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COLUMN: Democracy, insults and dead rats

Members of Summerland’s council have sometimes received harsh treatment from the public
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The list of names on this year’s municipal election ballot is noticeably shorter than in the past.

This year, two candidates are running for the mayor’s chair and nine have put their names forward as candidates for the six councillor positions.

Often, municipal elections in Summerland attract more candidates. In 2014 and 2005, there were 16 councillor candidates on the ballot, and in 1999, there were 19 choices for councillors.

Why is the number of candidates this year lower than usual?

Part of the reason may be the way the community has been treating its elected representatives over the past few years.

Last year, Mayor Peter Waterman had dead rats on his doorstep. Graffiti was also painted in the community, taking issue with him personally.

Others on council have received some strongly worded, extremely angry letters and comments on social media because of they way they voted.

If these letters and comments had been confined to disagreeing with a position, the feedback would be the sign of a healthy democracy and a vibrant community.

But too often, the comments have turned into insults and character attacks.

Such behaviour shows a disrespect for those serving on council. It also affects the families and friends of those at the table.

Those who put their names forward for a seat on council are committing themselves to a challenging and often thankless task if they are elected.

Council holds two regular meetings each month, on the second and fourth Mondays. These meetings normally run between two and three hours.

The agenda packages, seldom less than 100 pages and sometimes more than 400 pages, require a time commitment.

It takes several hours on the weekend to read through this package well enough to be prepared for the meeting.

Council members also attend meetings each Monday morning, as well as special meetings beyond the regular evening meetings. And each council member also sits on a number of committees and boards as a council liaison.

In addition, those serving on council are expected to be available when members of the public wish to voice their concerns.

Whether one agrees or disagrees with a council member’s position on a particular topic, the members of council are performing an important public service.

But instead of viewing those on council as public servants, some have chosen to take an antagonistic, adversarial relationship with those sitting at the table.

At times, people in the public gallery at council meetings have whispered and muttered among themselves, sometimes loudly enough to drown out the discussions at the council table.

This has happened from time to time as long as I have been covering Summerland’s municipal council, but it has become more frequent and more noticeable in the past few years.

At times, from where I sit in the front row of the public gallery, it is hard to hear what is being said by the mayor and councillors above the din of the whispers and comments from the gallery.

Such behaviour is not only rude and disrespectful; it also shows a level of disgust and contempt with the entire democratic process.

Summerland will face some challenges in the months and years ahead, and those at the council table will have to make some difficult decisions.

Disagreeing with those decisions is fine, but personal insults, character attacks, graffiti and dead rats have no place in a healthy democracy.

John Arendt is the editor of the Summerland Review.



John Arendt

About the Author: John Arendt

John Arendt has worked as a journalist for more than 30 years. He has a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Journalism degree from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute.
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