"Although this level of government has the greatest impact on citizens’ daily lives, it is weak, ineffectual, rudderless and dominated by special interests," writes Garth Turner.
Over the last five centuries, says Frank Lloyd Wright, what humanity has called architecture has been "phony": "It was not innate, it wasn’t organic and it didn’t have the character of nature.”
More than 40 years after the debut of this British farce on the Shaw Festival stage, "One for the Pot" returns with excellent performances that contain the elements needed to make this for-the-masses comedy a laugh riot, writes Penny-Lynn Cookson.
"As a pretentious British boss of mine said many years ago ... 'I have found that around the world, one can get on with two languages: English, and loud English,'" writes Ross Robinson.
"I provided you with an opportunity to do the right thing, which you have obviously declined to do. Please be advised that I intend to pursue this in the appropriate forum(s)," writes Derek Collins.
"This proposal is another fail on multiple levels and is underwritten by the arrogance of applicants simply who want what they want, full stop," writes Brian Marshall.
"I don’t think any sport has changed as much as hockey during the past 60 or 70 years. Back in the day, most of the players came from Canada, so we could say with straight faces, 'Hockey: it’s our game,'" writes Ross Robinson.
"An accelerating expansion of the universe without any obvious cosmic brakes ... is a universe whose matter is so dispersed that stars can't form, with the result that the universe eventually goes dark and cold with no place for life," writes Dr. William Brown.
"Personally, I would be extremely disappointed to vote for someone whose stand on over-development aligned with my own, only to have them unable to exert their power because they are in the same business as the applicant," writes Sonja Kloss.
"This is an absolutely classic case on how to handle the insanity of the anonymous miserable people in this town; suffering fools gladly, a case study of sorts," writes Peter Rusin.
"Mr. Turner suggested that while others run for a cause or a crusade, Andrea is running because she craves power and wants to raise her public profile. This could not be further from the truth," writes Cindy I'Anson.
"Considering the terrible things that have been allowed to happen recently and are threatening again in the Old Town, this would be a good time to say that’s enough," writes Wayne Murray.
"Given what’s coming, our lord mayor will also be the sole and only rep at the senior level of government, Niagara Region. Kaiser already knows what that workload amounts to. Being mayor would be extra," writes Garth Turner.
"An intelligent man concerned with the welfare of this province’s citizens would come to very different decisions than what is currently occurring at Queen's Park," writes Brian Marshall.
"Polar bears, dolphins, lions, red vested bunny rabbits, caterpillars. And more," writes Ross Robinson. "The sky seems to be the limit as we bloom into the future."
"For many, it’s AI’s uncanny ability to talk naturally and build relationships with its human users that’s perhaps the most unnerving part, but also for many users, AI’s allure," writes Dr. William Brown.
"If the town continues to tear down buildings for tourism and build parking lots in place of schools, it removes the scenery and voices of school kids entirely from its streets," writes Aspen Ziraldo.
"Many small arts spaces operate with a level of uncertainty, and finding suitable, properly equipped and affordable space is increasingly difficult," writes Valérie Bélisle.
"Niagara-on-the-Lake deserves a mayor fully invested in protecting this community, preserving its character and respecting the people who live here," writes Richard Harley.
The next lord mayor of Niagara-on-the-Lake, writes Garth Turner, "must not only rule a disparate, complex town ... but be the sole voice at the senior level where big tax, policy and service decisions are made."
"Bipedalism freed up the arms and especially the hands for other tasks such as tool-making, creating art and music, all of which was enabled and fostered by increasingly larger brains," writes Dr. William Brown.
"It was only a few decades ago that most parenting decisions were made by parents. Today, we seem to involve several levels of government, Moms and Dads, and people in between," writes Ross Robinson.
"Easing congestion wasn’t council’s main rationale for leaning toward a garage at 176 Wellington — money is. Council members either believe or were led to believe that parking will bring in piles of it," writes David Israelson.
"Authoritarian forces are aligning across borders, and the free world again needs coherent leadership. Canada’s message, in that context, has been clarity of purpose," writes Keith McNenly.
"The culture you are so proud of includes much less citizen participation on committees and fewer public consultation bodies with a much expanded administrative staffing cost," writes Bob Bader.
"Too much focus is being placed on proposed infrastructure changes at the expense of the natural heritage and beauty of the treed streetscape," write Karen Conderan and George Jager.
"It’s time for council to stop making decisions that benefit commercial developments and get back to making decisions that will make the community a better place to live," writes Wayne Murray.
"What is the fundamental difference between the family-owned wineries and the corporate-owned wineries? Why does one group seem to get special treatment over the other?" writes Megan Wood.
"The centre of town ... should be returned to the previous purpose it was originally meant to be: to be an accessible area for long-time taxpayers of Niagara-on-the-Lake," writes Cecilia Bennett.
Premier Doug Ford, writes Kevin MacLean, "has shown time and time again that, really, he is 'For the People' — though maybe just not the common people who have to live with his actions and decisions."
