“He wore his love and pride for this city on his
sleeve every day of his public life.”
“Hello.”
“Guess what?”
“What?”
“Jim Gordon is not going to run again?”
“Not run again for what?”
“For mayor you idiot.”
“Listen, I’m on the 400 doing 120 and people keep
passing me.”
“Are you going to run?”
“For what?”
“For mayor?”
“Are you out of your mind?”
“When you were drunk in the early 90s after a
Ramsey Lake Navy party you said the only political position you
would run for was mayor of Sudbury?”
“That’s true but I never said I would run, I said
if I did run that’s what I would run for, and I have no intention
to run for anything except lunch.”
“But Jim has resigned.”
“I know.”
“Incredible eh!
“Yep.”
It is a testament to Jim’s dominating position in
Sudbury that it was a shock to everyone (including me) that a
66-year-old man who some six years ago had heart by pass surgery
would contemplate retirement.
He has been a towering force in Sudbury politics
for more than a quarter century.
There is no easy way to sum up Jim Gordon. Like
most everybody else in town I have worked with him, fought with
him, cheered for him and been bewildered by him.
He is brilliant, passionate, impulsive,
calculating, inspiring, disheartening, and tough as nails. Politics
is a rough and tumble game and no one knew how to play it
harder.
His vision, over the years has been impeccable
and frequently inspirational; his management style less so.
Jim has been at the centre of just about
everything in Sudbury in what you might call its modern era. He has
championed the city’s interest tirelessly and boldly.
He had his hand in the creation of the cancer
treatment centre; the coup of bringing the Northern Ontario Medical
School into being; the explosion of telemarketing jobs in the
Sudbury; the expansion and focus on fiber optics; the city’s
participation in the co-op heating plant; and the establishment of
the multi-purpose YMCA/older adults centre downtown.
The list is endless.
Simultaneously and more curiously he championed
the takeover of gas assets in the city at not an inconsiderable
expense, and then threw in the towel before the last dance.
With Jim, until the very end, you never knew for
sure what was next.
Notwithstanding the tensions of his mercurial
style, and his tendency to treat the city as his own privately held
corporation, which was disconcerting to other stakeholders in the
community, he has fought for a city that long ago experienced its
economic peak.
He has doggedly and courageously fought to
improve the cities fortunes and in many cases succeeded. It has
been an uphill battle, but he always fought on with courage and
tenacity.
It is not easy to keep mobile and optimistic when
you combat the continual downsizing of your dominating industry,
and when that isn’t a concern you know there will be a debilitating
strike in that industry every six to 10 years. Sudbury is really a
miracle trying not to happen.
Jim has been indefatigable.
When I called him to congratulate him on his
decision, most of the conversation defaulted to two or three new
projects he wants to get done for the city before his time is up.
He wasn’t talking like a man at peace with a slower pace.
There are huge challenges ahead for the city and
no one knows that better than Jim Gordon.
For all of the heroics and victories over the
years, it is extremely difficult to run a city that has fewer
taxpayers
every year. The reality is beginning to sink
in.
It is difficult to stay focused on what is
important (economic development) when there is not enough money to
pave the roads.
It takes inspirational leadership to take risks
and take your city with you.
As Jim takes his leave, he deserves the thanks
and appreciation of everyone, not only for 30 years of public
service, but for having the courage to try new
things, for having the talent to keep Sudbury in the game through
perennial economic set backs, and for wearing his love and pride
for this city on his sleeve every day of his public life.
