THE JOY OF BEING MAYOR
![Canadians have always had difficulty in deciding if the practice of politics is a necessity, pastime, racket or folly. Politicians command everything from admiration to scorn and even a standard dictionary allows for a politician to be either "one versed or experienced in the science of government" or "one primarily interested in political offices or the profits from them as a source of private gain."](javascript:ImgPop('Poking into Politics', 'Canadians have always had difficulty in deciding if the practice of politics is a necessity, pastime, racket or folly. Politicians command everything from admiration to scorn and even a standard dictionary allows for a politician to be either "one versed or experienced in the science of government" or "one primarily interested in political offices or the profits from them as a source of private gain."', 'Copyright © MacEwan-Foran Collection.', '../images/gallery/GrantMac_457_det.jpg', 1); "Poking into Politics")
Poking into Politics
Copyright 1966 The Institute of Applied Art Ltd.
192 pages
"Were you on his farm when this happened?" was my next question and she replied in the affirmative. When I inquired what she was doing there, she said again: "None of your business." Sensing futility in pursuing the matter, I said: "Anyway, you must call the Mounted Police rather than city police if this happened in the country."
"Huh," she said, concluding the conversation, "they'll just ask a lot of questions too and I won't tell them anything."
Quite a few of the most unusual calls during my term in office were from women. A Saturday morning caller said: "I want to speak to the Mayor."
"All right," I replied. "You're talking to him."
"Mayor, I want to know what you're going to do to make your streets safer for women at night."
"I'm sorry if you find it necessary to ask," I replied. "What's this all about?"
"Well, I was molested on your street last night."
Speaking' with genuine sincerity, I said: ''I'm terribly disturbed to hear this. Did you report the matter to our police?"
"The police," the woman gasped. "No, I did not. The police don't know I'm in town and I don't intend to enlighten them."
When the telephone rang on another Saturday morning, the operator announced: "Boston calling the Mayor of Calgary. If you're the Mayor, go ahead." Again it was a woman's voice. "You're the Mayor of Calgary?
Well, my name is Thelma and I've just had a baby. I want you to locate Tom in your city. He's the father of my baby and I can't find him to tell him what he should know. It's your city so please find him and make him get in touch with me."
To at least some people, a Mayor's time cannot be considered as valuable. Apparently a city school teacher instructed, as a class exercise, that each pupil phone the Mayor to obtain the answer to a question of the child's choosing. In the space of 24 hours, 26 childish voices were heard and answers given to 26 questions ranging from: "What's the Mayor's salary?" to "Will we be able to have firecrackers in Centennial Year?"
It would be easy for the public servant to ignore the telephone and its monotonous ringing. The unlisted number would afford a few hours of relief at home but, to the credit of elected officials, it has been used only rarely. Every Alderman, Mayor or Member of Legislature or Parliament has had reason to curse the phone but if he is a conscientious public servant, he will acknowledge the democratic right of citizens to reach him whenever it seems important to them. The person who is unwilling to listen should not be in public life.
