I appreciate the questions editor John Harding asked Graham Riches of the Concerned Citizens of Qualicum Beach (front-page story in the Sept. 5 edition of The NEWS).
Given the questions Harding asked of Riches, I wonder why he is not as diligent with questions to Coun. Dave Willie.
Repeatedly, Willie states that any person or group who disagrees with him is part of a subversive NDP conspiracy or part of the losing “32 per cent club.”
I don’t understand. I would greatly appreciate Harding having Willie clarify his understanding of this relationship.
I was not aware we had partisan politics at the municipal level. I also was not aware how one voted provincially or federally, if one did vote, had bearing on what one could or could not express about ones satisfaction with the manner in which municipal decisions are being made.
I thought we elected five individuals to work together for the good of our community, according to our expressed wishes as outlined in the OCP, the results of the Quality of Life Surveys and in collaboration with various citizen advisory committees.
To clarify Willie’s understanding of this relationship, questions I would appreciate Harding asking are:
• How is objecting to a million dollar ratepayer subsidy to a for-profit corporation aligned with the NDP?
• Why does advocating for due diligence, transparency and accountability align one with the NDP?
• How is honouring our OCP and the results of the numerous Quality of Life Surveys an NDP position?
• How is fostering actual participatory democracy and involving citizen advisory committees subversively NDP?
• If these are uniquely NDP, what does that say about the Liberals and the Conservatives in Willie’s understanding?
I look forward to reading the results of this interview.
Yvonne Zarowny
Qualicum Beach
