Mayor Clarke Wants a Retreat - Kids of Cape Breton Want to Eat

Don’t be too put out by what you’re staring at right now. I didn’t hack Mayor Cecil Clarke’s vacation photos. What I did do was borrow Vince Vaughn's body from the movie Couples Retreat. And with the Photoshop skill level of the average 12-year-old nowadays, I digitally grafted our mayor’s handsome mug over Mr. Vaughn's.


Political topics draw partisan crowds. That’s just a snazzy way the stiff suits use to describe picking a team and rooting for it no matter what their record is (Montreal vs Toronto - or maybe Boston?). Same deal.

But this isn’t the playoffs. It’s life. As a struggling, declining island, losing as many as ~1,000 good folks a year to the exodus, we can’t afford to act like fans when it comes to electing community leaders.

1,000 Cape Bretoners a year. I know you won’t doubt those stats. You spent the last two days hearing from people devastated or angry by the news of the 17 schools they are closing.

It makes sense when you recall the CBC telling us we are losing as many as 500 enrolled students per year - and 40 much-needed teaching jobs were axed.

So I know some of you may feel the featured graphic is in poor taste. Just be glad I exercised enough restraint not to go with images of Couples Retreat’s Salvadore, the yoga instructor in the movie who had somewhat unconventional methodology. Google it at your own risk.

But there is a valid reason for creating this kind of visual perspective. If you think it has a sense of ridiculousness and poor taste to it, I agree.

However, I want to share something far more ridiculous, and in far more poor taste than this image. And if the image gets that conversation started, it will have done its job.

If you missed it, you need to check out Mary Campbell’s article on the Port of Sydney Development Corporation’s meeting minutes and their highlights... or as she suggests... the lack thereof: Nothing to See Here: Port of Sydney Publishes Meetings.

Today I’m going to ask you to focus on just one small snippet from the minutes of the port corp meeting back in June 2015. Mary alerted us to it in her article. And just so there’s no mystery in what I’m going to suggest today… here’s a spoiler:

I find it very concerning. Take a look for yourself:

Just as Mary told us, the minutes reveal one of the matters of interest - that Mayor Cecil Clarke raised during those port meetings - was:

Taking the board members on a retreat.

By the way, these are the same board members that aren’t supposed to be board members at all... as per the articles of incorporation. See here:

A Port Corp that Isn’t “Self-Sustainable” Now Wants to Go on a Retreat?

In the great piece written by Tom Ayers of LocalXpress.ca, the CEO of the port corp, Marlene Usher, is quoted as saying:

“So I wouldn’t describe us as self-sustainable now”

In a moment of actual off-the-cuff transparency, the CEO admitted that the port corp isn’t self sustainable. It’s actually not much of a revelation.

They are burning through leftover funds from the harbour dredge; they are not paying their lease to the CBRM and owe $1.4 Million+ to the citizens; and Usher’s $200,000 annual salary is paid for by the CBRM and ACOA. As an extra bonus, CBRM CAO Merritt is also kicking in an additional $100,000 of taxpayer money to keep them afloat.

So they certainly are not self-sustainable right now. And yet there is a certain level of grandiose poor judgement and disconnection when Mayor Clarke thought it was of enough importance to take the board (that shouldn’t be the board) on a retreat.

It’s time to talk about the children.

Do You Know What Else Isn’t Sustainable in Cape Breton?

There are seemingly so many answers to that question, you would have to try hard to get it wrong.

However, I would suggest one of the most important areas that Cape Breton is currently not sustainable with... is our children.

One third of Cape Breton’s children are living in poverty.

Repeat that line three times. Then try your best with goodwill and good conscience to agree that Mayor Cecil Clarke needs to be worried about going on retreats.

Again, don’t take my word for it. Let the CBC tell you here. They will remind you that for kids from infant to 6 years of age, that rate is actually 42.7 percent.

Almost half of our youngest babies and children are now living below the poverty line. If you really want to have your heart broken, think about how that acts as a pipeline to children finding themselves in the custody of Community Services, Child Welfare. The stresses and failings of poor and struggling families is sometimes much darker than people dare to contemplate.

We need assurance that there is some strategy in place to reverse it, a leader with the vision to do so.

