Page 54 - Mike McCormick: A Little Political Tale

ISSUE : Issue 58

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1991/8/1

and remarried, and that was anathema in this area, you know. And this is what they were using against him. But we built him up in other ways, you know, as being a great humanitarian, and charitable. He was a smart businessman, you know. He made a lot of money in the stock market, too. (And why did you become a campaign manag? er?) I had--going back to 1937 in the pro? vincial election, I was secretary to the Liberal Party. And I managed George Morri? son's campaign--the late Judge Morrison. And he beat Gordon S. Harrington, who was the premier of the province at the time. And I had quite a team built up, all over the city. I had ward chairmen in each of the 6 wards and so on. So that when Slaven ran for mayor, we just used the same or? ganization, you see. (What would be the benefit to you to be campaign manager?) Nothing. (Oh, come on, there's always some benefit. You don't do these things for pleasure.) No, no, just for--well, politics. (And you were, his cam? paign manager. You weren't paid.) No, no, no. Just expenses. He had a Chrysler car-- what do they call it--an Airflow I'd have his car to drive around and do chores and that. But I didn't get paid for it First I had to make the arrangement with Charlie MacDougall. Then I had to make ar? rangements with Ballah, the voice studio fellow. Make the appointments. And Satur? day afternoon, I had to find Mrs. Currie. And she was scrubbing Dr. Hardy Parker's office--Hardy and Ralph Parker were two brothers, dentists in Sydney. (Captain) John Parker'd be a brother of these fel? lows. Their father was J. P.--J. Primrose Parker was their father--he was a dentist. And"Jack became a pilot, chief of the pi? lots here. And Hardy and Ralph were dentists. So I found Mrs. Currie--she was scrubbing Hardy Parker's office, Saturday afternoon. "Hardy," I said, "I want to borrow Mrs. Currie for about a half hour." "Geez, Mike," he said, "bring her back. We have to get these floors...." "Don't worry, it'll be done." So I took her across to Mosey Ballah's and got a record made. And she had two stories. So I said to her, "When I hold up two fingers, then you give me the second story." "Okay." So when she said, "You never worked for anything in your life." You know, when she said that, I held up the two fingers. She turned to me, she said, (whispering) "Is that all right?" And that got in 'cause I told Charlie, "We (won't) try it again, we couldn't get any better." But they turned the volume down; that didn't show up in the (broadcast) .... I have other good stories I don't want to tell you now, about old Sydney, about the politics of Sydney. After all, I've lived here pretty well most of my life. And the fellows who worked with me, and some of the things I learned from them.... I don't want to put that on tape now, but I'll tell you again. The photographs of Mayors Slaven and Muggah are from the Beaton Institute, University College of Cape Breton. TAKE A WALK ON THE mU SWK BXPLORK eastern CounUcsRegionBllibrsry 390 Murrey Street, P.O. Bag 2500 Mulgrave, N.S. BOE EGO (902) 747-2597 FAX (902) 747-2500 Your Public Library hasi to explore the natural j Bird Watching Animal & Marine Life Ecology ! Nature Tours & Hiking SCOTIA'S wimmss [everything you need history of Nova Scoiic. Wild Flowers k Herbs Rocks k Minerals Trees k Woodlands ... and much more!

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