Has Windsor, including its earlier border cities like Sandwich, Walkerville, Ford City, and East Windsor and even Detroit, joined the ranks of the “once great”?  Every city, province, state, and country goes through a life cycle of birth, adolescence, maturity, middle and old age.  Some even experience greatness along the way.  Was Windsor once great?  You betcha.

Since 1854 when it was officially born, this border city area made almost all of the rest of Canada look like hayseeds.  Hicks if you will.  We boasted world class industries like Hiram Walker, Ford of Canada and too-many-to-mention other auto companies and suppliers, paved streets, electric street cars, some of the grandest homes and buildings in Canada designed by top architects of the day, and a joined-at-the-hip connection to one of the wealthiest and significant cities in America and indeed the world; Detroit.  All of this when the rest of Canada was still building hunting lodges and cutting a swath through the wilderness.  We are the oldest European settled district in Ontario launching the first King’s Highway.  We were the Arsenal of Democracy in two world wars, a player and sometimes at centre stage of world events like The Seven Years War, Pontiac’s War, the American Revolution, War of 1812, Underground Railway and American Civil War,  Fenian Raids, Prohibition, and World Wars I and II.

In spite of the latest employment statistics Canada South is still one of the wealthiest parts of Canada.  But we have grown old and tired.  We can no longer compete with the best in the world.  We don’t even trade freely with our fellow provinces.  We have become an over-taxed, tort fearing society driven by social justice and solidarity supported by endless government programs, red tape and every kind of study before a decision is made.  And where has our once great infrastructure gone?  Will we become reborn and begin the cycle of growth again?  If so, how, when and by whose lead?  If not, then at least we can be proud of all that preceded us in this “once great” area.

Janet Gasparini