I’ve been thinking a great deal about May Day.
There are a few ways to approach this thought. Perhaps, to you, it’s the birth of spring1. Maybe, in this bilingual country, you think about a distress signal, knowing you can shout an Anglicized “M’aidez” in moments of peril, or perhaps you’re put in mind of International Workers’ Day2 and the political movements linked to it. I’m sure, from reading London Ontario Online News, you know that’s the day nominations open for the 2026 municipal election. It’s even possible you have a brain that leaps to Mayday Parker, the Spider-Girl of Earth 9823, and, if so, let’s get beers.
When I think about May Day, I think about The Wicker Man.
Let’s start again
I don’t usually do a cold open, but I’m recognizing a particular moment in our local history; if I did cliches4, I might call it the calm before the storm. So this piece feels more like a column than usual, and you should be aware it’s littered with opinion like the twigs on my lawn. I’ve been pondering this while painting or cleaning or raking various things for the last two days5 and sometimes this stuff comes out like a sneeze.
But of course I must do the housekeeping, right? Let’s get to that now.
Greetings from London, Ontario
And this is London, test market and the notional average Canadian something something marketing something6, a unique place that also tests its citizens in unique ways every day, such as an Earth Day traffic jam that everybody just accepts as Not The Onion7. It’s a wonderful spring evening and I’m treating my neighbours to some Nina Simone8. You’re a lang time deid, so stop and enjoy life, that’s what I say.
Why listen to me? Well, my name’s Mike and I’m putting 30 years of experience to work in Strategic Communications and Public Interest Journalism at the same time, somehow, and that includes small pieces of writing about London City Hall. I’m taking a corporate comms approach to this, meaning I treat you like a leader with a level of intelligence, and I keep it neutral and informative as much as I can.
Why? Because it’s good for everybody to put vital information in the minds of leaders, especially in an election year - that’s a shared organizational goal, for any awards adjudicators out there. And, with enough of us on board, it’s viable to expand this into a wider, better-funded service. At least, that’s the idea.
Thanks for all the encouragement!
Today’s post
Now you can find the fire exits and the lavvies, I’ll explain the idea. I have some thoughts about this special time for our local government, and they follow next with reference to a strange old film I like.
Below that is your usual collection of City Hall updates, organized by the issues and all very fresh, for those who prefer those high-level briefings. And remember this is all about local government, and I’ll be back with a Friday ROUNDUP that includes wider local news issues.
It’s time to keep your appointment with The Wicker Man
And it’s time for a weird old movie. The Wicker Man9 (1973) has been my favourite film for a long time and is simultaneously NOT a recommendation because please do not cancel me.
It’s a complicated piece of art, you see, and, despite many layers of nuance, it’s the opposite of politically correct - on purpose. Sometimes it’s a musical, and sometimes a sex comedy, and it was definitely going for a sleazy market in 1970s Britain. Meanwhile, there is the casting, with sultry screen sirens and rubber-faced character actors delivering performances that are impossible to describe (especially Lindsay Kemp10’s accent). Truthfully, I’m not sure that it’s even successful as a piece of cinema; it was cheaply made and is more like bottled lightning than a piece of genius.
And it’s a compelling horror movie - perhaps the best British horror film ever made. Without spoilers, I’ll say that The Wicker Man reminds us that the whole world can change in an instant, and that even the most powerful people are subject to the consequences of their actions.
Especially on May Day.
“You don’t want to be around here on May Day.”
“Not the way you feel.”
Here’s an embed of the trailer, which is rather too much of the film, to my mind, so skip it if you like.
Click here to watch on YouTube, for better accessibility features.
The gist: a police officer (played by Edward Woodward from The Equalizer) arrives on a remote Scottish island to investigate a child’s disappearance. As he does, the devout Christian becomes increasingly alarmed by pagan practices in the community, led by Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee, in his favourite of all his films). And he begins to suspect the islanders have a terrible secret… He’s right, but not in the way he thinks.
That’s enough. It’s a film with a shock at the end and it’s best enjoyed unspoiled, as much as possible. Not that I’m suggesting you watch this film. No way.
Getting to the point
On May Day, I think about The Wicker Man. I always watch it around now because, for all its sinister undercurrents, it’s a positive piece about the coming of spring and the need for nature to bring fruitfulness back to our orchards. There were times when the seasons governed us all, and we paid more attention.
And, what happens when you’re living through interesting times? What if the crops fail, perhaps figuratively? Who would step up and take on such a challenge, in troubled times, when making a difference can seem like a battle that cannot be won? What drives people into public service in 2026, and keeps them there, trying to make a difference when everyone has an opinion they need to shriek across Timmies? I worry about the mob - metaphorically speaking - and what an electorate does when it’s driven by emotion.
And I think about the Wicker Man, and what it takes to step up and risk being a leader.
