The irony surrounding the ‘A-word’

By Glen Turner – Special to the Sydenham Current

When I was teaching English, I loved to teach the concept of ‘irony’.

Examples abound everywhere in our lives, of course.

And… I know I said in my initial column that I didn’t want to get too political here.

However… last week’s study released by the Fraser Institute is just too amazing to ignore.

In case you missed it, the Fraser Institute (a right-wing think tank) recently released a study about the amalgamation issue from the 90’s here in Ontario, which, of course, affected us all directly here in what is now Chatham-Kent.

Authored by Lydia Miljan and Zachary Spicer, it highlights what happened here, and in other regions in Ontario, like Haldimand-Norfolk and Kawartha Lakes, among others.

You know – I used to work for the Kent County Board of Education.

Thanks to Mike Harris and ‘amalgamation’, that was taken away, and I worked for the Lambton-Kent District School Board after that.

Two board offices, and a Board that stretches from north of Sarnia to Wheatley in the south, and beyond.

I used to live in Wallaceburg, where I was on a first-name basis with many of our town Councillors and our Mayor.

That was taken away, too, by Mr. Harris and his government.

Now, I live in Chatham-Kent, with two Councillors representing this entire area.

Hmmm…

I used to get my Health Care at the Sydenham District Hospital, established and paid for (and run) by locals, and it was operating ‘in the black’, as they say. Guess what? That was taken away too by Mike Harris and his ‘amalgamation’. Now, I go to the ‘Sydenham Campus’ of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance.

Our local hospital is essentially gutted, and being reviewed for more massive changes.

Hmmm…

The Fraser Institute study says that amalgamation was supposed to bring cost savings, smaller government and lower taxes. Their conclusion?

IT DIDN’T!

Property taxes up by 50%, long-term debt increase 111%, and municipal employee compensation up 52.8%.

I remember asking our Conservative MPP at the time, Marcel Beaubien, what savings were being made by these amalgamations, where was the paperwork showing it, and what would they take away from us next?! No reply, of course. No surprise there either.

Now… the ‘irony’ I mentioned earlier.

Former Premier Mike Harris, the leader of the Conservatives, and, as Premier, responsible for their policies, is very active with, and closely tied to the… yes, you guessed it… the Fraser Institute!

I wonder how he feels about the report? I can guess.

Now… will there be another attempt to overturn ‘amalgamation?’

Or, is it written in stone?

– Photo credit: CK Community Development Forum Presentation Handout