The Village of SouthFields

So here is a new community sitting at the top of Brampton and a bunch of folks full of big ideas. They want to live close to everything and still get all the perks of country life. Is is possible?

Exactly how sustainable is the notion that a subdivision located just north of Brampton won't be exactly like Brampton before too long? This is indeed an interesting social experiment.

Caledon has at its disposal a chance to either descend into the bowls of history repeating itself or learn from previous municipal mistakes. Mayfield West can either become Brampton, Bolton, or indeed an extension of Caledon charm... or it can be some crazy hybrid. This last option is much less likely than either of the first since people will naturally make it one over the other. In this situation there is only black and white.

For now they have formed a residents group to piggy back on the ideas of established Caledon communities such as Terra Cotta, Belfountain, Cheltenham, Inglewood, and Bolton. They even got themselves an official day and an interesting little rag called the SouthFields Village Voice.

There's a gal over there working like mad to get people into the right mindset because she is convinced in the power of the masses to sway the tides of history. We will just have to wait and see how it all pans out.

The resident's group seems to be off to a flying start with a couple of big issues raised at the last meeting and resolved in lightening fast fashion. In the end it will be up to the people who move there but here's a vote from an incurable romantic: Power to the people.

OHIP Expiry date: Attempt to manage fraud or added layer of needless bureaucracy?

There is no question that identity theft and technological access to the ability to manipulate information are valid issue and cost millions of dollars and oodles of inconvenience for governments, business, and private individuals. However, in dealing with these issues you can't help but shake your head at the group think that must have gone on in forcing people with precious little time to jump through hoops just to make sure that they can take their toddlers to the doctor.

It is flu season and my son has the flu. Having recently relocated and with a busy career, I admit it, I lost the stupid renewal form. But now I have to go to an office, and not just any ohip office. One that is not privately run. Of course figuring out which office is a ministry run office requires a private investigator's certificate from a community college. Too bad I don't have the time to go get one.

The people who work in either type of office are not inclined to tell you that it is the wrong office until you have paid your dues by waiting in the wrong line twice. Then, you have to bring all sorts of proof and id for something that they would have accepted a signature for if you just mailed the stoopid form in, in the first place.

When I asked why the card expires in the first place I was told that it is because so many people leave the country. Well, then have card for citizens that doesn't and have a card for temporary and permanent residents and people here on a visa. Why should a baby born on Canadian soil have to go through the same suspicion and scrutiny as people who were born elsewhere?

It may not be a politically correct thing to say but it would be nice if logic prevailed on this one.

Way to spent tax payer's money... and yes, my time is worth money!