Recently I have been pondering the state of our community and the politics at play.  I went back through a number of the posts on GoCapeBreton.com to find two that were gnawing at my subconscious for some time:

Announcing the Winners of 2016

Tera Camus

https://capebreton.lokol.me/announcing-the-winners-of-2016-in-the-cbrm

7 Serious Questions about the CBRM Sustainability Fund

GoCapeBreton.com Team

https://capebreton.lokol.me/cao-responds-to-questions-about-the-cbrm-sustainability-fund

What I found specifically disturbing was a written (typed) statement from Michael Merritt the Cape Breton Regional Municipality's CAO.  Please read carefully:

"The policies of eligibility for sustainability are still in effect. Council, however, can go outside of policy and do from time to time."  Source: GoCapeBreton.com

That last assertion has profound implications.  When policies and guidelines are not followed and enforced they are merely a tool for exclusion.  In essence, if you are on the Good Side of Council then you don’t have to worry, the rules don’t apply; however, if you are on the Bad Side of Council those policies and guidelines are merely the means to rationalize your exclusion warranted or not.  I chose the word rationalize as it embodies the justification of a decision or an action that is performed without merit, cause or conscience.

In the CBRM, if those who are responsible for the ethical distribution of those funds are not bound by the policies and guidelines and if the majority of council are under the influence of any single agenda or person, then those funds are in fact nothing more than a Slush Fund.