I attended The News sponsored byelection forum which featured one no show, two want-to-be recycled and two wanna be politicians. Some observations:
Both Paul Reitsma and Carrie Powell-Davidson wore black — hopefully not a harbinger of doom at the polls. Neither addressed their histories, letters to the editor by Reitsma using a pseudonym promoting his own work on past councils. Nor did CP-D (“longest name on the ballot”) talk about her questionable voting for a liquor license while operating a home based events planning business.
Newcomer Doug O’Brien probably lost the animal lovers vote when he suggested next time Canada Geese have to be culled they be tagged and shipped to the NWT. Can’t you see the headline, “Snowbirds fly north for the winter.” Hopefully he’d handle the homeless a different way. And Candidate Kim Burden has clearly researched the dilemma he faces if elected — namely, which votes to excuse himself from because he’d be both an elected official and head of the Parksville Chamber of Commerce.
With the myriad of issues facing Council and council’s penchant to go in camera at the drop of a hat, Burden might spend a lot of time in the penalty box waiting out all the in camera debates. And talking about sitting it out. Parksville’s candidate for anything, Rick Honaizer wasn’t at the forum. Apparently another engagement. Eh?
Michael WarmingtonParksville
