If you think Hamilton should be happy that Via Rail will be stopping at the GO platform planned for LIUNA Station downtown, former mayor Larry Di Ianni begs to disagree.

Di Ianni says the city actually let Via off the hook by pushing them to use the provincially funded GO stop rather than build their own federally funded station in Hamilton's east end as the Crown corporation originally promised.

According to Di Ianni, if Via had built in the east end, GO probably could have been convinced to extend their service to that stop and Via might have been talked into using GO's LIUNA platform, thus doubling rail investment and giving the city the best of both worlds.

Though he says it's good to see Via coming back to Hamilton, he laments the city opted for a quick hit rather than a long-term strategic win.

It's an interesting argument, one you can follow in detail on Di Ianni's blog at chrisecklund.com. Di Ianni has been writing a weekly opinion column called Larry's Corner on the website, which is maintained by businessman and philanthropist Chris Ecklund, for the past seven months.

During that time, he's tackled topical and thorny issues from the Lister Block to the Red Hill lawsuit, from the integrity commissioner to the search for a new city manager to replace the outgoing Glen Peace.

In doing so, Di Ianni has also broken the informal code of silence about publicly commenting on civic issues that was adhered to by his two immediate predecessors after they left the mayor's office.

Both Bob Wade -- who stepped down -- and Bob Morrow -- who was defeated -- made a point of zipping their lips and refraining from casting shadows over the shoulders of their respective successors.

To the best of my knowledge, the only time they bent that discreet rule in a meaningful way was when The Spectator prevailed upon them to contribute to a Q&A series marking last year's United Way Mayors' Gala.

Even outspoken former mayor Jack MacDonald, who later became a freelance political commentator for The Spec, abstained from talking about the administration that replaced him when he was unexpectedly defeated by Bill Powell in 1980.

"It didn't seem to me to be the right thing to do," recalls MacDonald.

"While I've never been shy, I've always been conscious of trying to do the right thing -- and the only judge of that is me."

Di Ianni makes no apologies for breaking the tradition of former mayors keeping a lid on their opinions for at least a decent interval.

He points out he strives to keep his commentary cordial and correct, though he does acknowledge he has taken one or two mild pokes at Mayor Fred Eisenberger, who narrowly unseated him after one term in the 2006 election.

"I think once or twice I may have crossed the line of criticism, but in a respectful way, not in a personal way," Di Ianni says.

"I try to be very supportive but also try to provide, from my perspective, some context for what's happening in the city."

So why can't he let go?

What drives him to write his own political blog and occasionally contribute to others, including The Spec's hallmarks.thespec.com.

"I think I started doing it mostly out of therapy than anything else, trying to keep myself sort of connected," he says.

It's been a year now since Di Ianni became the federal Liberal candidate for Hamilton East-Stoney Creek. And he's clearly chomping at the bit to come to grips with MP Wayne Marston, the riding's NDP incumbent.

But the blog appears to be less about filling the hours before the federal election than it is about compensating for his foreshortened career as mayor.

"Listen, it's no secret that I left the job unwillingly.

"It was the democratic will -- slight as it was --that I take the leave, but I still felt I had some things to contribute.

"This is one way of providing some reflections."

If that makes the blog a salve for his lingering wound, is the only cure a return to political office?

Andrew Dreschel's commentary appears Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

adreschel@thespec.com

905-526-3495