Four sleeps until Christmas. Four more days of Santas, elves, jingle bells, shopping, spreading goodwill, whatever. It’s Merry Christmas for some of us, Happy Holidays for others. Either way, the significance of the event often gets lost in the glitter and glamour. Many celebrate the holiday with special food and gift exchanges, which are great for the economy but not necessarily relevant to the birthday of Christ. However, most of us consider the season to be a special time of sharing and caring.
Then there is Santa. I’m a believer. Two years ago, I asked him to bring our MLA Donna Barnett a cabinet post, preferably something to do with rural BC. He finally got around to delivering. I also suggested he either clone Mayor Walter Cobb, or to give him a bucketful of water from the Fountain of Youth. He must have listened because Walt did double duty as the city’s mayor and CAO for half of 2016, and he came out unscathed.
So what about this year?
Well for starters, Santa ignored my request to give Premier Christy Clark a reminder that there are sensible limits to destroying farmland. So this year, how about encouraging both Ms. Clark and Opposition Leader John Horgan to bone up on the history of Site C, then to spend some time in the area so they understand why there is so much opposition to the project.
Then Santa, School District 27 needs help. Can you find two new trustees and a District Superintendent ASAP? The impacts from the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the rights of BC teachers to negotiate class-size and class-composition are horrendous. It means going back to the way it was before 2002 — more teachers, more space, more money — if there ever was a time to have all hands on deck, this is it.
In the meantime, for a few days at least, we can try to forget the strife in the Middle Eastern countries, Donald Trump, the epidemic of drug over-doses, and any other unpleasant stuff and focus on having a merry merry Christmas. Or holiday. And don’t forget the hugs.
Diana French is a freelance columnist, former Tribune editor, retired teacher, historian, and book author.