“If not the port, then what?” - Mayor Cecil Clarke

Yes, that’s a quote from our mayor, speaking to CBRM citizens in a town hall setting.

If a port strategy yields some positive results, it can be anywhere from good to great for us. Yet, it’s far from a sure thing. Let’s go with italics on this next paragraph. How many of these did you already know about?

No committed shipping company; no committed port operator; no committed financial backers; no secured or upgraded rail line; an incomplete dredge; incomplete navigational aids; HPDP exclusive marketers with uncertain port experience; a main contracting/engineering firm in CCCC banned by the World Bank; an automation strategy that will be in direct opposition to the unions; a Port of Sydney Development Corporation board of directors lacking of the qualifications to be on the board; the same port corp in debt to CBRM taxpayers and described by its CEO as not self-sustainable; the same CEO having no known port management or shipping industry experience; and various government officials who are gateways to gov money claiming they don’t have enough information about the port strategy.

Now take a breath. That was a heck of a list to get through without a pause. 

Do you want to put your full confidence in a mayor that is telling us he doesn’t seem to have any other options?

That’s more than enough to be concerned about long before you discover that he’s been floating ideas about going on retreats.

We just can’t bet everything on a port strategy that has so many uncertainties, so many missing pieces, and a price tag that will likely exceed a billion dollars that we don’t have committed.

Yes, a billion or more when we can't even afford to run the heavy garbage pickup program.

That’s Donald Trump level money and the most we’re going to get out of him is a bump in tourism courtesy of the creative wit and incomparably great timing of Rob Calabrese.

Let the Mayor Know He Needs to Hold Off on Retreats Until Our Kids’ Bellies are Full

Share this article to your friends and colleagues on Facebook. Have a discussion. Demand more of your mayor.

The spa, the sand, or the sanctuary can wait until some major progress is made. 

But if Mayor Clarke or CEO Usher really need a vacation, they will be able to pay their own way. Clarke makes $100,000+ per year, quite enough for a bachelor to get by on in Cape Breton, don't you think? Usher is pulling in $200,000.

When they are doing so well financially in a community where most are struggling to just get by, is it unreasonable to ask them to exercise a little bit better judgement?

Mayor Clarke: If you don’t fully understand the needs of families in Cape Breton, and the experience of living in poverty for children, please adjust your schedule and make sure you show up for the national poverty summit:

While we’re pleased that at least Councillor Flynn will show up to represent the CBRM, if you really believe that you should continue to be our mayor… you had better start understanding what it is like for the people that live here. You definitely are not representative of our struggling demographic.

Our lives aren’t all about travel budgets and retreats. For families with children, sometimes the day to day challenges are focused on how to afford something to eat.

Please comment and share. As a community, whatever you believe, everyone’s opinion matters.

