"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." - Roger Caras

As October comes to a close and November approaches, nature prepares for her time of rest.  While our magnificent fall landscape fades into softer hues of grey, mauve and brown, our night skies sparkle with a clarity that is only witnessed in the colder months of the year.  The bitter chill of a cloudless winter night is mitigated by the fire and brilliance of the sky above.  

Under the light of a waning full moon this October 25th, we are called upon to perform one of the most basic of our civic duties - we are asked to decide which individuals will act as our voices on our municipal councils and school boards.  Will you be among those who head to the polls this year?  In the 2006 election, only 26.3% of Richmond Hill's eligible population cast their votes.   Based on statistics, you'll likely be among those who feel that they either don't know enough about local politics to make an informed choice, or just plain don't care.  It is a common misconception that municipal elections are 'small potatoes' and don't really matter as much as the provincial or federal vote.  In fact, all elections matter because they offer us the right to exercise a hard-won freedom to choose who we feel would best represent our interests in government.  Moreover, no other level of government bears as much influence on our day-to-day activities as our local council.  Howard Moscoe was quoted as saying:  "When you flush the toilet, the municipality looks after it.  When your house catches on fire, we send the fire department out.  When you have a heart attack, we send an ambulance.  People take it for granted, but everything around them is the result of some kind of municipal decision."  Council's decisions can have great impact on people's lives, the outcome of which can be immediate.  Think of us as shareholders in a corporation.  We pay for its day to day operation and for our councillors to be advocates for what works for us.  Making sure we're getting the proper return on our investment begins with deciding who will be making those decisions on our behalf.  That begins with a vote.

So, one might ask, what do local politics have to do with dogs and stargazing?  As we make the gradual transition to winter, a loyal old friend returns to light up our night sky.  Stargazers look forward to seeing Sirius, the brightest star visible throughout the Northern Hemisphere as it appears just above the horizon to the south.  Also known as the "Dog Star", it dominates the winter skies and forms part of the constellation Canis Major  -  "The Big Dog" which is visible here nightly from November through April.  It is one of two of Orion's companions (famous for his 3-starred 'belt') as he fights Taurus, the bull and hunts Lepus, the rabbit across the sky.  Sirius has held great significance historically heralding the flooding of the Nile in Ancient Egypt and the "Dog Days" of summer for the Ancient Greeks and was an important navigational beacon in the South Pacific in winter.   

On November 15th, as The Dog Star begins to make its nightly appearances, our newly elected council will hold its first meeting of the Committee of the Whole.  Issues near and dear to us as dog owners will be tabled for discussion, among which will be the staff report prepared by the good people of the Town of Richmond Hill's Parks, Recreation and Culture Department.  There has been much debate as to whether the addition of off-leash areas, specifically our first here at Tower Hill Rd. - which was arduously championed by Ward 4 Councillor Lynn Foster and many of the Town Staff - is in the best interests of our community.   A petition was filed in July to try and close the park and this act generated an outpouring of sentiment and overwhelming support to keep our park where it is.  The off-leash area remains temporary until the Nov. 15^th meeting , when the Staff Report will be  brought to council who's decision will determine the fate of this and future off-leash areas in Richmond Hill. 

Back in September, the RHK9Klub circulated a survey to all local candidates running in this election (responses can be viewed here).  The survey was intended to shed light on which candidates, if elected, will be at that meeting advocating for us and our park.  If the future of off-leash dog areas in Richmond Hill is an important issue for you, then there are several actions you can take:

1. VOTE on October 25^th.  View the candidate responses to our survey, view the rest of their election platform and vote in good conscience.  Eligible voters have a say in who will be sitting at that Council meeting. 
2. STAND WITH US at the Council Meeting on November 15^th.  The more people we have at that meeting, forming a delegation in support of our mandate, the better it will be for our efforts to be heard. 
3. BECOME A MEMBER of The Richmond Hill K9 Klub.  Although it is not a requirement, it does provide us with a unified voice of advocacy to move forward in our efforts for the existing and future off-leash areas.
4. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE e-NEWSLETTER.  Stay informed about relevant dog park issues and up-to-date developments and have your say in our public forums at www.rhk9klub.ca. 

Where will you be October 25^th?  Where will you be November 15^th?  We sincerely hope that you will be with us, voting for our next council and standing with us in support of our park.   

Visit our website for important dates and times and remember that when we stand together for our off-leash areas, The Dog Star will be there with us, a loyal companion in our night sky. 

-Adriana Pisano Beaumont

Voter, Dog-lover, Stargazer