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| If there are errors, please e-mail me with corrections: Opening comments: More at the end. This the first in a series of web-pages about the failures of Hazel McCallion. One of the greatest pit falls for politicians is having their name associated with a project, person, group and/or building - that FAILS, becomes a blunder, mistake or an absurd error in judgment. These often happen as the EGO of the politicians is the voice heard and not the voice of reason. That politicians want all the trappings of grandeur, open big buildings and projects to ensure their political legacy, without fully considering just how bad it could go when rushed before its time or at the expense of quality. One element of something before its time is a City that can't support something, like the Living Arts Centre of Mississauga. This is even more interesting as the Mayor, Hazel McCallion, loves to tell us how financially responsible she is and yet the Living Arts Centre has needed to be bailed out financially year after year. Oddly this has (so far), slid off the back of Mississauga's Teflon coated Mayor, but all things do come to an end, usually from their age. My study of past elections in Mississauga has reveled that items that could be a political problem have been covered-up till after the election. In the case of the IceDogs' I feel there are unanswered questions. The big one is, can Mississauga actually support a hockey team? Are these moves just the opening move for no hockey team at all? The News says "With the Majors, Mississauga will inherit a hockey team rich in history.", fine but do they have a future? Why doesn't the Missing News provide more in-depth coverage as to why & how this is happening? Is this the finial chapter about Mississauga having a Hockey team? I think not, but we will have to wait till after the election to know for sure. Then there is Don Cherry. At City hall one day, watched as he was ending a meeting with City staff and walked him to the evaluator, all 5 of them, smiling and joking, then one came running up as he forgot his hat - quite a show. Wonder how they would treat him today. Hazel McCallion made a big deal out of her getting him to coach the IceDogs', interesting how we now don't really question the wisdom of that move when he was inevitably let go or how it left the team. Editorial Opinion -Major move ahead The Mississauga News - Jul 14, 2006 - By Gary McCarthy. Biovail billionaire moving St. Mike's to town The IceDogs have one year remaining in Mississauga before they will be sold to an unknown buyer who will establish the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) team elsewhere for the 2007-08 season. It was announced on Wednesday afternoon that the new owner of the IceDogs, pharmaceutical giant Eugene Melnyk, will own the team on an interim basis, meaning the 2006-07 season, and then transfer the IceDogs to "another market deemed satisfactory to the Ontario Hockey League." Once that transition is completed, Melnyk will move his other OHL team, the rival Toronto St. Michael's Majors, to the Hershey Centre to ensure his "long-standing commitment to secure a larger, more updated arena for the team (the Majors) while still serving junior hockey fans in the Greater Toronto Area." It's not yet known whether the Majors will continue to be identified as a Toronto team or if their name will be changed to reflect their new home in Mississauga. "The prospect of continuing junior hockey in a vibrant and hockey-rich city like Mississauga is very exciting," Melnyk said in a statement released a few minutes after a statement from Mario Forgione confirming he had sold the IceDogs to Melnyk was made public. "I remain committed to continuing the great legacy of the St. Michael's Majors and look forward to working closely with the community, Mayor Hazel McCallion and all levels of hockey to build upon the passion and excitement of junior hockey fans that currently exists in Mississauga," Melnyk said in his statement. McCallion, who is out of town this week, had high praise for Melnyk, founder and largest single shareholder of Mississauga-based pharmaceutical company, Biovail Corp. "Over the years, Eugene has developed a strong affinity and appreciation for the city of Mississauga and its citizens," McCallion said. "We know how deep his commitment is to our community. The OHL unanimously and conditionally approved the sale of the IceDogs to Melnyk last month. The statement said the sale agreement will see all hockey operations related to Melnyk's ownership of the IceDogs held in a blind trust which, among other things, prohibits any player movement between the two teams while he's the owner of both clubs. The sale, which was first reported more than a week ago and is said to be for $9 million, still leaves several unanswered questions, including the future of IceDogs' coaches Greg Gilbert and Mario Cicchillo and general manager Dave Brown. Picture of Eugene Melnyk. The Mississauga News - Jul 14, 2006 - Editorial Opinion. The IceDogs were our team. They put us on the hockey map and the squad had a strong local connection, having been born here to local investors including Don Cherry. Certainly, the IceDogs have been an inconsistent franchise, proving to be terrible on the ice more often than not. The front office, too, was in a constant state of flux as it has seen four regimes since 1998. Still, the IceDogs gave us many thrills, particularly in 2004 when they reached the Ontario Hockey League finals. Along the way we got to watch such stars as Jason Spezza, Patrick O'Sullivan, Rob Schremp and David Shantz ply their trade. With the Majors, Mississauga will inherit a hockey team rich in history. Founded 100 years ago at St. Michael's College in Toronto, the team has won the Memorial Cup five times and served as a feeder club to the Toronto Maple Leafs, sending such stars as Dave Keon, Tim Horton, Frank Mahovlich, Joe Primeau, Dick Duff, Turk Broda, Ted Lindsay, Gerry Cheevers, Red Kelly, Bobby Bauer and David Bauer to the National Hockey League. We will have one more season to enjoy the IceDogs; after that, the Mississauga Majors will take to the ice at the Hershey Centre. We wish both franchises well. [COMMENTS BY DON B. - ] |
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