The Host With The Most

I am glad to see that I was able to provide the excuse for the failure of Eddie's meeting for the hundreds of mayors in Canada and the US who were to come here on Friday to talk about passports and such.

According to the Star the session "has been postponed, largely because the date conflicted with the beginning of the U.S. Memorial Day holiday weekend, city officials said on Wednesday."

It did not really matter though. Eddie got the headline and the Editorial so who cares if the meeting ever takes place. Pretending to act is almost as good as acting in an election year.

Of course, if there had been proper planning at City Hall, this would never have happened. It is another failing of this Administration. I guess no one there had a calendar that showed holidays in the US. It sounds so reminiscent of the fiasco involving the Windsor City Council meeting in Tecumseh. Everything last minute and then scramble.

However, this is NOT the important part of the story.

"A new date for the mayors' seminar will hopefully be scheduled for later in June with the expectation 70 to 80 mayors will come to Windsor based on expressed interest, said a spokesman for Mayor Eddie Francis."

Then I saw this story in the London Free Press this morning. There was a "Southwest Economic Assembly, a historic gathering of business, academic and political leaders in Stratford." The purpose was to unite Southwestern Ontario if it is to survive as an economic power. "Fierce global competition is forcing regions to co-operate and abandon old rivalries, assembly attendees agreed."

Our Mayor was there (I hope he did not give a speech talking about the border since Windsor has been identified as the trouble spot since we cannot agree on how to build a road to the bridge!) He said ""We have to put progress ahead of politics. That's what what our constituents, our economies depend on," said Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis, who offered to hold a followup meeting this summer to formulate detailed plans."

There, don't you see it. Eddie knows our downtown business is in big trouble. So what is he doing about it? Simple---running around everywhere offering to host seminars and meetings! First for US and Canadian mayors, then SW Ontario politicians.

In the Star story, it said "Francis said he is considering sending letters to U.S. senators or visiting Washington to speak directly to lawmakers." I bet he offers to hold a meeting for them here as well to see the situation first hand!