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Letter: Make sure your voice is heard

Anti-intellectualism and anti-government has come home to roost right here in Cowichan Valley
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Make sure your voice is heard

It’s election time once more. Thursday I went to the North Cowichan “Get to Know your Candidates Meeting” and learnt of divisive politics being perpetuated by a few choice candidates. Then Saturday, after living in this Valley for four summers, I received my first copy of Amazing Facts, “The Great Controversy — Will the Vatican and Washington DC Unite?”

Is our community extreme right wing? Can you explain to me what this run on anti-intellect and anti-government is all about?

It became clear to me that some council members and “running candidates” were against being analytical, thorough, thoughtful, sensitive, balanced, flexible, and well rounded in their thinking towards community projects/development? In my humble opinion these are characteristics a governing body should possess. I expect nothing less from those bestowed with planning our future! It’s about making sound decisions. A good council should also have the insight to reconstitute their efforts and recognize when to start action — once the facts are in. Ultimately their purpose is to avoid opportunism, corruption, graft, and poor decisions — keeping ahead of pressure from special interest groups. On the down side, once a community is wronged, how does it prove wrongful intent or malpractice within leadership? Processes and protocols are in place to protect all — them (as politicians) and us (as community).

Suffice it to say, politicians can use words to excite when they are impatient. They use rhetoric that we’ve grown comfortable with, normalized rhetoric that disguises who they really are.

The question remains: what motivates our candidates and what do they really believe in? Check out the Maple Bay meeting on YouTube, in particular the second half. Ultimately your senses will alert and inform you of how to score each candidate on your BS rating system! Noise and bluster does not suggest good leadership.

After that meeting Thursday in Chemainus, I determined polarization is not just an American phenomenon. Some of our candidates want to spread their wares and ride on the emotional exhaustion this pandemic has produced. Those who subscribe to or hide behind conspiratorial thinking seek to demonize sound process and prudent planning — the core of our very system.

Anti-intellectualism and anti-government has come home to roost right here in Cowichan Valley.

God bless those calm candidates who have led the way and continue to run. This election, carefully choose your council, as we can easily go down a rabbit hole we do not want and could struggle for years to climb out of.

Thursday’s audience was padded with the supporters of a few choice candidates. Make sure you vote so your voice is heard.

Catherine Worthingham

North Cowichan