I had a real moment of panicked unreality earlier this evening on my walk. It was my cerebral cortex telling me that yes indeed my city of Toronto has a mayor who smokes crack cocaine and who also utters death threats with a pure and animated violence. And that this is recognition that the situation is not going to go away. It was as if the ghosts of Louis-Hypolite LaFontaine and Robert Baldwin have come back from the dead to roam the citys November streets and touch our responsible government civic antennae once again in the long aftermath of the rebellion of William Lyon Mackenzie and his rebels of 1837. And what were they rebelling against? The corruption and injustices of local politicians known as the Family Compact*. *The Family Compact emerged from the War of 1812 and collapsed in the aftermath of the Rebellions of 1837. Their resistance to the political principle of responsible government contributed to its short life. At the end of its lifespan, the Compact would be condemned by Lord Durham as a petty corrupt insolent Tory clique.
Posted on: Fri, 08 Nov 2013 05:55:12 +0000
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