George Mathewson
Sarnia-Lambton has an uncanny knack for picking a winner.
The riding has elected the candidate from the party that went on to form the government in every single federal election since 1963.
That includes a brief switch from Liberal to Conservative in 1979, and back again in 1980.
Other ridings once considered “bellwethers” have lost their special status in recent elections, leaving Sarnia-Lambton with a record that is now unmatched in Canadian political history.
Maybe we should all get together next week and pick some lottery numbers?
Glacial till
Speaking of votes, I cast mine for the traffic light on Pontiac Drive at Exmouth Street as the slowest in the city.
Cars have been known to turn to stone there before getting a green.
Pontiac’s two intersections - Exmouth and London Road - have “fully-actuated” signals, meaning they stay red on the side street until the presence of a car or pedestrian is detected.
Even then, the electronic controller waits for the normal cycle to run its course before you get a green.
As a city hall staff report delicately notes, that results in a “longer than normal wait.”
Sarnia Semper
As regular readers know The Journal is on a never-ending quest to identify all the other Sarnia’s found in the world. Today we pass on two more:
1 - Villa Sarnia is a six-room inn on the shores of Lake Maggiore in Switzerland. What began as a private mansion in 1887 still boasts antiques and a wintergarden. A single room will set you back 95 to 188 euros nightly.
2 - Sarnia Skala is a mountain in southern Poland close to the Slovakian border that’s popular with recreational hikers. Tripadvisor gives it four and a half out of five stars.
The Journal was also delighted to learn of an organization called Sarnia Guinea Pig Rescue. It’s a registered charity on the Island of Guernsey - the birthplace of Sarnia’s name - where, apparently, neglected guinea pigs are a big problem.
The following alert was posted last week on the group’s Facebook Page:
“Sarnia Guinea Pig Rescue have been notified of two female guinea pigs having escaped from their run in La Brigade/Les Vaurioufs area, St Martins.
One of the girls is ginger in colour and the other is a light tortoiseshell colour that looks grey.”
Guernsey residents were urged to check their gardens, hedgerows and sheds for the missing escapees and call a local number.
The SGPR has, sadly, ignored our request for an interview.
Readers who suspect by now that The Journal is an exciting place to work are correct.
Proof? This invitation to the Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership’s AGM last month, where guests were invited to listen to what was billed as, and we quote: “An update on the Polymer Consulting International Propylene Value Chain Investment Study.”
This was a breakfast meeting, mind you.
At 7:30 a.m.