Truth in Politics

An article appeared in the Wasaga Sun concerning Matthew Taylor who's running for council. Here's the link to the article:

http://simcoe.com/news-story/4643112-wasaga-beach-council-candidate-on-probation-for-drug-charge/



Here is what Mr. Taylor wrote on the Wasaga Beach Facebook Election Page back on July 15th concerning the rumors surrounding his charges:

This is where my story starts and I would like to clarify what has happened. In 2009, I got involved with student housing renting each room to a student. It went well for years no problems but then trouble came. On a day when I arrived to pick up rent that was due as I arrived I noticed officers out front I then entered the tenants home and about 2 mins after, there was an officer at the residence due to a couple of tenants being charged for marijuana possession. After a long discussion with the arresting officer and because the fact that I was the home owner and arrived at the time of the arrests he had to lay a charge on me. I wanted to acknowledge my past and be honest as I feel that if I am going to represent our community you need to know everything that happened and hear it from me.

Here is what appeared in the Wasaga Sun concerning his drug charges:

WASAGA BEACH – Matthew Taylor, the young businessman who recently filed to run for Wasaga Beach council, is still on probation for a drug related charge.

Taylor received two years’ probation and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and $150 victim surcharge.Taylor, 26, pled guilty to possession of a substance on June 18, 2013.

A charge of possession of property obtained by crime was withdrawn on the same date.

The charges were laid Jan 16, 2013 when a search warrant was executed at the Glen Eton Road residence that he owns.

Taylor was among 10 Wasaga Beach residents between the ages of 18 and 27 charged during the bust.

Police said they seized about $40,000 worth of drugs, four kilograms of marijuana, 120 Ecstasy pills, a large quantity of cash, a replica handgun and drug paraphernalia.

On Jan. 26, 2010 Taylor pled guilty to the offences of possessing marijuana and doing so in defiance of a probation order.

Taylor is the owner of Pita Palace and Blue Shores Fish and Chips.

Now we have the candidate saying all of this is from 2009, and the paper reporting it was from 2013. As a voter who do you believe? Let's take Toronto Mayor Rob Ford. Had Ford come clean when he got caught, gone to rehab, he would win the Toronto election hands down. Ford took the route of  lying to voters, his family, and friends. I'm no fan of the Wasaga Sun as I find their reporting and endorsements during an election cycle to be very biased. But where's there's smoke, there's fire. 

Politics 101 teaches a candidate that you must come clean from the start, and not hide anything from the voters. Mr. Taylor when first asked about the drug charges denied them, and said it was someone else. After more people started to ask questions he came clean as per the above statement taken from Facebook. 

Some voters have said they don't care about his past, while others have said they are very concerned as it goes to one's character. I can tell you that Mr. Taylor will have an uphill battle on his hands, because he was not honest from the start. The other candidates will go after him at the debates, voters will ask him about these charges, and that will be the type of campaign he will be forced to run. The younger voters might not care and think it's kind of cool. The older voters will not like his past, and will not vote for him. That's the way politics works. 

As Mr. Taylor has a criminal record this will must likely prevent him from entering countries like the United States, and some countries in Europe. If you make a decision to seek public office you must understand that the media, and your enemies will go after you.

While I do wish Mr. Taylor luck, he does have an uphill battle, and that my friends is how politics works.

Until next time!