Continuing yesterday’s discussion about my motivation to stay involved…..

I stated that there were a couple of key events during my wife’s service on Council that motivated me.

The next motivating moment involved another person who used to be a friend. It was many months after the 2014 election and Sylvia had been serving as a member of Wasaga Beach Council. It was certainly an interesting, challenging first few months. It had become obvious to most following that Council, that there were five members always supporting the same side of issues. Brian spoke and four would follow. This left two members of Council to vote with their heart. Sylvia wasn’t the following type unless she agreed with an issue and she always chose to vote with her heart. Prior to the election, we had never even met Nina Bifolchi who was now the Deputy Mayor. Over the four years they served in those positions they disagreed and voted differently several times. Despite this, the Brian Smith camp claimed the two always voted no to everything. Quite the contrary, most votes were 7-0. However when an issue had been researched and it showed they should oppose, both of these women would not be intimidated to “voting along”. Discussing the merits of these opposing votes was uncomfortable for those on social media, so to detract from the business at hand it was easier to simply discredit one of them with a derogatory Nick-name.

One day while visiting a friend, the discussion about politics came up. This friend was a part of the Brian Smith social circle and he told me that it was Mayor Brian who had coined the phrase “No No Nina”.

Now, just like Brian’s mis-step prior to the election, my friend actually thought I would be impressed and think Brian was pretty clever. Quite the contrary, I recognized even then, that derogitory nicknames are a tool that some people use to attack those they fear or despise. In this case I suspect it was fear. Not only did Nina Bifolchi vote with her heart, but she always explained that vote, particularly if she was casting her vote contrary to the majority of Council. This was intimidating to those who simply wanted Mayor Brian to be unopposed, so if she was tagged as always saying no. It would benefit public opinion against her. It didn’t matter that probably less than 5% of her votes were in opposition.

Now nicknames are nothing new to me. Even I have occasionally slipped and used them. But I usually recognize what I have done and correct it if it’s hurtful. But this “No No” thing was different. It soon became an organized campaign and it worked. To this day people still repeat it.

Knowing that Brian Smith was in a group that originally coined this tag was enough for me. Moving forward there was really not much chance anyone could convince me to even consider Brian Smith as fair or decent politician. This was only a matter of months into the 2014-18 term of office.

Over the next week, I hope to go back and re-live some more “Brian Smith mis-steps”. I often hear Mayor Smith these days say he is moving forward like a Jet Plane and doesn’t want to look to the past. There is good reason for that… the past is FILLED with reasons anyone truly wanting to know the truth will choose not to ever vote for him again.

I suspect there will be several mis-steps in the next few years, but tomorrow I hope to have time to discuss the truth behind the incredible extended battle known as “Cowardgate.”

Thanks for continuing to join in these discussions. Eventually I will put together a table of contents so that people can go back easily to find a story they recall reading that they want to share with their friends.