Friday, July 4, 2025

Editorial

Boiling This Election Campaign Down to the Core Issue

Monday, October 24, is election day. With election day fast approaching, on Monday afternoon before writing this editorial, I brewed some coffee, and spent two hours re-watching the video archive of the candidate meeting held on October 3, at Meaford United Church. For this latest viewing, I focused less on what the candidates said, and more on what residents were...

When it Comes to Municipal Elections, Some Are Passionate, and Some Just Don’t Care

As election day inches closer, candidates hoping to capture a seat at the council horseshoe will be busy working to share their vision with anyone who will listen, but as I was reminded recently, many simply aren't listening, and they don't care to. For those of us who follow local governance closely, it can be easy to forget that half...

Thankful That Another Thanksgiving Weekend Has Arrived

Another Thanksgiving long weekend is upon us, and while I'm not much for holidays or celebrations, Thanksgiving is my favourite of the holidays, and it falls conveniently during my favourite time of year. Over this long weekend families will gather for feasts, many of which will include the traditional turkey, and all the fixings. It's a time to come together...

Meaford’s Big Fall Weekend is Upon Us

Hampered by pandemic restrictions for the past two years, Meaford's Big Fall Weekend has returned. Throughout the month of September we have enjoyed the many scarecrow displays erected by volunteers for the annual Scarecrow Invasion & Family Festival, which will be held on Friday, September 30, followed by the always popular Apple Harvest Craft Show which will return to the...

The Municipal Election is Just a Month Away, Be Prepared!

Four years can certainly fly by, and it might be hard to believe, but with council's four year term nearing its end, another municipal election is on our doorstep. Though it might feel like just yesterday, four full years have passed since the last Municipal Election Guide issue of our paper was on store shelves. We are facing another municipal election...

It’s Fun, It Brings the Community Together, But Our Beloved Scarecrow Invasion Could be a Whole Lot Greener

Before I begin, I want to make it clear that I fully enjoy the Scarecrow Invasion & Family Festival, and I have for all of the 17 years that I have lived in this municipality. Sometimes, however, we must get real even about things that we love, and our beloved Scarecrow Invasion is an environmental embarrassment for a municipality...

We All Approach Life Differently, But it Shouldn’t Make Us Enemies

There has never been a time in my life that I have felt moved enough about an issue to protest. Even when an issue might be important to me personally, outrage is an emotion that I simply cannot muster. For me, I just don't feel that there are many things worth the energy of outrage. From my perspective, our time...

Where are the Women Candidates?

In recent discussions that I've had with some locals about the final roster of candidates in the upcoming municipal election, more than a few have noted the lack of female candidates. In 2014, seven of the 20 total candidates for the various council positions were women, equivalent to 35 percent. In 2018, of the 16 candidates who ran for council positions,...

The Passing of Wild Bill Murdoch

Last week we learned of the passing of a man who many rightly consider a local legend: Bognor resident Bill Murdoch, the former MPP for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, and a familiar face to most everyone who lives in this area. Murdoch, or 'Wild Bill' as he was affectionately called by many, served on the Sydenham Township council for a total of...

All of the Things Wrong With the Municipality of Meaford

As the nomination period for candidates in October's municipal election comes to a close at the end of this week, the campaigns will begin to ramp up, and we the voters will have roughly two months to learn about the candidates for mayor, deputy mayor, and councillor before election day. From the candidates we will hear much about what they...