It’s unfortunate that the practise of publishing fake news seems to be spreading from the media into greater society.
In a letter published Feb. 17, B. Cousins blamed North Okanagan-Shuswap MP Mel Arnold for confusion surrounding electoral reform, and in the process, made a number of factual errors.
First, Cousins claims that Mr. Arnold wa,s “asked by constituents to hold town hall meetings” about electoral reform. In point of fact, the town hall was entirely Mr. Arnold’s idea.
Second, Cousins claims that instead of holding a town hall meeting, Mr. Arnold sent out a leaflet. Mr. Arnold did send out a leaflet, but it was to advertise a town hall meeting at the Schubert Centre at which Linda Elmose, a professor from Okanagan College, gave a presentation and answered questions completely independent of the organizers. Questions from the floor, which included representatives of other political parties, were welcomed and answered by Dr. Elmose.
Third, Cousins claims that the leaflet “push the Conservative position,” implying that the Conservatives were pushing some variant of electoral reform. The Conservative position is, and was, quite straightforward: hold a referendum and let the people decide.
Finally, Cousins claims that, “Since being elected, Mr. Arnold has never consulted the public in a fair manner.” This is not only completely unfair, but demonstrably untrue.
Since being elected, Mr. Arnold has held an unprecedented number of public consultations with local, regional and provincial governments, as well as local stakeholders and the public at large, all of them at his own initiative.
The latest, for example, was a round table on homelessness that included advocates from every level of government as well as personnel from local aid organizations.
Mr. Arnold has gone out of his way to push for more openness and transparency, and has followed through with substantive and well documented action.
If there is any one guilty of political gamesmanship, it is on B. Cousin’s part.
L. Hawes
Shuswap
