An anonymous member provides a tongue-in-cheek annual report about City Council for 2024
Happy New Year, everyone! Each member of City Council has been invited by Barrie Today to give an annual wrap-up column - this "inspired" one of our members to write their own. They've asked to remain anonymous, so a reminder that EBO publishing on members' behalf does not necessarily reflect any official position of the organization.
Posted by Anonymous Member
A Year in Review: Barrie’s Leadership – A Comedy of Errors
Ah, Barrie, what a year it’s been—another season of political theatre where real problems are avoided, and photo ops reign supreme. Let's take a look at the highlights from a year of spectacular showboating.
First, the homelessness crisis—or should we call it the temporary inconvenience? Instead of addressing the root causes like affordable housing, mental health services, and addiction support, the council's solution was simple: remove the tents. Problem solved! Sure, the people who were living in those tents are still out there, but now we just get to ignore them. It’s like playing a game of Whack-a-Mole, except instead of fixing anything, we’re just moving the problem around. Bravo, Barrie, you've won the clean sidewalk contest, but let’s see if we can solve the real issues next year.
And then there’s the budget—Barrie’s crowning achievement. No tax increase. Why raise taxes when we can continue pretending that services are magically funded by good vibes? Who cares if rising service costs are squeezing the city’s resources? As long as no one’s taxes go up, we’re golden! It’s like running a lemonade stand and refusing to charge for the lemonade. No idea where the money’s coming from, but don’t worry, we’ll figure it out... maybe.
Now, let’s talk about those Christmas cards. In a city that prides itself on its diversity, what better way to show inclusivity than sending out a Christmas card that only acknowledges Christmas? Diwali, Hanukkah, Eid? Not in the budget. Nothing screams "community" like sending a card that only reflects one group’s celebration. It’s the perfect metaphor for Barrie’s approach to inclusivity—just pretend everyone fits in the same box and hope for the best.
Speaking of inclusivity, let’s talk about female councillors—or more specifically, the selective scrutiny they’ve faced this year. You know, the ones who actually give a damn about people. Shocking, right? Instead of playing the political game like everyone else, they’ve focused on the actual issues—like listening to their constituents and caring about people. Of course, this has led to them being overshadowed and picked on for not being “political enough.” It’s almost like having empathy and caring about people in Barrie is a radical act. Can’t be too nice, after all. Compassion doesn’t win elections, right?
And let’s not forget the speed cameras—I mean, who needs to fix infrastructure or invest in real solutions when you can just sit back and watch the money roll in, right? After all, who doesn’t love a good cash grab disguised as a safety initiative? Sure, they say it’s about slowing traffic, but anyone with a brain knows it’s really about generating revenue. A little flash of a camera, a fine in your mailbox, and boom—Barrie’s got more cash in the coffers. Accountability? Who needs it when you can just put a camera on every corner and call it “progress”?
So, as we wrap up another year of "political success," the question remains: Will Barrie continue pretending that clearing tents and avoiding tax increases will solve anything? Will our empathetic councillors ever get a chance to address the real issues? Or will we keep celebrating hollow victories, like Christmas cards that exclude half the city? Only time will tell.
Here's to another year of photo ops, blame-shifting, and just enough progress to make it look like something’s happening.
Engage Barrie Organization encourages our members and guests to contribute blog posts on a variety of topics that fall under our "equitable, empowered, engaged" umbrella, in the hopes of sharing a variety of perspectives and experiences.
Please be aware that the views and opinions expressed by our blog contributors do not necessarily reflect any official position of Engage Barrie Organization.
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