When the US first shipped off into Iraq I recall finding Andrew Olmstead’s website and was reading it for awhile. As time marched on, I read less and less until I don’t even recall the last time I checked his site. This morning I was watching Fox news and they had a story on him - of his death. I recognized the name and when they mentioned he had his final post on his website, posted after his death, I had to check again. I can certainly relate when he says he died doing a job he loved. For him at least the war is over.

So recently an American artist Patricia Renick died and at the funeral her partner gave out envelopes of her ashes to friends and family. Instructions were to spread them anywhere that they felt it would be appropriate. She is now part of a museum courtyard in Kansas City to a Tibetan mountain amongst the Buddhist prayer flags. I think that’s what I want done when I leave this world, to travel even more in death.

So it’s finally happened. Larry O’Brien has been charged with two Criminal Code offenses in connection to bribing Terry Kilrea. This morning I was listening to my alarm clock and on CFRA they had a webpoll of what citizens thought - should O’Brien step aside or should he stay as Mayor through this process. I was shocked to find over 70% (of just under 2500 people) vote that he should stay as Mayor. I’m confused. Isn’t this the guy that has insisted on not raising taxes, even when it becomes obvious they must be? Increased fees for city services (haven’t Pee Wee hockey ice fees tripled)? You may not be increasing my taxes, but you are doubling or tripling fees for my services - bus tickets, dog licenses, ice fees. Along with believing that when he was first elected he didn’t have to ‘play nice’ and work with elected city councillors. Wants final say on every hire the city is making? Do you have no faith in your own employees? Do you really need to micro-manage every area of city administration? You want to cut city costs by eliminating administration staff overhead, perhaps you should just fire all your managers, since it seems you don’t think they can do their jobs properly. They tell you where to cut costs, and why, but you don’t believe them so you go out and spent how many thousands of dollars on a consultant who tells you the same thing? That was a good financial decision, great spending of my tax dollars. Thanks. Oh, and your comment on CBC News that the average city employee makes over 85,000$/yr? My ass. I can so guarantee that poor front counter clerk that gives me my dog license doesn’t make anywhere close to that.

You were elected to public office. You are expected to be held to a higher degree of credibility and respect of the law. If the Crown OPP is charging you under the Criminal Code, it means that they are pretty sure they can get a conviction, they don’t usually toss charges around like a traffic ticket or waste their time. I think that whatever credibility you had, is long gone, as you have been chipping away at it since you have been elected. It’s time to step aside until this mess is resolved. Even if the courts dismiss the charges, I don’t think you or your office would (should) have much respect left from the public.