serial child molester, the Dave Kerwin Trail, and the Frank Stronach Park - just to name a few recent examples), it has been tougher and tougher for local politicians to bestow honours on each other. 

Well thank goodness for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal.  The once-prestigious medal that was supposed to be an honour coming from the Governor General has been outsourced to so-called "partner agencies" to help dole out to, well to put it bluntly, people like these:  http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/02/12/councillors-honour-themselves/

Somewhere along the way, what was once recognition for actually contributing something to Canada was co-opted, most notably by Jack Layton's brain child The Federation of Canadian Municipalities, into silliness.  Personally, I know of a great many very deserving recipients of the Jubilee medal and I hope that the medal in some way pays gratitude for what they have given to to their communities.  Unfortunately, the medal's prestige has been somewhat tarnished by unscrupulous politicians who have given the medal to themselves or their political operatives.  That's a shame. 

Like the Council in London, our Town also has very strong ties to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.  In 2011, our council members spent an aggregate of $16,925.25 jet setting across the country to attend related events.  In 2012, the Mayor and Council members' expense reports were not quite so clear but I've determined that at minimum another $9,935.13 went from Newmarket ratepayers' wallets to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' coffers. 

Like London, we also have a Councillor who sits on the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Board of Directors.  On April 29th, 2013 Newmarket Council voted to support Councillor Emanuel's Federation of Canadian Municipalities candidacy.  Why should it be any surprise then (in our modern era of "horse trading" at Newmarket Town Hall) that, not even two weeks later, this happens:   http://www.newmarket.ca/en/townhall/resourcelibrary/MediaRelease_MayorDiamondJubilee_Final2013.pdf ?

 Even Mayor Van Bynen's closest admirers will be hard pressed to come up with one or two positive accomplishments in his multi-term tenure as the head of this council.  Taxes have steadily increased.  Public debt has sky rocketed.  Reserve funds have been depleted.  Dysfunction, scandal, suspicion, and cronyism are rampant under his management at Town Hall.  None of these "accomplishments" are worthy of a medal. 

I say let's leave the medals for people who actually do some good in community.  We should have much higher standards than the likes of the current Mayor.