“Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me; fool me three times …”
Bob Rae with his Social Contract – which was most surely a one-way contract – fooled the people of Ontario. Coming into power as the 21st Premier of the province from October 1, 1990 to June 26, 1995, almost immediately he bit the hand that fed him by turning on the very union supporters who helped put him into office. He didn’t have the chutzpah to “social contract” with big business. The people of Ontario did wise up and Rae’s NDP crashed in the poles.

Subsequently, in April 5, 2006, Rae applied for membership in the Liberal Party of Canada and abandoning the NDP and the principals he claimed so adamantly for so many years to support. Only the blind could not see that this was only a step toward his eventual run for the leadership of the Federal party that year now that he was clearly out of favour with Ontario’s voters.

Rae soon found that even federally he was not to be so well received. Coming only third, Rae lost his bid for the leadership in the third round of Convention balloting behind two other soon-to-be has-bins of the Federal Liberal party. Now he is established as a third-placed candidate in a third-placed party.

But, give him credit, Rae is no quitter. Machiavellian, yes, but no quitter. When offered the “interim” leadership of the Liberals, Rae “humbly” assumed the role with the clear understanding among Liberal brass that he would not run for the leadership when the leadership convention is held. At the recent policy convention, however, Rae appeared to be preening himself for an eventual run at the leadership notwithstanding.

Does anyone really believe Bob Rae will not run for the leadership? Indeed, does anyone really believe the Federal Liberals, lacking any other serious leadership material at this time, having, in the last federal election, placed lower than ever before in their history–well behind the NDP–will not make him their next leader? Certainly he can’t run for any other party!

While Machiavelli has been more vilified as unscrupulous than he deserves: after all in The Prince he merely reported the facts of how political power is obtained and kept. Bob Rae, on the other hand, seems to have mastered the art of grasping for power. When he gets it, will he be able to keep it? Or, will Canadians wise up to this modern-day Machiavellian politician?

Those who did attend heard alarming stories that elicited shock, tears and anger.

In time we may understand what big shoulders he had and how much of a burden he carried for the poor, the weak, the least protected of our society.

Rest in peace Mr. Layton, your country will miss you!

Have you heard of Web sites “Rate Your Teacher,” “Rate Your Doctor,” or the like? There is only one word to describe them: cowardly! Ranting and raving at anyone through a public forum without giving one’s real name is spineless. Lacking the courage to comment and own up to those comments is low. Why does anyone take them seriously? Are their sights set so low that these comments pass for entertainment?

Honest commentary demands honest ownership. The right to speak freely comes with a responsibility to accept full responsibility for saying it. However, responsibility and certainly courage are in glaring absence with many, if not most, of the commentators ascending on these sites. The authors of the many anonymous diatribes that appear there are, in short, pathetic. Some are little more than mealy-mouthed character assassinations!

Take more specifically, “Rate Your Teacher.” Many simple-minded students, disgruntled because they do not get their way in some classroom, take pot shots at the educators who have the gumption to call them on their conduct or grades. If honest comment if warranted, surely ought to require the commentator to be mature enough to own the remarks. Indeed, if they were sincere, they would approach the teacher, and work out their differences. That, of course, is the grown up way! Cowards are a dime a dozen. Real courage to speak the truth is a rare commodity.

What galls me most about such sites is not simply the cowardice of many of the authors, but the greater cowardice of the site owners. They cop out of their responsibility to be fair and just to all parties affected by the various comments. Instead, the site owners hide behind the caveat that they “are not responsible for the comments of our contributors.”

Yet, we should hold them accountable! They decide what will go in and what will not. They need to be responsible for that decision just as if they had made the comments themselves, IF, and I stress IF, those commentaries are to remain anonymous. Only they have control over what appears on their sites but them!

One of the many things I admire about Editor Doug Draper is he will not allow anonymous comments to appear on “Niagara At Large”. If one wishes to have his/her voice heard, he/she must own the remarks. There is no hiding behind a wall of anonymity. No cowardly sniping from cyberspace allowed. They must own up or not comment! When the owner’s name appears, Doug is off the hook! He provides an open forum and contributors are accountable for what they submit.

Three cheers for those who have the courage to stand by what they say. Many “boos” to those who cower and hide behind the by-line “Anonymous”!

Own up, or shut up!