Dear editor:

My all-time favourite Christmas movie is “It’s A Wonderful Life.”

The lead character, George Bailey, lives in the beautifully quaint town of Bedford Falls.

George is the main bulwark against the dreaded Mr. Potter, a mean, miserly old man who wants to buy up everything in town.

Through a celestial intervention, George gets to see what would happen had he not intervened against Mr. Potter’s intentions. Idyllic Bedford Falls would instead become a vile cesspool called Pottersville.

Why do I mention this?

Just like the movie, we live in one of the loveliest towns in all of Canada.

Just like the movie, there is a single man who has purchased much of our beloved village.

On his properties he intends to build large hotels, crowded subdivisions and California-style wineries.

Just like the movie, this would drastically alter the charming, picturesque nature of our town.

But, unlike the movie, there will be no celestial intervention.

What we do have are a mayor and a town council who can stand up for the citizenry and the sweet, historic nature of our town.

We have a mayor and a town council who can oppose the selfish interests of a bully.

What is the future vision of our elected leaders: Niagara-on-the-Lake or Marottaville?

If they choose the latter, I fear that for the locals it will not be a “Wonderful Life.”

Gus Calderone
NOTL