Look At All The People Who Are Calling The Kettle Black

By Ben Meisner

I have left the matter of Supt Dahl Chambers alone as you have noticed for a couple of reasons;

One: I know him, (and he knows I have no favorites)  

and two:  people who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

It seems however that the whole matter has boiled down to the fact that Chambers has a relationship with a woman he works with, matter of fact they live together.

Geez… lets’ start there, my friend over at the Citizen, Dave Paulson knows well that there are existing and previous relationships ongoing at the newspaper.  Let's see, isn't Dave Paulson married to someone who  also works at the Citizen? . Chambers has a common law relationship, perhaps there is a difference, but the Supreme Court dosen't think so. 

If you’re going to hammer Chambers keep in mind that you should have your turn at the chopping block.

Running a poll to see if the community wants Chambers to go, was the last straw. Would you expect Chambers or, “His Friend”, to sit at the computer putting "no votes" in for their dismissal?  That Poll, designed to stick the knife in a little further, was cheap, at best.  With the exception of the five peolpe directly involved, no one else could make an informed choice because so far,  the public has only been given one side of the story.   Even if Chambers and his other half  voted "no" they would be out numbered by the "Yes" votes  from the other three in this story.

Then there is Betsy Trumpener at CBC.   I like Betsy , but by God I can find tons and I mean tons of live-ins, after dark and every other kind of relationship known to man at the Corp. Anyone  who works there and who claims to be a reporter would know and understand that.

Now let’s look at City Hall, and to his credit Mayor Kinsley has said Chambers does a good job, end of the matter. Geez…. There are so many relationships at City Hall or husbands and wives working under the same roof that they would be hard pressed to go after that one. But wait a good reporter would have taken the time to check at City hall to see if Chambers had asked the City hall Brass if his working with her was okay. He did,  and they said it was okay.

Now the RCMP in this city has husbands and wives, “relationships” working together, so it would seem only natural that the CBC and the Citizen would take a poke at them as well. Well that is of course right after they have cleaned up their own house.

Folks, about half of the marriages in Canada end up on the rocks, look around and before you criticize anyone make sure you're not standing on melting ice.

Now if I were to write the other side of the story and the not too public relationships that exist, (many of course not sexual in nature, but with all the same trappings)  there would be a number of people offering up explanations at home tonight. 

Now to the matter of Chambers being hard on the staff, speaking harshly to them… Geez, I worked for the Citizen for nine years. On more than one occasion when I dropped my off my column, the publisher (now he would be the boss wouldn’t he) told me what an "A-H----this employee was, or what he told this person yesterday (which was in no way flattering). At least three of those publishers, come to think about it, all four I worked for, would have qualified to write letters of apology under the RCMP act.  I also would like to confess and that is why I haven't dealt with the issue earlier,  that I have had a propensity to tell the odd employee to stuff it (well not in those words) I also have told the odd employer to do the same. Thank God I wasn't working for the cops beacuse I would have never made it past constable.

Then there is my friend Bruce Strachan.  Who is calling the kettle black, Bruce?

The nuts and bolts of this dust up are this; do we have better policing in this city than we did four years ago?

Now that’s the question you should address yourself with.  Do we have fewer hookers on Queensway?  Do we have fewer crack shacks, do you see cops doing more crime patrols than waiting on Foothills to nab someone for a speeding ticket?  If you answer yes, it’s better than before, that’s the nuts and bolts of what it is all about. So when it comes to calling for Dahl Chambers to leave, lets be careful about  what we are  wishing for.

I said at the outset, I know I live in a glass house,  my marriage broke down.  I work with my new wife and I am damn proud to say that. So please understand my nature.

Now if some of the people involved would have a look in the mirror they would realize, if they can get their mind around it, that they too have been living in that same glass house.

The full facts in the issue at the police station have never come out. The public  has  been  given selective facts from one side of the story.  None of the  "victims" has filed a wrongful dismissal suit. 

So those who  now  profess to be the "bastions of good behavior and character" might be  well advised that it is time to let it all go. 

I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s opinion.

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