Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Disingenuous and Duplicitous - Indeed!

When former colleagues of yours are called names you take notice.

Burlington Councillors and Mayor Cam Jackson were recently called "disingenuous" and "duplicitous" by Hamilton Councillor Margaret McCarthy according to the today's Hamilton Spectator.

Let's see "duplicitous": Comes from the word "duplicity". It means tricky, suggests you're deceitful. It implies double dealing.

And "disingenuous" - lacking simplicity, frankness or sincerity; not straightforward; crafty.

Flamborough representative McCarthy uttered these harsh words after Burlington Council came up with what was described as a "compromise" position on the possible expansion of Waterdown Road.

When the name calling comes from a Hamilton politician, in a city where a major achievement is to get a quorum for a council meeting and civility and respect for the public are not often present - well, as my father use to say "consider the source."

The only thing achieved by such mud flinging is to raise the name calling politician's profile in the local press. Mission accomplished.

McCarthy is also quoted as saying the city's new position is "not defensible." This "d" word comment merits consideration.

One can argue that there is no Burlington position now. Not yet. Staff have been asked to take another look at the file.

One suspects, however, that when they come back with the same professional opinion that they put forward a year ago and when the various other experts (Conservation Authority, Escarpment Commission and Regional Planners) hold firm we'll find that Burlington may be on the hook for most of the costs of the inevitable road widening.

That will be disappointing. And taxpayers will be disgruntled.