A Most Cynical Take On Democracy

Consider the following:

When School District 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) recently found themselves with a retiring superintendant, instead of the Board, whose term expires at the end of November, making the decision as to who should replace him, they decided that the new Board of Trsutees should select his replacement.

Nanaimo city council, not normally the example one would point to in terms of promoting transparent and inclusive government, recently decided that, given the controversy surrounding the New Nanaimo Centre project, they would put on hold all 'unnecessary' work and expenditures having to do with it (except for the $200,000 'donation' from Lantzville). A newly-elected Council will get to make the decision on where that project goes from here.

Contrast this with the current situation in Lantzville:

With just two months to go before our municipal elections, our Council started in earnest the process of adopting the new OCP. We were then treated to 3 Public Hearings (only the first of which was broadly publicized) and 4 council meetings in the ensuing five and a half weeks, leading to the unanimous adoption of the 'final' Plan, without debate.
On Nov. 14, a mere 5 days before the election (and after one advance poll), Council has scheduled two Public Hearings on rezoning applications. The first deals with the proposal to locate a 250-student, private school (Aspengrove) off of Clark Drive in upper Lantzville and the second on a subdivision of a 5-acre piece on Manhatten Way, also in upper Lantzville, into 2 lots. Based on our experience with the Official Community Plan, I would lay better than even money that they will then have a council meeting immediately following to consider adoption of the rezoning bylaws for these properties since they only have 1 council meeting left, after that.

Let me know what you think? Does this show respect for the residents of Lantzville or is it another example of what has become support for a very cynical take on democracy?

Hans J. Larsen
Lantzville council Candidate