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VIEWPOINT/COUNTERPOINT John B, McClelland Lik Woe clse who knew her, the news of Marg Wilbur's death last week hit me hard. This ¢ y has lost a truly outstanding individual, a per son who touched the lives.of so many in so many different ways Most people remember Marg for her politics. She ran for the NDP in sverid elec: tons (both federal and provincial) and she managed the campaigns of other NDP candi dates. She also ran once for a seat on Scugog Township council. | But what a lot of people may not know about Marg, was her work with Community Carc as a board member and: volunteer; her several years on the Scugog Library Board cluding three years as charman. Dedication, commitment, compassion. Those are he" kind of words that people use when talking about Marg. It will be 20 years this fall that | first met Marg. I was a young reporter on my first newspaper job in Port Perry in the fall of 1971 and found myself in the middie of a provincial election Marg was manag the campaign of Harold King for the NDP. In this part of Ontario 20 years ago, Dr. Matt Dymond was part of the Conservative juggemaut. Mr Kings chances of knocking off Mat Dymond ranged from ml wo zilch. But that didn't phase Marg. She worked from dawn to dusk on that campaign. Once she took on some- thing, she threw herself into the task at hand because that's the kind of person She was, Over the years, | followed her on several campingns for office, heard her give dozens of speeches : This part of Ontario was not fertile ground for the NDP back: in the 'BOs and some times 1 used to think that Marg took the nomination because nobody else wanted at. Maig wasn't very tall (maybe five feetand a bit) and 1 recall pohincal opponents like Sam Curcatz or Ross Stevenson 1 wering ever her on the stage at some all candidates meeting, 4 1 remember vividly one election night (I'm not sure which one) and Marg was hitter ly disappointed with the results She gave an angry speech to campaign workers sprinkled with miore than the occa sional four fetter word. (*%$M@ & Tories!) I snapped a picture of her that evening as shic was speaking. She was holding a beer bottle in one hand. That photo was published in the paper 2 ft was not a flattening photo, by any means, but it captured the way Marg was that election might: drinking beer from a bottle, angry, even bitter over the election results "Several of her supporters and campaign workers hlasted me ove r that photo, and the fact that it ran m the paper. But Marg never said a word A year or two later, while getting ready 0 wage another campaign, she came up to me and said something like "I'd better make sure there is no press around when 1 have a beer." Then she smiled and winked. We didn't see eye to eye politically and often after I'd written a edimn she Wl drop by the office for a chat. She would never rant or rave, but simply would say "your col- umn was all wet and here are the reasons why." Then she would carefully and logically pick my arguments to shreds. 3 Many times, her, "brief" visits to the office lasted an hour or more as the' conversa- tion moved, through ideas, events and philosophies. , And one thing about Marg that always stuck in my mind. When she-took me to task for something I had written, it was n¢ver on a personal level. Unlike some politicians, that just wasn't her style; Some people used to say about Marg that she was just 100 nice and decent to be a politician. I'm 'not sure about that, but I am sure that she was indeed a decent human being. Marg was deeply committed to issues like the environment, poverty, world hunger, social justice, human rights. But more than issues, Marg cared about people. It was this commitment and compas- sion for people that guided Marg both politically and philosophically. But make no mistake. When it came (0 partisan politics, when it cdme time to get out and run an election, Marg was no softie. And she would have made one heck of a politi- cian at Queen's Park or in Ottawa. Life's not fair. It's an old, naive statement, but it keeps going through my: head every time I think about the untimely death of Marg Wilbur. Death never. seems fair, but at least we can all count on it. Only fooly count on life, with its unpredictable twists and ironies. Faimess just isn't in life's game plan, I think that's especially true with. Marg, Wilbur, If anyone ever deserved a spot in public office; it was Marg. Short in stature, she was long on committment, giving untold years 10 organizations like Operation Dismantle and the New Democratic Panty. Every time an election came around, Marg was involved: knocking on doors; shaking hands, talking, talking, talking. She seemed urtless. | remember thinking: Doesn't she know the NDP is never going 0 win in such a Conservative nding? Doesn't she ever feel like she's wasting her une? 1 regall one election night, not oo long ago, when Bob Rae and he NDP suffered yet another loss in Ontario. The localriding office was on Highway 2, in a warchouse-like building, with fluorescent tube lighting casting cold shadows on the faithful few who gathered solemnly. around the television, watching the CBC forecast a sweep for David Peterson's Liberals. Marg tried to keep up a brave face. But when I took her aside for a few moments, at a dust and paint smattéred table in the back of the building, her brave look disintegrated. "I'm tired," she said. She didp't think she'd run again, She did try the 'next federal election, but when the last provingial clection rolled around, it was Gord Mills who carried the NDP banner, not Marg "1 was; working in Peterborough at the ume, and even though I was. concentrating on the local race, | couldn't help but think about Marg, "It's not fair," [complained to another reporter. "All the ties she ran for the NDP and lost, all those times, and the one time she doesn't run, the NDP sweeps the province." s felt an attachment to Marg. She had a way-abéut her that allowéd people to feel spegral in her presence. She deserved a chance 10 represent the people of this nid mg. And now we'll never know how lucky we could have been B= UNsILVED MysiEry = In the early 1900's, photographer W:H. Leonard took this photograph of this rather handsome grouping of young men. Do you recognize any of the faces? There are many, many unidentified phojos at Scugog Shores Museum, and curator Gail Sheridan would love, some Hay; to have them all properly identi- As 1 said at the outset of this picce, the news of her death hit me hard. It took a day or two for the reality to sink in. She is going to be deeply missed by so many different people. Marg was 52." ee fied. To give her a hand, the Citizen will print a different 'unsolved mystery each week, in the hopes some of these marvellous but mysterious people and, places will have names once again. If you. think you can solve this week's' unsolved mystery, call Gail at the museum -- 985-3589. SNAPSHOT OF THE WEEK =4|-(B=Scucoc6 C17 Sweet dreams...Great- Grandpa Art Brown and little Muggins curled up on the couch recently, but only Great-Grandpa was able to get a little shut-eye. Muggin$ was too busy keeping an eye on the photographer, his Great-Grandma Jean Brown. Thanks for the photo! Send us your favorite snapshots -- of your family, your pets, your vacation, whatever photo you've taken and harp and is a member of the Golden Slippers, a musical' you're proud of! Citizen staffers will group that will play at the Exhibition and Roy Thomson select their favorite snaps and run Hall. them in this space. Then, at the end of the year, we'll have a panel of judges choose their favorite picture, and the photographer will win a brand new 35mm camera. Our address is 36 Water St., Port Perry. Bring them:in! {ZENSE Helen Redman has lived in Port Perry for 35 years. It's been an enjoyable time and she keeps busy with church activities and the family farm. She believes that living in the country can be as boring or as exciting as you make it and that city people are often under the impres- sion that there is noth- ing to do in the country She. plays the auto r Her words of wisdom..."Be happy. Do what you like to do."