SaltToday

Sparks fly: Council votes to remove Champlain monument from park

Hopefully the councillors who voted to remove the statue will pay the price come election time, there is many Yays and Nays on the topic, but the SILENT majority will surely remember this idiotic decision of removing the statue yet again by the majority of councillors, talk about wasting money !

- Grouchy

Sparks fly: Council votes to remove Champlain monument from park

This is ridiculous. It's a piece of art. What next book burning because words hurt feelings... Leave the statue alone.

- Kkdd

Sparks fly: Council votes to remove Champlain monument from park

Remember councillors Whitney Smith and Ralph Cipolla's names come election time.

- retired optimist

Sparks fly: Council votes to remove Champlain monument from park

McIsaac decides unilaterally to return a statue to a park without any consultation at the city’s expense, refuses to talk with the local paper because he can’t handle the comments, goes against his own staff to replace their CAO choice with his own & you find it baffling?Why are every one of your posts decidedly anti-Durnford & pro-McIsaac? People hiding behind screen names just to target people & not have to deal with consequences.

- Danny Galea

Sparks fly: Council votes to remove Champlain monument from park

Silent majority, the MAGA buzzword they love to use. If the mayor hadn’t decided to “store” the statue in a park, he wouldn’t have been wasting your money doing something he knew or ought to have known was going to cause more divide. The right wing used to care about corruption. But I guess it’s fine because you want a statue.

- Danny Galea

Sparks fly: Council votes to remove Champlain monument from park

It's no longer about the statue. It's about the fact that the Mayor deliberately manipulated the democratic system for his own personal goals. Council specifically said they would defer it to the next council to decide. He purposefully went around council by word smithing "storing" the statue. This is no longer a statue issue.

- IHaveSomethingToSay

Sparks fly: Council votes to remove Champlain monument from park

I appreciate the leadership of Durnford, Fallis, and Campbell in holding the Mayor accountable for his actions. We deserve to know the details and who if anyone else was involved. The Mayor has clearly lost the confidence of Council, not to mention many many residents. Not only for the statue but his ridiculous behaviour during Council meetings.

- Mal Wright

Sparks fly: Council votes to remove Champlain monument from park

It’s baffling that councillor Durnford has taken no action with the integrity commissioner. Empty words. No integrity! Shame!

- Flax Seed

Sparks fly: Council votes to remove Champlain monument from park

I hope they investigate the mayor breaking the democratic process and manipulating the motion to "store".

- IHaveSomethingToSay

COLUMN: Mayor's move has rendered statue 'unbearably toxic'

I think Mark gives very generous assumption in writing that “McIsaac lacked the wisdom to see how horribly divisive replacing the statue would be, how much work toward reconciliation it would undo, and how terribly hurtful it would be to people who have already suffered so much.”Those of us who have been oppressed by violence in any of its forms easily recognize a man who cares more about control than about human beings and our experiences. We see it like most see a shiny red car parallel parked. We see it the way most see smoke rising from a chimney or a cliff edge. It’s effirtless.Based on his actions and his choices as mayor, especially about controversial and divisive issues, it’s my opinion that Don McIssac is one of those men who value control and power over most everything else. In my experience, those who live like this have very low emotional IQs and regulation skills—whether by choice or by circumstance (usually) from younger years.We need better leaders.

- Jenny Mac

Sparks fly: Council votes to remove Champlain monument from park

Well done everyone involved in reinstituting democracy and process, and listening to Huron-Wendat and Rama First Nation

- Peter Fyfe

Sparks fly: Council votes to remove Champlain monument from park

There needs to be some ruling about being on city council just because they have a store & a “detective agency” in town. It has been at least a decade since Cipolla lived in city limits. Smith obviously doesn’t live here if she is using her little unit at the end of the all but forgotten Royce St to run for mayor. You should have to live within city limits to be mayor.

- Danny Galea

Council holding special meeting Friday over fate of Champlain

I do not understand nor agree with the local Indigenous population who demand and expect to have the overriding decision on which historical information is included in our Orillia mosaic. I believe my history is at least as important as the local Indigenous version. Suggest the monument be moved to the Art and Cultural center on Peter St as we the taxpayers are paying dearly to continue to support that institution. Surely Orillia can make some decisions that do not require the pre-approval of the local Indigenous people.

- Tim 21

Sparks fly: Council votes to remove Champlain monument from park

They never voted to have the statue in the park in the first place. The Mayor is the one ignoring the democratic system, manipulating council, and wasting tax payer money.

- IHaveSomethingToSay

Sparks fly: Council votes to remove Champlain monument from park

You're upset with her, but not Don?

- MJPA

Sparks fly: Council votes to remove Champlain monument from park

Love the fact that the "committee" is simply just the mayor and that the terms of reference for this committee was conveniently removed from the public website prior to this meeting. Very suspicious. What is quorum? Surely a minimum of 3 people are needed to have a valid committee.

- IHaveSomethingToSay

Council holding special meeting Friday over fate of Champlain

I vote for the statue to be in the park. Not more of the taxpayers money spent to move it over and over. It is a beautiful bronze sculpture that should be enjoyed by the people who love it and not looked at by the people who don't.

- Polo

Sparks fly: Council votes to remove Champlain monument from park

I would not have thought it was possible to have a worse Mayor than Ken McCann, but it appears I was wrong. ( Typo in my first comment)

- Gerry C.

COLUMN: Mayor's move has rendered statue 'unbearably toxic'

Mark - you so perfectly represent Orillia. Humanity. History. Kindness. Reason. On this issue, as on all issues, you see both sides and understand both sides. You understand process, democracy and even, disagreement. I think I speak for many Orillians when I say. PLEASE run for mayor.

- John R.

COLUMN: Mayor's move has rendered statue 'unbearably toxic'

Talk is cheap , throw your hat in the ring and see if u can do a better job.

- Mel St.Onge

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