Do Free Masons get a free ride to power and prestige in Wellington County Council?

Email received from Smelly-Welly.com on September 13th, 2008
Question posted by Mr. Shinwell of Wellington County – “Does one have to be a Free Mason to be successful in Wellington County political circles?
During the past few months, as readership to the Smelly-Welly.com website has increased, we have received emails from our Webbers. Some interesting, some insulting, some disgusting…and some very meaningful. We refer to the one from Mr. Manny Shinwell of Wellington County.
At the onset of Smelly-Welly.com, one of our goals was to create a forum to encourage our readers to communicate with each other and generate dialog between all of our Webbers, as residents and Taxpayers of Wellington County. Over time we will select interesting, and in our opinion, valid emails which meet the criteria of our original Mission Statement and to relate legitimate issues and, where feasible, relate a response or at least try to achieve this purpose.
On 13th September 2008 as noted, we received the email in question: “ To be successful and advance one’s political career in the elected County Council, does one need to be a Freemason or connected to Freemasonry? It appears to me that many high level positions of power, influence and responsibility within the current County Council are all being held by person or persons who are affiliated with the Freemasons. Is membership of the secret society named Freemasonry therefore a necessary requirement to expect political and personal success in this, elected by the people, house of Taxpayers representatives?” – signed Manny Shinwell, Wellington County.
We at Smelly-Welly.com believe that the writer of this email has asked a very controversial question, one that has been asked before by inference, but not with the suggestive fervor of this email. Mr. Shinwell is obviously concerned, as one reads his script, and we believe he deserves our response, honestly given!
We shall now proceed to earnestly and constructively share our experiences and opinions related to our exposures with Wellington County Council over the last 8 years, to provide our best shot at answering Mr. Shinwell’s question, without prejudice. In complete fairness to all involved, it would be interesting to know if Mr. Shinwell has asked his question of Wellington County Council. If he has, to be fair, then we ask him to share the County’s response. We will publish it.
Smelly-Welly.com, for understanding, has conducted an exploratory analyses of Freemasonry, and its associated membership of Councillors and Senior staff, an now will publish our findings as follows. It is important to mention, up front, that I (the President of Smelly-Welly.com) am a proud member of the Masonic Order since 1962 in Scotland, 11 years before I immigrated with my family to Canada. My reasons for applying for membership were faith based, to serve my fellow man, every fellow man! I believe I have kept my oath (word given).
Because of ongoing baseless innuendo, related to Mason’s, by the misinformed, I have chosen to provide Mr. Shinwell an honest answer to the best of my ability. I make this statement openly so that “no noise” can be attached to the integrity or credibility of our response. Since Freemasonry is a “secret society,” so is the membership, and while some Masons freely wear symbols identifying themselves, others, for whatever reasons, may chose to be more secretive. Whereas we are certain some Councillors, and Senior staff, are or are not, Masonically connected in some instances, we can offer our best guess (?) and related commentary – you decide. We will be using simple criteria of yes (definitely a Mason), no (not a Mason) and unsure (with comments). We leave it to the intelligence of the reader to determine our intent.
By Council membership and Senior staff we report the following:

  1. Warden John Green – YES – Freemason of long standing who over many years has aspired to become a man of high rank and credibility in all things Masonic up to and including the Grand Lodge of Ontario. He has been recognized as a Mason of high standing in numerous newspaper articles.
  2. Councillor Barb McKay –UNSURE – Possible affiliation due to being a known Puslinch by-product of the late Councillor Archie MacRobbie (A founder member of the Masonically controlled Wellington County Star Chamber).
  3. Councillor Mike Broomhead – UNSURE – Unknown but with possible affiliation. Behaviour suggests affiliation only to himself primarily!
  4. Councillor Walter Trachsel – NO – Not a Mason, former OPP senior officer.
  5. Councillor Carl Hall – YES – Freemason of the old school, recognized over many years.
  6. Councillor Rod Finnie – NO – Not a Mason.
  7. Councillor Robert Wilson – YES – Freemason of long-standing, current Master of Fergus Lodge (recognized in newspapers).
  8. Councillor David Anderson – YES – A dedicated Freemason.
  9. Councillor Brad Whitcombe – UNSURE – Suspected Mason, many years apprentice to mentor, the late Councillor Archie MacRobbie (known).
  10. Councillor Lou Maieron – NO – Not a Mason. We suspect him to be the only Roman Catholic on Council.
  11. Councillor Gordon Tosh – UNSURE – Possible affiliation, a private Christian Protestant, Scottish roots with fine sense of civic duty. If not affiliated, certainly supportive.
  12. Councillor Jean Innes – NO – Not a Mason.
  13. Councillor Lynda White – UNSURE –Very possible, Masonic father, Masonic husband (George) and a favourite with local Masonic heavies in Council and also a prominent member of the Mason run County Council Star Chamber. An eastern star member whose star appears to be in decline.
  14. Councillor Mark MacKenzie – YES – Mason of long standing in the Minto area. Our opinion of his Masonic influence in County has been restricted due to his lack of participation in Council business, but he is a Mason.
  15. Councillor Ross-Zuj – UNSURE – Masonic affiliation unknown but we suspect Masonic inclusion in her process of allegiance to “anything and everyone” to “go along to get along” to serve her personal agenda.
  16. Councillor Chris White – YES – Self admitted member of the “Skull and bones organization” with George Bush (et al), an American offshoot of Freemasonry, but with their own set of rules. Includes Bill Clinton and other fine upstanding American role models!
  17. C.A.O. Scott Wilson (Senior staff) – UNSURE – Suspected to be by his alignment and affiliation with the philosophies of those in power puts Scott Wilson (the idea man), for all intents and purposes, in the Wellington County Council Masonic clique.
  18. Treasurer Craig Dyer (Senior staff) – NO – Not a Mason. Functions only to take orders form his bosses Scott Wilson and Brad Whitcombe without question – What a waste of talent! Mr. Dyer has his own idea of profitable affiliation and does not seek Masonic support as required.
  19. Director of Planning Gary Cousins (Senior staff) – UNSURE – Suspected Mason, certainly supporter by affiliation.
  20. County Engineer Gord Ough – YES – Known Mason who displays his Masonic membership through “costume jewellery” worn on his person.
  21. Senior Engineer for Roads Paul Johnson – YES - Known Mason and is the Guelph District Grand Master and highly prominent, holding office in the Grand Lodge of Ontario.
  22. County Solicitor Hugh Gutherie (QC) – YES – Known Mason of long-standing and long serving solicitor for the County.

