rabb it up

Ian Rabb. I have been seriously hating this name and person since the last civic election. Didn't know much about the candidate, nor cared to when he pulled the sleazy politician's move of plastering his face fifteen feet high over the sides of buildings his family manages for WinPark Dorchester. Such opportunism profiteering from wide open, likely free, space. Ad space that would usually cost you significant dollars, placed huge at oft traveled corners like Main St and River Ave. You couldn't help but repeatedly see his smiling conservative grin.

Living in an apartment, you can be discouraged from even placing an election sign in your window. I said can, most people are allowed and some do place signs, but depending on your location in the building it often won't even be seen. Who has the right to advertise for one candidate on the sides of multiple people's homes because they own/manage the building? You couldn't even place a sign on a lawn for most apartments and his status allows him to use these buildings as his personal billboards? Living there would feel like having your opinion trampled, facing those obnoxious large signs.

And then! When he didn't win against Jenni Gerbasi, the signs came back long before any election was being talked about. Obviously attempting to brand his name into consciousness, recruiting those conservative voters and being repetitively droned into recognition.

So now he's running in the provincial election for Fort Garry/Riverview. Which means as I strolled Fort Garry visiting the family, feeling conspicuously not part of the neighborhood, I saw blue Rabb signs around me, competing with James Allun orange, just a few Kevin Freedman reds. Pretty typical of political representation at that level. And as I reflected about how much I dislike Rabb, an SUV pulled up in front of me. With yet another Ian Rabb face (sticker, this time) reflected off the door, it was hard to avoid his face looking through the window as well. Interesting timing...

So he actually has an interesting history. Former drug addict, cocaine and ecstasy, former escort (for the ladies) who has even acted in porn (gasp! no word on who he partnered), says his decision making skills were twisted by the addiction he fought his entire life. I admire the addiction rehabilitation centres he's set up and overseen, finding his life's grounding in helping others overcome their own addictions. Regardless, the conservation line and crime views he perpetuates doesn't endear him to me.

Don't avoid the vote. Regardless of my views, everyone should put their mind to paper at election time. If you don't know what's going on lots of people care to inform you. Active civic community involvement creates neighbourhoods, amenities we want, traffic decisions that we agree with. Instead of relying on small numbers to make decisions and moaning afterwards, figure out now what matters to you and who would best represent your thoughts. Isn't that what it's about?