Michael Atkins

Politics is a bone crushing, spirit sucking, contact sport that takes no prisoners and it peaks when the combatants come together for the obligatory ritualized winner take all televised debate. You have to have thick skin, know no shame and be lucky.

In the summer, if you are diligently slothful, and I am that, there is enough time to read a whole magazine. In fact, last week I didn’t read one I read two.

You’ll see on the page opposite, a new series from Northern Ontario Business called “Rethinking Northern Ontario”. The compilation of ideas and perspectives frankly are not that new.

I ’m sitting at the Oriel Bistro, Sloan Square, London, England with one of my favourite newspapers, The Financial Times.

Next month I’m going to drink beer, ride my bike, watch my daughter play baseball, read books, take a beginners course in gardening from my wife if she buys me knee pads, (it’s never too late), sail, and consider adopting a religion.

I remember some years ago calling an old friend of mine, Brock Smith, on some world beating matter like arranging a ski trip to the Sault.

Ireturn from a week in Holguin province not that far from where Fidel (Castro) went to school and some years later started a revolution.

Occasionally, even when you have grey hair, things don’t play out the way you expect. I am on the board of Laurentian University in Greater Sudbury and generally the most exciting part of the board meeting is to try to find parking.

I thought when it happened it might be a little more dramatic...perhaps an illness, an accident, a retirement, maybe a bankruptcy. But no, the first official absence of my column from Northern Ontario Business in 25 years was mundane. I was busy.

Dear John, Tom, Lynn, Vic and John; Congratulations on your success. There is no greater honour than to be elected to lead your community. The voters, who know you well, have said they trust you.