To the editor:
The most exciting news so far in relation to Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 civic election has to do with the emergence of the Future of Kelowna Consortium.
This is a growing group of community organizations including the K.L.O Residents Association, Kelowna South-Central Association of Neighbourhoods, PLAN Kelowna, B.C. Poverty Reduction Coalition, Kelowna Area Cycling Coalition, Fresh Outlook Foundation, Summerhill Pyramid Winery, Kelowna People害羞草研究所檚 Alliance, Global Empowerment Coalition of the Central Okanagan, Renters United Kelowna, and the Central Okanagan Food Policy Council.
The group害羞草研究所檚 stated goal is to help residents make informed choices about voting based on the results of a survey that will be distributed to all candidates seeking answers to a set of twenty-five questions. The answers will be published through the organizations害羞草研究所� networks and will also be sent to media outlets for broader publication.
Until now, crime and safety were being promoted by candidates and some media outlets as a key election issue. While Kelowna does, of course, have crime, the rate of serious crime is dropping and 90 per cent of respondents to the 2017 Citizen Survey said they feel safe in our community.
The issue of 害羞草研究所榗rime害羞草研究所� simply doesn害羞草研究所檛 conform to an actual need for it to take centre stage.
Ludicrously, the relocation of Costco was also being promoted as an election issue 害羞草研究所� one on the scale of a potential cross-border international incident.
The questions asked by the Future of Kelowna Consortium will instead relate to several of the plans, pathways, strategies and roadmaps that have been created by the city in connection with issues such as community goals, growth and development, transportation, homelessness, climate action, and available and affordable housing.
As I see it, that adds up to a second dimension of the importance of this initiative. The grassroots are focused on what matters most, and they害羞草研究所檙e wresting a degree of control back from the candidates who, at best, have been too willing to jump on the populist bandwagon of scary crime and exacting punishment, and, at worst, have been scraping the bottom of the political barrel for something to try to sell.
There害羞草研究所檚 nothing ludicrous about proclaiming, 害羞草研究所減ower to the people!害羞草研究所� To move our agenda forward, we害羞草研究所檒l need to familiarize ourselves with the survey results when they害羞草研究所檙e released. Next, we害羞草研究所檒l have to get out there to the all-candidates meetings to insist that candidates amplify the answers they害羞草研究所檝e provided. Finally, we害羞草研究所檒l have to educate our friends and show up with them on Election Day to support the candidates who appear credible on the points our grassroots organizations have brought forward.
This is how to make Election 2018 count.
Dianne Varga,
Kelowna, BC
