cktimes.ca Archives for Notes from a Garage


Notes from a Garage

With John Gardiner

A couple of quality guys; where government should go; and the end of the world

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

I’ve known Jeff Wesley for 25 years – that’s how long it’s been since I moved to Wallaceburg. In the late summer of 1985, I met this young guy who worked for Union Gas and attended every Wallaceburg Council meeting. He told me away back then that he was going to run for Council that fall and that he’d already personally called on every household in Wallaceburg three times to introduce himself and find out about the issues. Well, he won that election in 1985 and ended up serving two terms as Mayor of the Glasstown before it was all over. A couple of weeks ago, Jeff announced that he would again be running for council in the fall – this time as a Wallaceburg representative on Chatham-Kent Council. I called Jeff after he made the announcement and told him I was glad because there was no one I knew who’d work harder for Wallaceburg at the municipal level. He is a bulldog when he gets hold of an issue and he is a true Wallaceburg National…..Anyway, then I heard that the Liberals in the riding Wallaceburg is in still don’t have a candidate in the next federal election…..What, I said! I know, I know, Jeff, we’re getting older and don’t have the energy we once did…..and I know you’ve tried this before….running federally. But, man, could you do this community and this whole area a lot of good in Ottawa. And I think you have the potential to be an impact player. Anyway, don’t get political locally too often in cktimes, but wanted to offer up that little bit of verbage….Am also excited to have another old friend, Tom McGregor, going for the top spot in Chatham-Kent….I think we need some fresh air and fresh ideas in Chatham-Kent these days, although Randy Hope has helped bring some jobs to our community…..So, there you have it…..I met both these guys my first day in Wallaceburg away back on August 17, 1985. Both quality guys. Now if only I could coax Don Laprise out of retirement…..

Do you know that a lot of people brand me as a socialist. It’s sort of true, but I’m more of an amalgam of political ideologies. I think we need strong government in some areas – social safety nets, help for the poor and downtrodden, health care, education, likely roads and a few other areas. But it needs to get out of whole lot of areas where it’s really not needed….gaming, the economy, the arts, senior citizen’s affairs, sport and recreation….I mean, I could go on and on. And think how you could cut taxes if you reduced the government to, say, about one third of the size it is now. I think it’s quite doable with a little intestinal fortitude on the part of a government. And I think after the initial shock and awe died down, you’d find that people would like the new slimmer version of government and they’d have a whole lot more money to stimulate the economy so the government wouldn’t have to do it artificially. I’m telling you, folks, make me king for maybe a month and I think I could really make some things happen. The only problem I have is nobody listens to me. Wives, kids, pets….no one wants to hear what I’ve got to say. And that’s because it’s usually tough medicine. People sometimes think because I’m a bit of an artist and a dreamer and an idealist that I don’t have a realistic view of life on the planet. To the contrary, mon ami. I know exactly what’s going on on the planet and in provincial politics….I’ve been around the block after 35 years in the newspaper business. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it all. And it’s usually the common sense that’s lacking….

Do you know why Americans don’t save more money for their old age. Well, according to one of the guys at the coffee table (I won’t say which one because he’d likely deny it), a huge number of the American right think the world is going to end fairly soon, so there’s not a lot of reason to save for old age. Strange, but true. I think. And I do know about that December 21, 2012 thing with the end of the Mayan calendar and, well, you know…..but maybe they ran out of money to finish the calendar…..that kind of stuff happens in advanced civilizations all the time. It’s hard to say whether it would be good to have advanced warning before the end or whether it would be better if it just sort of happened while you were sleeping. I have mixed emotions about it. But remember from my history classes at university that back when the first millennium turned – that would be 1,000 AD – huge numbers of people committed suicide because they were sure the world was gonna end away back then….So, it’s been going on for a while….It’s a weird type of situation living life always on the edge…

Out of time for another week and really ranting away. Hope you’re ready for fall…Take care and remember…..”Hew to the line; let the chips fall where they may.”



John Gardiner is a 25-year-veteran of the community newspaper business, but he is also a prolific writer of moralistic short fiction he refers to as "emotional thoughtscapes" or "adult fables". Samples of his fiction can be found at:

He has also produced a noteworthy piece of humanist philosophy which can be found at: http://www.xs4all.nl/~aboiten/ad502.htm He welcomes comments on his work.