There needs to be fundamental changes in the way in which city hall operates and mayor and council conduct themselves in city hall, council chambers and in public.
It is high time that the mayor and councillors realized that the low voter turnout is attributed to political disengagement and the belief that voting for one candidate or another will do little to alter public policy.
There is a lack of sense of personal responsibility individuals feel to uphold their obligations as part of any community. “Why should I vote? It doesn’t matter, no one listens or cares what I say.” Low voter turnouts threaten democracy in several ways. When people don’t participate in the electoral process, it weakens the foundation of the democratic process.
Over the past number of years, a trend, a consensus, has emerged from within city hall.
There is little to no civic engagement or civic participation, individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern.
Civic engagement is about decision-making, or governance over whom, how, and who will allocate a community’s resources.
Civic engagement is a means of working together to make a difference in the civil life of our communities and developing the combination of skills, knowledge, values, and motivation in order to make that difference.
It means promoting a quality of life in a community, through both political and non-political processes.
Efforts to directly address an issue by residents have been met by resistance in council chambers by elected officials. These actions and the decision-making by mayor and councillors are the very reason for low voter turn out.
There is a valid perception that voting has little impact on how the city is run.
City councillors have lacked the ability to act as an individual person that is willing to listen to the people of Vernon and act accordingly. I really would like to know why a city councillor is scared to vote no or show objection to matters that are being debated or voted on. Vernon desperately needs change, Vernon needs a sound mayor and council. Vernon has been taken down the wrong road and cannot sustain itself.
Ike Neutoun
Vernon
