Gaertner Owes Apology to Bulk Barn and Aurorans
Posted by auroracitizen on June 2, 2012
Councillor Gaertner has embarrassed herself — and defamed Aurora’s reputation — with her recent comments about the inadequacy of Bulk Barn as a corporate citizen here in Aurora.
Her desire to wait for something better is also probably the reason she has had such poor success in her quest for a youth centre here in Aurora — her single issue that she has wrapped herself in since she ran all those years ago. Still nothing she can point to as done. Still just a pipe dream.
Gaertner has made a political career standing back and criticizing what others are trying to do — rather than actually working with others to get something accomplished.
Would another organization have brought more job to Aurora? Maybe. But Bulk Bran would be welcome in almost any community — except Geartnerville.
BTW, possibly one of their supporters could point out the names of the companies and number of jobs she and her cronies from the last four-year term got to re-locate in Aurora? None come to mind.
Below is the Era Banners Editorial comments on this issue. Seems like more than ourselves see the folly in her thinking.
Waiting for ‘better’ option makes no sense
ISSUE: Aurora Councillor Wendy Gaertner not impressed with Bulk Barn’s 400-job announcement.
There’s a lot of truth in the old saying, “You can’t please all of the people all of the time.”
As Aurora council approved the site plan for a new corporate head office and distribution centre for Bulk Barn, most councillors applauded the notion of 400 new office and distribution jobs coming to town. But the sentiment wasn’t unanimous.
In fact, Councillor Wendy Gaertner wasn’t impressed at all. “Frankly, I didn’t think it was the best use for these lands,” she said. “We are trying to bring in many well-paying jobs to this community. I would have liked something more like State Farm that brought with it 800 high-paying jobs with benefits.”
It’s great to aim high, but downplaying the impact of the Bulk Barn relocation is ridiculous, especially considering the deal meets the provincial business land mandate of 50 jobs created per hectare of land sold.
“I am glad this fits in with the mandate, but I still don’t think it’s the best use of space,” she said. “If we look at GTA land value, for the most part, it keeps going up, so I would have rather waited.”
That amounts to a pie-in-the-sky attitude in this day and age. There’s not a person out there who wouldn’t rather have 800 jobs come to town, instead of 400, but there comes a point where waiting for a better deal that might never come is a bad idea. Aurora and area was hit particularly hard when the manufacturing sector dumped jobs in the late 2000s.
The 2009 closure of Magna’s Exterion plants in Aurora and Newmarket alone put 850 people on the unemployment line. That means we’ve already been waiting three years to replace those jobs. That’s long enough.
We know 400 doesn’t equal 800, but people want to work and jobs are jobs, right now. Food bank use continues to rise and queues for subsidized housing grow every day. The Bulk Barn jobs won’t end the need for subsidized housing and they might not even make any difference at the food bank, but they provide hope, which is desperately needed.
BOTTOM LINE: Bulk Barn’s relocation guarantees 400 new jobs during time of need.
Aurora Citizen 
Knowledgeable in Aurora said
Well, its been 14 days since this post went up. Any sign of that apology yet? Glad I’m not holding my breath. We do need to remind her about this one if she runs in 2014!
Anonymous said
2 jobs were created in town rather then brought in. Aurora paid for the integrity advisors. One left with dignity and a cease & desist order against the former Mayor. The other one scuttled off after the election. No brownie points for that fiasco.
Anonymous said
They created quite a #of jobs – for new staff, who lived outside Aurora, and for lawyers, who lived outside Aurora. Their salaries did not remain in the community. Nor did they pay taxes to Aurora. They just called the tune, collected the money & went home.
Anonymous said
“Gaertner has made a political career standing back and criticizing what others are trying to do — rather than actually working with others to get something accomplished.”
She’s certainly not the only one with that modus operandi (see Buck, Evelyn).
Anonymous said
Meow!
Anonymous said
Gaertner appears to be in favour of free speech so long as it isn’t defamatory. Refer to Council meeting June 12, 2012.
Thanks Windy, you just made my day.
Anonymous said
I’ve forgotten. Which councillor was it that didn’t know where the Aurora Food Pantry was located?
Anon said
I am not altogether sure but I would guess that it was the same one who doesn’t know when Remembrance Day services take place! When she found out and was present, she talked through the whole thing. Such respect!
Anonymous said
The member of Council who did not know where the food bank was …
E.M.
Anonymous said
Years ago, I was told that Councillor Gaertner has a degree in sociology, as in Coming of Age in Samoa. But I have never heard of her having an actual job with its responsibilities. Most of the other Councillors appear to be able to provide for themselves – only Ms. Gaertner is dealt with by ‘handlers’. Please feel free to correct me if my assumptions are in error.
Anonymous said
It’s too bad that Wendy can’t turn herself into a tree, a whole forest of them would be even better.
She would then provide shelter for a myriad of birds and would absorb our CO2, replacing it with precious oxygen.
Now that would be a great neighbour. We could even name it WINDY WOOD.
Anonymous said
I am of the opinion that Wendy Gaertner is simply jealous of the fact that Bulk Barn Foods is bringing 400 jobs to Aurora, none of which she is, or ever would be, qualified to perform.
Companies that have available menial and none-thinking jobs at her level of capability, simply don’t wish to locate in our fair town, preferring small impoverished locations with high unemployment rates and an unskilled labour force. They recognize that they would not be an asset to Aurora and so seek the fringes of our society.
Wendy should recognize this fact about herself and relocate to a fringe.