My first encounter with rats was as a kid in Grade 8. Some
of the students tried to make the ideal habitat for some pet rats. Led by a
science keener, who would later get his PhD in biology, we filled a 50-gallon
fish tank with about eight inches of wood chips. An unlimited supply of water
was provided along with as much birdseed as the rats could eat. The three or
four rats revelled in their spacious, bountiful environment. They made tunnels
and nests, some of which were pressed up against the glass, into which we could
see the next generation of rats being born.
Rats reproduce quite quickly, and in no time the quiet rat
lifestyle had grown to become a bustling community. There were tunnels over
tunnels, nests beside nests. There was much more social interaction between
rats, and undoubtedly relationships, gossip, games and sport, in a rat kind of
way. The numbers grew and in time, the rats were literally crawling all over
themselves. Whereas once there was never a cross word or gesture, tempers occasionally
flared and there were nasty rat squabbles. Even though there was unlimited food
and water, little pink baby rats disappeared, leaving spots of blood in the
nests. Some said it was the mother rat eating her young; others thought the
nest had been raided by a relative.
The violence and death became quite gruesome, so the
“experiment” ended. From that innocent effort to create an ideal rat
environment, I learned that rats aren’t that smart after all. They didn’t seem
to have the capacity to recognize the limitations of their environment. They
chose to grow in numbers at the expense of their quality of life and when their
numbers were unbearable, the resolution was violent. Foolish rats!
I know it’s bizarre to include the tragic tale of rats in
the same column as one on politics, but there are many quality of life issues
in Dufferin and Caledon
that are related to population and growth in general. I’m just looking for
reassurance that we plan better than rats, recognize the limitations of our
environment and have the wisdom to put quality of life somewhere near the top
of the list.
I don’t get good vibes on this issue from our provincial
government. The Liberal planning initiative was the Places to Grow Act, not the
Quality of Life Protection Act, or Sustainable Development Act. It’s all about
growth for growth’s sake. The Liberals are imposing growth numbers on
municipalities without any mention of sustainable numbers or eventual limits.
I’m hoping that, locally, our politicians can demonstrate
more wisdom, find some common vision for our communities and exercise the
fortitude to make decisions that will support that vision. To help them along,
I think we should all ask ourselves what we want our community to look like in
50 or 100 years? Then confirm that our politicians share this view and are
pursuing it.
Rob Strang is a former Orangeville town councillor, a
professional engineer and a self-employed father of three, committed to
promoting sustainable development.