In the 2014 election, following efforts by Amalgamation Yes to encourage Esquimalt council to place an amalgamation review question on the election ballot, city council ultimately posed the following question to the community: “Are you in favour of exploring the reduction of the number of municipalities within Greater Victoria through amalgamation?”
In total, 2,905 voters voted yes to the question, while 1404 voters voted no.
As the Township approaches its fall municipal election, I think it is important to remind voters that their municipal council decided their votes as Esquimalt residents do not count or are respected.
I think it is absolutely outrageous that Esquimalt voters are being denied inclusion from a core amalgamation review particularly when the municipality may have the most to gain, when you consider the balance of social equity that arises when there is a consolidated whole.
The silo wolf pack is alive and well in Esquimalt, incapable of open mindedness towards core union benefits and from a community gain perspective. It is an absolute shame they remain silent as Victoria and Saanich move forward using the same question this fall.
John Vickers
Toronto
Editor’s note: Mr. Vickers is a former board member with Amalgamation Yes.