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Let the mayor know he needs to hold off on retreats until our kids’ bellies are full.
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Lynn Hussey Follow Me
We Need to revolt! Never mind a'Walk of Concern' we need a good loud rowdy Revolt ! So disgusted with this bunch taking advantage and nothing being done to stop them. Talk about Nerve!!
Joe Ward My Post Follow Me
We don't have a mayoral candidate announced yet. However, our biggest revolt will be at the voting station in October. Until that time, we can continue to bring everything forward for discussion at goCapeBreton and all social media platforms. Voters deserve to know exactly what he's been up to... and the reality behind his exaggerated claims of success. Announcing an idea or a pre-feasibility report is fluff, not progress. We need to vote against all incumbent councillors who have voted with the mayor and haven't held him accountable. He could get away with much less if council was doing their job. Fortunately, there are several new choices for council that will be coming forward. Cecil Clarke seems to have very poor judgement. Prior to the social media era, these are the kinds of things that could slip through the cracks. I'm sure he's not very impressed with whomever included his desire for a retreat in the corporate minutes. I'm sure he would have loved the opportunity to classify it as confidential information. Welcome to the transparency era, Mr. Clarke.
Martha Ross Follow Me
You are so right Lynn.......
Wayne O'Toole Follow Me
So in a time when we are 2.4 million over budget (which astounds me in itself considering we had minimal snow removal and haven't a painted line on most roads), we have 32.6% of our children living in poverty (over 40% if you look at 1 to 6) and are cutting back many service such as heavy garbage and sewer treatment, that our mayor decides to treat the Port Board to a very expensive retreat. Maybe instead donate that share of money equally between food banks so people eat for a week? What is wrong with Cecil and council? They just want to rub it in our faces now that only they matter not anyone else? Down with Cecil in Oct and most of council, its time for us to boot him out of politics for good.
Joe Ward My Post Follow Me
The minutes don't indicate the type or cost of the retreat proposed. However, it's all the way bad judgement whether it be an all-day spa treatment in Sydney or a three-day Tibetan spiritual journey in the mountains. They should be focusing on one thing now: Adhering to the corporate articles for the Port of Sydney Development Corporation which (1) requires a board comprised of individuals with a cross-section of specific expertise, and (2) prohibits elected officials including mayor and council members from being on that board. They will argue that they are interim only. But that status is gone now that they've held the first annual general meeting, stated their intention to stay on the board, and provided no indication of progress towards identification and selection of a new board that meets the legal criteria to fulfill the role. What does this mean? It means that we have an unqualified board at the helm while they burn through our remaining dredge funds and continue usurping taxpayer dollars. Kevin Saccary doesn't know the difference between corporate entities and thinks all the money is just to be treated like husband and wife dipping into one another's purse or wallet. Is this the kind of guy we think should be making decisions over complex and expensive port development? Absolutely not. And that's why whoever wrote the articles of incorporation were smart enough to prohibit it expressly. This isn't per my interpretation. The qualification criteria is expressly defined in their own corporate articles. What is the result? Well, you have them burning through our harbour dredge fund ($2.5 Million), and you have them talking about taking board retreats when they are not even supposed to be there. I think that further emphasises that lack of judgement and qualification. This board needs to go, asap.
Lynn Hussey Follow Me
Wow..it's criminal. Tks. for this Joe.
Dan Yakimchuk Follow Me
We need to keep the pressure on, but we also need to spread the word using other formats and social media. I fear we are just talking to the converted. Given enough exposure, citizens will eventually see the trends in how they are being disrespected, but we need to shake it up a little more. There is nothing that gets a Caper more riled-up then seeing the self-serving “entitled” abusing authority and misusing our resources. I believe the focus should be on council’s inner-circle elite and all other council members that are not stepping up to the plate. This will only work if we can also provide alternative candidates that people can get behind, but there is still no word on who that may be at the higher level. We can complain all we want but people need a viable alternative. It’s not cheap running a campaign and those currently with power and money would likely prefer to keep the status quo. People do not always change because they see the light, but you can entice them to change by feeling the heat.
Lynn Hussey Follow Me
I agree with everything you said Dan; the only problem being is that it's so difficult to motivate us Cape Bretoners into action. We holler, complain, rant and rave but when it comes time to actually taking action, we founder. At times, I think we are just too laid back We 'had' good trustworthy leaders in the past, who weren't in it only for themselves but now, the tread is all about what's in it for them. No wonder we lose the desire to fight; IF there were only candidates who'd run who Were honest and not so self serving. It's discouraging.
Jim Murphy Follow Me
Yet again, a succinct, hit the nail on the head comment. Anyone reading this site already knows then competence residing within our municipal hallways. The world has moved on from a councillor being the 'guy down the road that gets the grant for ya'. I brought my family back to live on this beautiful island and continue to see the potential yet to be realised. I am not a political animal at all, and until a better system is created or evolves, realize we have to make do with what we have. That being said, certain individuals should not be living the high life on the backs of everyday Cape Bretoners. And from where I am sitting, that's exactly what I see!
