Over the past few months, as the rhetoric has ratcheted up in anticipation of the November election, those clamoring the loudest for a seat on council have put themselves in the public eye with the intent to win over voters.
As a person who has received numerous suggestions and encouragement to try for a council seat myself, I’ve had a pretty full spectrum of thoughts on the matter. As a result, I’ve looked very critically at the campaigns unfolding.
Being on council is a major commitment. Someone who sits at the council table needs to look past their own issues and far into the future. Actually seeing themselves involved and engaged by all that is going on around them, not just their own, narrow view.
I worry that there are some running based more on their ego than on a real desire to contribute as a component of a collaborative. Great damage can be done when people who are motivated by the wrong reasons receive the power to govern.
While it almost always comes down to this, an election should not be a popularity contest, there is too much at stake for that. Focusing on the negative takes vital energy away from working toward the positive. If there is a demonstration of this mentality pre-election in the pursuit of ‘leveraging’ votes, how could anyone believe that would change post-election? More importantly, how will that effect the political discourse of our local government?
Castigating others during a campaign only shows one thing- the ability to castigate. This is not a useful trait and neither is disdain for one’s fellow man. For those who would like to, but who have not served on council, it would be useful to take a look at your chosen issues. Facts are irrefutable, but the context around which they are framed define what they mean to us. I’m always skeptical of those who colour the facts with bias.
Painting a picture of ‘us vs. them’ is not accurate. There is only ‘us.’
Who is us? We are Sooke.
Lorien Arnold
Sooke
