It’s hard to argue with the formula.
If you had any thoughts about becoming a politician, the way to go is to start at the local level.
(But think carefully about the choice. There are some pretty significant perks to being an elected official, not the least of which is the fat pension that comes with serving in either Victoria or Ottawa. Conversely, there are some pretty radical commitments, including the need to deal with constant criticism, face down angry citizens, and toe the party line, even if it is contrary to your own personal convictions.)
Salmon Arm has classic examples of how getting in on the ground floor of municipal government can eventually lead to higher levels of power, cushier chairs and travel vouchers.
Colin Mayes is one such example.
In 1996, he was elected mayor of Salmon Arm, serving nine years before being elected Member of Parliament for the riding of Okanagan-Shuswap in 2006.
Mayes clearly always had ambitions to move higher than local politics. He was a nominated candidate for both the Yukon Conservative Party during an earlier stint up north where he was also Mayor of Dawson Creek, and ran for the Reform Party of British Columbia.
Mayes is now on his second term as the Member of Parliament for the Okanagan-Shuswap riding.
The now-retiring George Abbott is another who cut his teeth in local political arenas before moving up to play in bigger political playgrounds. With a political career spanning 30 years, Abbott earned his stripes at the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, where he was eventually elected chair, before jumping into provincial politics with the BC Liberals in 1996, where he has remained firmly ensconced, until announcing he was stepping away from political life.
So it comes as no surprise that former Salmon Arm mayor Marty Bootsma’s now making a bid to step up to the next level and enter provincial politics. He’s developed a friendship with Mayes that continued while they served on city council together. So no doubt, former mayor Bootsma will be getting some good advice from that corner.
Spending some time in municipal politics gives candidates a number of advantages, most notably name recognition. It also allows them time to round up and secure supporters who then may become willing campaign volunteers or the ever-important financial backers. Experience is also beneficial, in that former municipal politicians have good knowledge of the workings of a political machine and its accompanying bureaucracy.
It will be interesting to see who else may throw their hat in the ring, both for the Liberals and other parties. And I’d say the best place to look for potential candidates would be at the council tables from around the region.
