As luck would have it, this column was about to mention Rainer Hummel. You know, the guy with the biggest house in town (cleared to be a hotel), the seven-figure antique car collection, the property development company and oh, so many opinions.
The plan was to question why he trashed the nascent residents’ association as they launched a get-ready-for-the-coming election info website. After all, it’s good to get people engaged in this democracy thing. No other level of government affects folks as profoundly as the local one.
So, when Mr. Hummel on Facebook accused the NOTLRA of being a cabal of Toronto elitists who published “nonsense” and “peddled snake oil,” plus secretly having a slate of rad candidates to unleash on the town, it was noteworthy.
Hummel matters. He hosted the premier of the province at his estate — the same guy who just creamed regional council and nipped local democracy. He and the current deputy lord mayor (who will probably be running for the top banana soon) are family.
He’s wealthy. He’s powerful. He’s a patron and philanthropist. He’s establishment. He’s never shy — like people in Atlantic Canada — about separating heritage residents and those who are CFA: Come From Away. Like me. Two classes.
But wait. There are suddenly more reasons to talk about Mr. Hummel as he uses social media this week to eviscerate your reporter. Ad hominem arguments are always exciting. He does it well.
My most recent crime? Writing about mayoralty candidate Andrea Kaiser, whom I interviewed and concluded is not up to the job. As a successful businesswoman, she’s reluctant to run the town and be our voice to senior government on a full-time basis. She’s busy. The job doesn’t pay enough. So she’d do it part-time. But it would look sweet on a full and impressive resume.
It was a short trip from expressing that view to Mr. Hummel’s romp and his clutch of cheerful anti-Garth online warriors accusing me of being trashy, unserious and full of machismo (although I do have nice abs).
“He often writes as though he’s above this town and the people in it,” Mr. H says of me. “It’s as though Niagara-on-the-Lake is a curiosity for him to critique rather than a community he genuinely respects. He’s quick to point out faults, motives and shortcomings in others, but rarely offers much constructive thought himself. Sadly, we have far too many people who’ve landed in our town with a similar contempt for the people who grew up in it.”
See what I mean. It’s a timeless trope. Us vs. them.
Well, back to the election. Mr. Hummel calls the new NOTLRA election site, “a forum for propaganda” and “more Toronto BS.”
Zing. As we know, Toronto is full of lefties, losers, DEI types and people who rent. Not our tribe.
But the rebel group (now with 800 members) is pushing back. “I checked with our board members (always nice to get your facts straight) and what I see is no one moved here from Toronto,” counters group founder Stuart McCormack.
“One or two of our group have worked in Toronto for a period of time, although they never sat on council. What I learned is we have a group of people on the board who are well-travelled both in Canada and throughout the world, yet when all is said and done, decided that Niagara-on-the Lake is the place they wanted to live,” he says.
“Isn’t it wonderful that this town attracts such thoughtful people who care about this community and are willing to volunteer so much of their time to try and make things better?”
The site (NOTLElection.ca) is non-partisan, and try as I might to convince them otherwise, the group is steadfastly refusing to endorse anyone or offer a slate of candidates. Instead, they’re telling you who’s running, what they stand for, and how to get involved.
It remains for trashy opinion columnists to offer an opinion. As much as the powerful might wish otherwise.
Garth Turner is a NOTL resident, journalist, author, wealth manager and former federal MP and minister. garth@garth.ca
