Dear Editor. Many in Mission received their third installment of the “Mission Messenger” today and sadly it epitomizes what the public would characterize as an old boy’s network.
The glaring gender bias of no women represented sends a message of coldness and a perception no women were attracted to the CRMG.
During his inaugural speech Mayor Adlem promised a timely response to seniors’ need for a Seniors’ Activity Centre. Now in the fourth year, a Seniors’ Task Force has made recommendations but seniors still bemoan the fact there is no centre yet and wonder if it will occur in our lifetime? Yet, there is the mayor making more promises, placing onus upon some illusive developer, just to get the massive senior vote. But the saying ‘fool me once, shame on me but a second time, shame on you,’ and the 10,000 senior voters will likely vote for an independent who will make and keep their timely promise.
The other glaring mistruth CRMG alludes to in the second edition, are un-named self-interests which is a red herring at best. The public realize two independents – Tony Luck and Jeff Jewell – were star candidates and instrumental in any CRMG success, that they left CRMG for just cause but with others will still deliver on platform promises and simply, while a slate can achieve a desired result and did, the traditional independent candidate is still a viable means to elect competent people. This would be particularly true if a group of new likeminded progressive candidates wisely formed an informal alliance of concerned Candidates and published a manifesto incorporating their individual common goals to meet citizen needs – tax control, stem urban growth, address Seniors’ Activity Centre now, Arts Centre, Youth Centre and Animal Welfare, Social & Safety needs among other important issues, in a more inclusive and widely distributed common use periodical, at more economical cost to candidates, than costly individual advertising.
As well, public debate, transparency and open-minded independent councils may often be preferred to a sometime biased team decision that does not reflect community values. This last term, four members voted non-confidence in the mayor and sadly, Mission citizens do not welcome a repeat of this by the same leadership. While an unnamed community Leader is solicited to make a presumed bias endorsement and observation about the mayor’s infamous behaviour, the public intelligence is not to be insulted, as clearly, a Leopard does not change it spots any more than a middle-aged mayor is likely to suddenly create a Jeckyl & Hyde personality behaviour change and to believe anyone knows differently is folly, at best, thus best taken at face value.
There are several very talented women candidates who should be elected, given proven community performance and it is incongruous why CRMG have not displayed the wisdom to embrace these women onto the team. Thus, the old boys team as posed may not meet the overall needs of citizens this time.
Yours truly,
George F. Evens