Joe Ward My Post Follow Me
Absolutely Dan. Keep writing, talking, and sharing in every format available. Note: There are councillor candidates coming with the goal of removing the mayor's ability to do what he wants with the current spayed and neutered, and obedient council. There are also rumblings of strong mayoral candidates who are close to jumping in - and perhaps waiting for some thumbs up for backing. Every little bit helps. Interesting example: Bernie Sanders wrangled Hillary Clinton into essentially endorsing a $15 minimum wage in the New York debates this week. She previously was only talking about $12. There's a huge business lobby that obviously doesn't want anything to do with a $15 minwage. Case in point: Bernie Sanders is very mathematically unlikely to become the Democratic nominee to run for President. But he's impacting policy long before the election ever happens. We need to keep talking. Before election, during election, and afterwards. Every important idea shared is a small victory for *everyone* including those that are the subject of criticism.
Richard Collis Follow Me
Just an observation regarding the pic of Cecil. He is much fatter than the pic these days. Politicians get that way when they are in the trough for a while. ABC
Michael MacNeil Follow Me
This article was in the cape Breton Post today. Besides showing that the Shipping Industry have no plans of leaving ports close to the market and setting up in the North it also states that they built one port for $50 million and the second one is expected to cost $30 million. What were we quoted. This port board is all a big expensive joke. Also it is strange that after hiring A CEO and all the so called port experts, Sydney's 2016 season is down to 56`and Halifax is going to have a banner year http://www.capebretonpost.com/Canada---World/Business/2016-04-20/article-4503832/Port-of-Call%3A-South-Carolina-looking-at-second-inland-port/1 http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/cruise-ship-season-2016-1.3463940
Shirley MacLeod Follow Me
If our financial situation is worse now, it will be difficult to retain all the services we take for granted.Because of the massive amounts the Federal Liberals have doled out and are blaming the Pandemic as making it a must do situation.They certainly aren't in a situation to extend a lot of programs until the economy improves.So where is the money going to come from to tide families and businesses over until they can get get back on their feet ?. Businesses are going bankrupt ,families are losing their homes . This is putting extra strain on Social Services ,food banks ,and most non-profit organizations. The organizations could use the few grand it is going to cost for the workshop. The workshop, to bring new members up to speed, is necessary and could have been held in any CBRM structure that was available.But I think the public should have had the opportunity to let the Mayor and Council know what they feel is important to our area ,especially in light of the Big Build that is taking place.Then persons necessary to respond and give their position for the future four years and beyond could be heard at that time. I'm almost positive that one of the subjects that would be high on the public agenda would be a new Library. I notice there is nobody representing the voices of those who feel that a Library is absolutely necessary for progress ,not just in four years but everyday of the future. .
Joe Ward My Post Follow Me
Agree. Mayor McDougall and her Council's decision to hold strategy sessions at a commercial property rather than at one of their own freely available venues was a massive mistake. While this article is about Cecil Clarke, over 5 years ago, it's a good place for the comments, because it's precisely the same situation, and deserves the high level of criticism it's being rewarded with. I'm personally very unhappy with the decision. They should have known better and a couple of grand matters, especially when you're a community group applying to the sustainability fund for a small dollar amount and being told "no." :( If they don't realize the mistake and understand the magnitude, then the next four years will most certainly not even remotely come close to living up to expectation.
Wayne O'Toole Follow Me
I do agree, but I think it may open doors. If not I think they'll be under a tighter microscope. Open the window wide with transparency. Also it has relevance here because Micheal MacNeil has wonderful comments from the "Cecil" days and should be remembered. He just tried to make some difference, with no regard for personal gain. We need system changes, I don't think we'll survive otherwise. We aren't far from radical groups "storming" some capital or other. You cannot disregard optics. But I also believe it is time for a round table (or zoom) discussion with a diverse group of people, especially the marginalized. Not picked by council, like Urbaniuk suggested, then it's just another arm of government. I hope it begins, I can see something great if it is allowed to proceed
Joe Ward My Post Follow Me
To me, this is a very early fork in the road. McDougall either understands how this went wrong, or she may continue with the same approach. I think we elected her because we wanted a fundamentally different approach, but this has "What would Cecil do?" written all over it. However, in fairness, similar sessions during his administration were held openly at CBU and recorded (and I believe live streamed). What I expect happened in that room is that the same community groups shared their same challenges as usual, and the Council demonstrated their concern, but gave almost no indication of their ability to bring forth a real solution. Who amongst them is considered a creative or innovative (or even bold) solutions thinker? Just the other day, the CBRM CFO presented that commercial tax rates essentially aren't really a big deal, because if you compare the square footage cost of restaurants in downtown Halifax to downtown Sydney, it costs a lot more in Halifax. Umm, yah. If mayor and council buy into that, the only thing they're going to be focused on is breaking the tax cap, which they are unlikely to achieve because politicians everywhere are reluctant to get onboard with the predominant perspective being that it's going to hurt people. Given that they haven't bothered to model the effects of it, they can't rule out that it will.

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