I appreciate The NEWS asking Qualicum Beach residents if they were happy with the results of their municipal election. Not only did Qualicum Beach have a relatively high turn-out; the response to your question affirmed the results.
As a long-time resident with severely limited energy, I am grateful to the hard-working, dedicated volunteers of the Qualicum Beach Residents Association and the Concerned Citizens of Qualicum Beach.
They invested much of themselves for the good of our community and the health of our democracy.
These people understood a functioning democracy is about more than an occasional election.
A functioning democracy is an on-going process requiring real transparency that enables citizens holding decision makers accountable.
This requires easy access to accurate information that can be critically assessed by all residents.
To me, this is real honouring of those who suffer and die in the name of our freedoms and democracies.
While including all who have and are serving in our armed forces, it is not limited to them. It also includes all the citizen groups such as the suffragettes and unions who advocated for inclusive and accountable governance in the public good.
Such a democracy also includes on-going mutually respectful informed dialogue and debate so decisions impacting our community are consistent with the vision most residents want to achieve.
We now have a council who say they understand this approach to democracy and community development. To ensure this, residents need to stay alert and involved.
Hopefully the owners of The Clarion project will demonstrate their respect for our community and their good corporate citizenship by re-visiting their plans through broad-based community participation to ensure what is built conforms to the vision the majority of Qualicum Beach residents have for their community.
Yvonne ZarownyQualicum Beach
