(This letter was sent to the Alberni Valley News on January 2, 2024)
Dear Editor,
Like Mrs. Chen, I was left questioning why turnout was so abysmally low in the City by-election.
People are cynical and disconnected in general right now. Political advertising is negative, gimmicky, even threatening. Who wants to engage with that? Where is the inspiration, the vision, the courage? Populations respond to leadership, for good or ill.
I question if the City and Regional District even want our input.
Council and Regional District decision making meetings are held when everyone is at work. The Official Community Plan has been under construction for 4 years with a handful of half-hearted opportunities for the public to help create the most important document in the City’s control. The City and Regional District has had public input on a new pool a few times over 15 years, always with strong responses to build new, yet politicians talk in circles.
I guess it is no surprise then that the public would ignore a rare voting day when politicians seem to ignore, or actively avoid, their input every other day of the year. The public responds to leadership. Where are the leaders?
Sincerely,
Chris