Here's to the graduates

We are in the graduation season.

I have been to many graduations. As Mayor and formerly as an MP I have attended all kinds of graduations, for high school, junior high school, elementary school, pre-school, hockey school, barbershop school, mechanics school. I have attended university convocations, community college ceremonies, and others.

This year marks the most important graduation I have ever attended as my daughter, Emma, will graduate from Dartmouth High School and head to university. Now I better understand the tears of pride that I have seen on the parents of graduates as I suffocated in the heat on stage at the Dartmouth Sportsplex for so many years. I couldn't be prouder of my baby girl as she takes this major step in her life. It even eases the pain of re-mortgaging our house to buy a prom dress.

I remember my own graduation, in the last century, from Prince Andrew. As a baby boomer I was part of a graduating class of about 600 students as I recall. I must say that back then I really don’t recall thinking that much about whether to attend university, it was assumed that I would go and I did. Today's grads put more thought into their decisions and, I think, are under more pressure to make the right choice.

In any event, this year is special for our family. And our other child, Conor, is graduating from junior to senior high school. Now that is definitely a much more celebrated advancement than it was when I moved from Caledonia to PA.

But in this season of celebrating scholastic success there are some ceremonies that are particularly heart -warming for me. On Monday evening I attended the Dartmouth Learning Network learner celebration. This wonderful organization is celebrating 30 years of helping adults who have had challenges to their ability to achieve scholastic success.

With a very small part time staff (who are fabulous) and a bevy of volunteers, they offer tuition free programs for adults with low literacy skills, assist in acquiring high school equivalency and prepare for employment. When these students graduate, it is a big deal. It is an honour to listen to their stories of perseverance and success.

Many of us are able to coast through much of our learning journey due to circumstance and natural advantage. Not so for these folks; they have worked and worked to achieve their goals. (Check them out at www.dartmouthlearning.net).

Next week I will attend a celebration of graduates from Pathways Spryfield. I visited them a few weeks ago, and was able to see them in action. They support young people to stay in school, provide mentoring and are making an incredible difference in our community (www.pathwaysspryfield.ca). Another group that is working on ensuring that our students achieve their goals is BridgeCat who use the Arts to reconnect students to educational attainment (http://bridgecat.ca ).  Another of my favorite programs is the ACEE program (Access to Community Education and Employment ). This unique program is designed to help youth with disabilities to transition to further learning or the job market (http://www.ilns.ca ).  As well, I have attended the graduation ceremonies of the FLECs program (Flexible Learning and Education Centres) of the Halifax School Board.

To hear the stories of these young adults who have had to make special effort to graduate is amazing. And the families who have supported the grads deserve (and receive) special recognition as well as the students.

Here is the thing. We all congratulate our new grads, and love to see them with pride and self-confidence. They deserve it. But there are many graduates who have taken a longer, more difficult journey. In some cases it is through absolutely no fault of their own. In some cases they will readily admit that they made mistakes and made their own journey, and their families journey more angst ridden.

In any event, to see people achieve their goal is special. And when they have travelled a more difficult route it is even more special. Congratulations to all of our graduates, of all abilities, of all ages, of all circumstance. We need you all, and we wish you well. Enjoy your special day

Big debate, big decisions

On April 29 we had a marathon Council meeting that started at 10 a.m. and finished at 10 p.m.  But, I have come to realize after 10 years in elected office that longevity is not necessarily a mark of success.

Meetings can be long, legislative sessions can be long, and political careers can be long without being marked by achievement. Politicians are not successful simply by outlasting others. Certainly there are cases where this is so, but many politicians survive by avoiding decisions or acquiescing to popular will. Popular opinion does not always lead to right decisions.

When I ran for Mayor I said I wanted to help create a Council atmosphere where there is respect for each other, and where policy overcomes personal animosity. And I have seen that happen. People tell me they see a Council that is more focused and strategic. This is very important, but it is only a platform from which to govern effectively - to make decisions, to move the ball.

I have no appetite for a Council that agrees on everything, where debate is perfunctory. Democracy demands difference of opinion, it is based on it. But effective democracy thrives when differences are considered and decisions are made without fighting or rancor. Legislative bodies that operate on the best democratic principles are increasingly rare which is why I take great pride in our Council.

Sure, some of the Councillors irritate me on occasion, and I irritate them. There is nothing inherently wrong with that, as long as we keep some perspective.

So back to April 29...

On that day Council heard -  and rejected - an appeal on 22^nd Commerce Square; approved the new city brand; passed a new sister city framework; and held a public hearing on planning amendments for Nova Centre, which were approved.

We had a good debate on the issues, some of them contentious. But we made decisions and we are moving ahead.

Since that meeting we have passed the revised Regional Plan, had a robust discussion on Dr. Don Clairmont's review of public safety, dealt with another step in the future of St. Pat’s Alexandra school site, and approved the general outline of the massive redevelopment plan for the Cogswell interchange lands.

Not only are we making important decisions, we are making decisions that align with our strategic goals: economic development and growing the population. From this flows all the things we want to do to better our community.

This past weekend I was at Federation of Canadian Municipalities meetings where I was proud to represent our city and our Council.

We have taken on new initiatives in areas like housing, health, accessibility for disabled citizens, and public safety. We have new and exciting development in Halifax, particularly in the urban core,. Our new Central library will open in the fall and is garnering international accolades and the Nova Centre is progressing. We have managed our budget effectively so that we have been able to hold the line on taxes, which amazes many other municipalities.

As we move further from a brutal winter and into summer we have much on our plate. But I think we have shown that even though we will disagree on issues we will find a way to get things done.