Dave Dale

Do you think candidates for mayor – if they win the top job – should have to disclose the property their direct family owns at the outset, as well as local business investments? It sure would take a bit of the guess work out that relies on the elected official choosing to declare conflicts or not.

Ontario won’t be taking a holiday Monday, unlike federal employees who get an additional Liberal long weekend to ponder if Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives would do the same.

A 90-minute video interview with Peter Handley, 89, about his time on council and life in North Bay touched on current issues locally and nationally ... including pointed criticism of out-going Mayor Al McDonald by mayoral candidate Peter Chirico.

This might be a good year to pay attention to whatever school board candidates are saying ahead of the municipal council and trustee elections Oct. 24.

Candidates should be grilled about their positions, promises and past so electors can assess the assorted platforms decorated with platitudes, bells and whistles.

There are exceptional options for North Bay council this year, judging by those who have declared so far, plus a decent race for mayor with many issues to debate … It will be interesting to see how the electorate responds and if online voting options will increase turnout at the polls – and lead to good choices.

Mayor Al McDonald’s final ‘scheduled’ council meeting was beyond anticlimactic

Election campaigns are for peeling onions and there are several in North Bay that will likely make voters cry

Personally, I’m quick to cynicism and a tad sarcastic at times but also easily amused and quite capable of optimism when pressed. So my experience during the Ribfest weekend might stand as a life lesson.

I’m not convinced hockey is unique when it comes to these issues, although it’s such a prevalent part of so many Canadian lives it often appears disproportionately flawed.