Dear Editor,
With the onset of legalization of cannabis this fall, I was very impressed by what Clinton, our neighbor to the north, has done. Desiring input from all its citizens, the Village issued a 13-question survey to its residents to truly find out what their feelings were regarding the potential retail sale of cannabis in their community.
As a result, 82 per cent did not wish to see sales of cannabis banned in Clinton. This seems to me an excellent show of democracy and respect for the wishes of the taxpayers. Too often, in my opinion, a few vocal people in a community—whether for or against an issue—seem to rule the decision-making process, or the elected officials do not even attempt to take the time and effort to truly find out what the community who elected them wants.
I think that as it is up to local areas to make a decision with respect to such sales, that hopefully both Ashcroft and Cache Creek will follow Clinton’s excellent example and send a similar or even the same survey to the respective taxpayers of each community. Then, whether there is or is not a retail cannabis dispensary allowed in either community will be the result of input from all the taxpayers, not just council or a few vocal individuals attending a town hall meeting: democracy in action here like there was in Clinton.
If tax and utility notices can be sent out, then a questionnaire could also be easily sent out to all taxpayers in Ashcroft and Cache Creek as well.
To see Clinton’s results (if you missed it in last week’s newspaper) go to http://bit.ly/2NURP6k.
Ben Fuglestveit
Cache Creek, B.C.
Dear Editor,
“What can you hope for in someone aspiring to lead our country?”
That was the question in my mind as I prepared to host Andrew Scheer at my home in West Vancouver on July 13, along with about 75 others eager to meet him. He’s at the most malleable time in his leadership career, recently elected, and seemingly open to guidance from people like those he met in the room.
The answer to my question became more and more apparent as Andrew spoke. As friends dispersed later, several came independently to the same conclusion. We wanted to observe humility, compassion, integrity, and someone committed to listen to the people he aims to serve.
The humility side he’s learned from being consistently underrated in politics, surrounding himself with strong supporters, and beating the odds.
Andrew may be the most underrated political leader in the Western world. At the tender age of 25, he beat the odds in 2004, winning his first election as MP against a 30-year parliamentary veteran, Lorne Nystrom. At 32, he defied the experts once again in 2011, becoming Canada’s youngest ever Speaker of the House. And he beat the odds a third time to emerge victorious over 15 other candidates who sought the Conservative Party leadership in 2016.
The compassion angle is especially important for a Conservative leader. Andrew acknowledged the importance of rehabilitation, not just the expectable commitment to incarcerate repeat offenders. Imagine how Canadians would respond to a leader who pledged intelligent, effective support to the prisoners of drug addiction.
The integrity piece is key, as we want leaders who will do the right thing even when no one is watching.You don’t have to share his faith as a devoted Catholic Christian to believe he has a personal stake in doing the right thing.
That same integrity allows for him to remain loyal to whatever commitments he makes as he prepares to potentially lead the country. At the same time, integrity will require him to change position while making the necessary adjustments when the good of the whole country requires a special interest group to yield.
Finally, Andrew seemed intent on listening to people he met. With his energy, mental nimbleness, and the ability to identify people who can enrich his understanding of key issues, he has the makings to grow into a great Canadian leader.
John Weston
Vancouver, B.C.
John Weston is a lawyer specializing in government relations and Indigenous affairs, author of the book On!, and former Conservative Member of Parliament for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country.
The views and opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Black Press or the Ashcroft-Cache Creek Journal. If you have a different opinion, we ask you to write to us to contribute to the conversation.
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