Dear editor,
If, as Jorge Ramos stated in accepting the Burton Benjamin Memorial Award for lifetime achievement in defending press freedom, “…the best in journalism becomes a way of doing justice and speaking truth to power,” then the Dec. 4 Record headline “Experience gets the nod for Courtenay RD reps” is a long, long way from the best in journalism.
Such a headline doesn’t even meet the standard of not being obviously false.
If “experience” were the criteria for the mayor’s appointments to the Regional District, then where does the appointment of the entirely inexperienced Bob Wells come from?
And did Mayor Jangula really consider Eric Eriksson’s experience 20 years ago on a council shamefully discredited by the extra-council actions of a barely-legal, self-serving mayor credible credentials for an RD appointment over Councillor Frisch with the overwhelming support of the electors of Courtenay?
Clearly “experience” was not the criteria for these appointments. A much more likely criteria was the age-old proclivity for cronyism in politics.
Did the Record consider the direct one-to-one correlation between those who politically supported the mayor in his re-election bid and those appointed?
Is it too much to ask our local press to be a bit analytical and ask obvious question like: are these appointments just about cronyism, or are they also about ensuring the continued Courtenay assault on the very idea of Comox Valley Regional District giving rural citizens some say over what happens in their communities?
Given the effort by previous Courtenay directors to slash at the RD growth management strategy, is it not also worth examining the possibility that the recent Courtenay appointments could also be about ensuring loyal votes to continue attempts to dismember the rural community plan? Happy Trails!
Norm Reynolds
Courtenay
