Follow the Rules

It started out innocently enough.  I was driving to see a friend across town and my view was obstructed while I was attempting a turn.  It was a sign promoting a candidate in the upcoming civic election.  It was propped up on a fence or a corner lot creating the blind spot for my attempted turn.  I thought that couldn't be right.  It was a safety hazard. 

I felt like a little old lady but I phoned 311 to complain.  It turns out that lawn signs are not allowed to be more than one meter off the ground at its highest point.  I spoke to a very nice young lady and she also asked if it was within 500 meters of a voting place.  Well, I don't even know where I am going to vote so I certainly don't know of any of the voting places throughout the city.  She asked me more questions and it turns out there are actually several regulations about campaign signs. Like, for example, there are restricted streets that no signage should be on.  Who knew?  She said that Public Works would be investigating the address I gave within the next business day.  I didn't feel so silly for reporting this.  It had obstructed by view while driving. 

The next day I was driving in a different part of town and I noticed another sign that wasn't following the rules.  You see, I knew that, from my previous conversation with a city employee, a 311 operator.  Fair is fair.  I called 311.  I spoke to a not-so-nice male operator who could have cared less.  He told me to call bylaw enforcement during business hours, but, his tone and his attitude told me to get a life.  I really felt like a little old lady. 

Now, when I go driving all that I can see is signs that are not following the rules.  Of course, I do nothing, but they are everywhere. 

I know that the majority, if not all of these signs, are put up by the candidates teams themselves so that they can track them.  So, it is likely representatives of the candidates that are not following the rules.  In some cases, I am sure it is the candidates themselves. 

Perhaps the rules are silly, but they are rules.  And, the one sign truly obstructed my view making it a safety hazard. 

I have to say that it is concerning with city employees aren't even concerned about following the rules.  There is a nasty tv ad out there that makes a link between lack of 911 operators and the current Mayor.  I think that ad is in exceptionally poor taste.  I only saw it once.  I hope others felt the same way and the ad has been pulled.  The city employees are there to represent the Mayor and Council.  I don't expect that the Mayor and Council can be accountable for all of their employees, but the employees should not feel so free to blow off a concern of a citizen. 

I know what you are thinking.  You are thinking that I am such a bad ass that I regularly don't follow the rules.  Why should I be concerned about candidates that aren't following the rules?  Well, it is true.  I am a bad ass.  However, I believe in challenging the rules and not just breaking them for the sake of breaking them.  I am also not running for Council.  I believe if you running to represent the citizen's best interests, you must do so within the context of the rules.  I don't believe in the expression that "You can't fight city hall" but I also know that there is a way to fight within the rules and that is probably more likely to get you what you want. 

Professionally, I have always been an advocate and I learned way to bend the rules or massage them slightly in order to benefit others.  I was able to benefit people from learning how to work within the rules. 

I think the candidates (and there are many) that are not following the rules about campaign signs should be held accountable.  I know this is minor but if they can't even control their own campaign signs, then how can we expect them to comply with the complex world of being a City Councilor. 

At the very least, they are displaying poor leadership.  Leadership is not about yourself.  Leadership is about inspiring those around you to be the best. 

And, yes, you can still demonstrate leadership and be a bad ass. 


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