It’s Silly Season

By SHERALYN ROMAN

Perhaps you're not familiar with “Silly Season.”

It would be no great surprise if you weren't as it only happens about once every four years and/or if a sitting government determines a calamity of such epic proportions, such as a dip in the ratings, requires a prorogation.

The weather is difficult to predict during silly season but is often dreary. You'll find it wet, miserable and rainy with no leaves on the trees (i.e.: Spring) or hot during the day and cooler in the evening and instead of no leaves on the trees, they are instead changing colour (i.e.: Fall.)  The only sure sign of silly season is literally, signs. Signs will begin appearing across the landscape faster than the dandelions decorate what's left of the rapidly disappearing grass, fields and farmland in Caledon. Much like the constantly changing, erratic and unpredictable weather of spring and fall, so too is the atmosphere of silly season. It's heavily charged, relentlessly unpredictable and it's not only the weather than runs hot and cold – people do too. It's about to begin. Are you prepared?

If you're still a bit confused, silly season is sometimes also known by its Latin name: Election Time. Election time is when some good people, with honest intentions of supporting community and making change for the general benefit of their friends and neighbours, announce their interest to do so. They begin collecting money, door knocking and taking selfies at every major community event they attend and then posting them to social media.

It is also when people of a more questionable nature begin plotting and scheming and promising and pontificating.

Some people are SO good at the latter that they make it VERY difficult to distinguish them from the former. Some of those people make silly promises at election time like “Buck A Beer,” while others promise, “Buck a Bus Ride.” Neither is really all that feasible but at least one appeals to environmentalists, transit riders, anti-413 proponents and those living without affordable access to public transportation.  

COVID notwithstanding, it's looking like we will be barrelling forward into full silly season mode with launch events taking place across the province. Some will feature folks prominently masked, particularly after they were seen NOT prominently masked at earlier events (Liberal leader Stephen Del Duca comes to mind.) Others will feature only the children masked while adults in the room are not. Yes, I'm talking about you Progressive Conservative Minister of Education Stephen Lecce. Why on earth did you recently visit a school, along with several other adults, all of whom were unmasked while posing for photos with a group of masked (aka smart) students? Obviously it's the kids who actually understand how COVID is spread. As for NDP Leader Horwath, she appears to be relentlessly masked and so earnest in her efforts to be safe that the worst we can say about her is how awkward it looks as she enters any crowded room of supporters and attempts to elbow bump the crowd. 

Suffice to say by the time you read this the “writ” will have formally dropped and the provincial election will be in full swing. Concurrently, just to add to the confusion of silly season, candidates who wish to run at a municipal level for a position as Council member, or Regional Council, or for Mayor's office, are now able to register and announce their intentions. Should you be interested in who has already thrown their “hat into the ring,” the information should be posted soon on the Town of Caledon's website. I'll give you a hint – chances are you'll see a familiar face or two – but perhaps not running in a “familiar” role. Also, dear readers, don't forget the Town undertook a complete overhaul of our ward boundaries recently so you'll want to be sure you know what ward you reside in before you vote. Plenty of time for that of course as the municipal elections won't really heat up until AFTER this first silly season ends on June 2.

Lest you think I am lampooning anyone brave enough to put their name forward during silly season, or that perhaps I have a very short memory, I'll fully disclose in this space that yes, I did run in the last municipal election. Yes, my name might sound familiar to some of you because I did have a few election signs posted (in legally allowable locations) around town and yes, I also attended every single debate and residents meeting to which I was invited.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, in part because I speak from experience: putting your name forward because you believe change is possible, or necessary, isn't silly – it's brave. Relying on the general public to support, endorse or otherwise believe in hastily announced (and soon forgotten) election promises however, is nothing but bravado – and silly indeed.