Editor:
According to a broad spectrum of Canadians who participated in a massive national survey on the state of our democracy, there is essentially no trust in our elected MPs, and politics is so despised that it repels more people than it attracts. I would argue this is also the case for the many other levels of politics including provincially, regionally and municipally.
Provincially our government conducted public consultations to solicit our opinions and ideas on the future of the ferry service at the cost of $700,000. Many people are being paid to discuss the issues of rising fares, declining ridership and the devastating economic impact it has on our coastal communities. However, at the time, the consultation was labelled a distraction with the predictable outcome of no tangible results at the taxpayers’ expense. We continue to pay more to sail while service declines.
Regionally, citizens questioning the value for our taxes spent by the Sunshine Coast Regional District circulated a petition to prioritize the SCRD for auditing by the newly-formed Auditor General for Local Government (AGLG). At that time the AGLG announced plans to audit 18 local governments on three different audit topics. Two years later and $5.2M spent, the AGLG had performed one audit and its head has been fired. Now we are hearing of tax increases across the SCRD from five to 10 per cent depending on area. How can such significant increases even be considered without first maximizing cost reduction opportunities? Not doing this creates the perception that the SCRD raises taxes with impunity.
To restore trust and raise respectability in politics, we need politicians who raise the bar, demand more from our bureaucrats, drive for improvements in performance and demonstrate financial responsibility by being transparent.
Erich V. Schwartz, Gibsons