To misquote the movie slightly:
“Welcome, fool… You have accepted the role of king for a day, and who but a fool would do that?”
Are you ready to run?
It takes so much courage to run for office, if done for the right reasons. This year, when I watch this twisted, crappy old flick on May Day, I’ll think about the people who are stepping up in the full knowledge that, despite all the arguing about pay raises for councillors, it’s a hell of a job, when all’s said and done. I wouldn’t do it for all the fish in the Tay.
And I hope there is enough motivation out there for a high standard of candidate, and a real race based on the issues. The most successful politicians are the ones who can win elections, and the most successful community leaders are the ones who can inspire us to a common goal. I have real hopes that we’ll have an election worth following, and learning from.
Sadly, at this point my metaphor breaks down because, spoilers or otherwise, it’s clear The Wicker Man movie ends with somebody going into a wicker man and being quite perturbed about the idea. In this case, I’m happy to note wicker men are rare in London, Ontario.
I mean - can you imagine the arguments about the cost of the wicker?
News roundup time, phew
My goodness, what absolute nonsense. You can tell I have no editor, right?
Anyway, now for one of those all-important briefings for my leadership team. Here’s what’s been popping like candy among those municipal issues this week. We had two acronymic committees at City Hall, and as ever the agendas are here but please please do not put yourself through that. I watched online and it was the usual chat - like a game of tennis played with a half-squished frog squeaking back and forth across the room, its suffering unheard - so let’s just gather the outcomes for now.
There has been reporting but it’s been fairly flat. It’s worth noting that, at this stage, our incumbents have mostly set out their stalls for October 26. They know that tick tock tick tock there’s a limit to what can be achieved at this stage, largely because City Staff have been gleefully11 telling them for months that their desks are full and councillors won’t get their idea actioned until it’s too late to win any votes.
And this is it - the last Full Council cycle before nominations open. Time has almost run out entirely.
But, some are still having a go. And, our city’s big issues keep on rolling, and we as leaders should pay attention. So here’s my roundup of City Hall reporting:
RECYCLING: Somehow, incredibly, we are trying to figure out how to support businesses with recycling. CTV London’s Daryl Newcombe has that blue box story. Again, Not The Onion: driving across town to drop off recycling, free or otherwise, does not recognize the climate emergency.
DRUG USERS: Downtown’s Councillor David Ferreira took aim at pharmacy services but it doesn’t seem to have come to much. Story is here.
TRANSIT: CBC London’s Andrew Lupton takes apart London Transit Commission finances in this great report.
Opinion alert: FUND THE BUSES.FIREFIGHTERS: Somehow, we’re again negotiating out-of-contract with the firefighters. I feel like we just did this, but OK. Daryl again, and Jack Moulton of the London Free Press: link.
CANADIAN NATIONALISM12: Here’s a fascinating story in which the LFP verified that we only buy proper Canadian snowplows, and none of those nasty American ones. (Do you know who owns the London Free Press? Because they don’t sing O Canada.)
ENVIRONMENT: my fave story of the week so far. We have three (!) local media reports about Highbury being closed for spring cleaning today - CBC, LFP and CTV - and, marvellously, the CBC also wrote this article about how to get yourself one of those cleanups. I love it when public services work.
DISCUSSION: And finally, if you haven’t had enough of my opinions, you can find a whole bunch more on Matt Brown’s podcast here. Nathan Caranci and I went on and on about what might or might not happen this spring and beyond.
Absolutely enough
That, dear subscribers, is what happens when I think it’s OK to write about a 1973 folk horror film. I don’t have much defence, tbh. If this didn’t work, I’d love to know about it. As I said, I’ve been noodling it for a couple of days.
My sincere apologies for being later than intended. Along with the sunny weather, I find myself called upon to do responsible things, which is also real horrorshow although I did randomly buy cannoli last week so it’s not all bad.
Thanks for following along and any shares you can manage. Back soon!
- Mike
Cliches: avoid them like the plague.
I know I’m much later than billed; sorry about that. When we turn on subscriptions, we’ll also have a clear service guarantee. I can promise a publishing schedule that isn’t affected by my desire to putter around my garden on a sunny day. Rain in the forecast.
Our city has been the test market for everything from McDonalds Pizza to Timmies’ Dark Roast. There is a really fun video about this, produced by the London Economic Development Corp. as part of its work to promote London to employers. Check it out.
If you don’t understand, please unfollow me.
I’m aware of the remake starring Nic Cage and I don’t need to see it. But I do like him. I had a Wild At Heart poster when I was a student and even now I would kill for a snakeskin jacket and the build to wear one.
An absolute legend, who could not do a Scots accent to save his life.
Ssssshhhhh, I didn’t say that.
Yes it is. Take it from a Scot. If it looks like a duck…