Thoughts on BC Politics and More

ENGAGEMENT, CONSULTATION AND TRANSPARENCY are big words in governments at all levels right now. Issues like pipeline expansion, electoral reform and First Nations rights come to mind but let’s stick close to home. The McArthur Island issue has made Kamloops City council sensitive to the meaning of communication with citizens. There’s another important word to add to the list — empowerment. It means giving someone the authority to do something. At this week’s Kamloops City council meeting, during a report from Communications Manager Wendy Heshka about recent “engagement” activities, Counsellor Bill Sarai urged — in view of the  experience — that people be told their input “is just part of the bigger picture.” He called public engagement “a double-edged sword.” Mayor Ken Christian has said, “There’s a big difference between not listening and not agreeing.”   So, expect some sort of warning on the City’s website which, translated, will mean “We...

O NE OF THE TOUGHEST QUESTIONS we ask our politicians is, “What is your vision for Kamloops? More often than not, the response has something to do with a clean, safe city with good amenities and well-paying jobs. When was the last time a politician said, “ I really think we need more street crime, litter and graffiti, and we should bring in more minimum-wage employment and close down some parks ”? The real test of vision, though, comes in the details. Elected leaders and residents alike are asked from time to time to put their money where their vision is. Sometimes they pass the test, sometimes they fail. Sometimes, too, vision is as much about saying no to something as saying yes. Image Credit ... kamloopspublicmarket.org The proposed farmer’s market building at the entrance to Riverside Park is one such vision that divides people. An informal survey was released this week on what people think about it and I’ll get to that in a minute. First, ...