To close out Mr. Shinwell’s question it would only be fair to set down who has sat as Warden for the Masonic membership. Prior to 2000 there was Archie MacRobbie, a known Mason, Jim Connell, a known Mason who is currently on the Police Services Board on County Council last term, and Bill Adsett, publisher of the Wellington Advertiser and also a known Mason. Since then we have in the year 2000, Brad Whitcombe (unsure), George Pinkney in 2001 (also unsure). In 2002 we have Carl Hall (yes) and then in 2003 David Adsett (yes) and in 2004 Lynda White kept the seat warm (unsure but suspected). Brad Whitcombe again returned to hold the position of Warden for 2005 and 2006 and John Green (yes) has held the post for the last two years (2007/2008). Who will take the position of Warden in 2009 is unknown but we are betting on it being a Mason.
Let us further examine known Masons or suspected Masons and review what positions they have held over the past 5 years (the last Council Term and 2 years into this term). John Green has been Warden for 2 years and Chair for Police Services for 3 years. Lynda White was Warden for 1 year, Chaired the Solid Waste Committee for 2 years as well as the Police Services for 2 years. Brad Whitcombe was Warden for 2 years and Chaired the Libraries, Museum and Archives Committees for 3 years. Robert Wilson has Chaired the Solid Waste Committee for 2 years and prior to 2003 he Chaired Solid Waste Services. Carl Hall has Chaired the Roads Committee for 5 years and Gord Tosh also had a run of 5 years Chairing the Social Services Committee. Jim Connell was Chair of the Libraries, Museum and Old Age Home Committee while Brad Whitcombe was Warden and is currently on the Police Services Board.
It appears to be a very tightly knit organization (club), voting for each other as a group to keep themselves in power! A few others fill in as Chairs, (Broomhead, Trachsel, Finnie, Spicer, Johnson and Maieron), for short stints, as long as they vote the party line – No questions asked – once they vote their conscience or convictions – They’re out! In the dog house, where they can do their penance for properly representing the Taxpayers.
Another trick our elected Masons have learned to employ is “stacking the Committee.” As a regular attendee to Committee and Council Meetings I often am left scratching my head and wondering how and why some decisions are made, with little if any discussion. One can only conclude that the Committees are stacked and the decision has already been made prior to the Meeting. As we have ascertained, the Warden, who sits on all Committee’s, and Chairs County Council is a Mason and (affiliated with the Masons) the Chairman likewise! With only (5) members per Committee, and with 2 votes locked in, all that is needed is one more Mason vote, or friendly “Go along with” vote, and this Council easily accomplished  - So who is running Council and Committee’s in this supposedly democratic organization – you decide! The elected representatives of the secret society of Masons?
Lets examine some Committee’s. The Roads Committee with an annual budget of $50 Million funded mostly from property taxes breaks down as follows. Chairman Carl Hall, Mason and Chairman for 5 consecutive years. Warden John Green, Councillor Robert Wilson, Councillor Lynda White – Mason or affiliated all. The only other member is Councillor Rod Finnie, who is not a Mason, which leaves this Committee with a ratio of 4 Masons to 1 non-Mason. The senior staff includes Chief Engineer Gord Ough (Mason) and Roads Engineer Paul Johnson, (also a Mason). Call for a vote…All in favour – 4 yeas to 1 nay? Once you know, it proves itself.
With the Solid Waste Committee we find Chairman Robert Wilson (Mason), Warden John Green (Mason), Councillors Mark MacKenzie and Chris White, both Masons (even if one is Americanized), and Councillor Joanne Ross-Zuj, a go along to get along (no worries there). Rounding it off with Mason Gord Ough as the senior staff and it explains itself!
With the Committee’s stacked and the outcomes pre-ordained – is the Taxpayer well served, and with the Wellington Advertiser (a Mason run publication) reporting only the news that makes their following look good and ignoring all else – is the Public well served? Or informed?
So, Mr. Manny Shinwell, it appears that to be successful politically and perhaps by other measures as well, being a Mason is a definite advantage. Are the non-Mason’s politically disadvantaged and/or punished – it appears so. Are the Public and the Taxpayer disadvantaged and/or punished – so it also appears. So by what measure are Councillors and Senior staff elevated politically in Wellington County…By talent – NO! By desire – NO! By work ethic – CERTAINLY NOT! By go along and get along and vote as you are told – It certainly appears to explain itself. A Mason will advance above his/her non-Mason colleagues – is this the true Mason way – NO! IT IS NOT! Is it time for substantive change in those who supposedly represent us? Because are they really representing us after all?
In conclusion, Mr. Shinwell, we have presented you with our honest submission of the facts to analyze! Our question to you is – How strongly do you feel? Strong enough to ask the question of Wellington County Council? As earlier stated we will print Council’s response to your interpretation of the aforementioned statistics. Ask your question of the body which is being challenged for legitimacy. We will welcome any constructive responses, to drive debate, in this controversial issue.
Sincerely
 Bill Manderson

 

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