FROM THE ARCHIVES
Election 2011: What's on your mind?
Times Colonist,
October 16, 2011
The municipal elections are just over a month away and candidates are hitting the hustings. So it seemed a good time for Times Colonist readers to let the council wannabes know what issues are on their minds.
We asked for reader thoughts and suggestions on top issues they’d like candidates to address.
The top issue didn’t surprise political experts, but it might the politicians who say there’s no appetite for it: amalgamation of the region and of the seven police forces.
It was the issue most brought up by readers, many of whom feel strongly on the topic.
“Whatever the issues are, they cannot be addressed or resolved in isolation among 13 villages, all at cross-purposes with each other,” wrote Carol Davis of Pender Island and Victoria.
Wrote Jennifer Sutton: “Stop all the power struggles and get on with doing what is best for the people of Greater Victoria.”
Secondary sewage treatment continues to be a concern for people. Many readers were opposed to the secondary treatment mandated by the provincial government, some in favour and numerous readers want politicians to explain it more fully and state their opinion on the contentious $782-million project.
AMALGAMATION: OVERDUE
Some voters are clearly tired of “13 little fiefdoms” in the region and want police to form one force and municipalities to form one city.
Amalgamation of municipalities and the police forces was clearly top of mind for many readers who responded to the Times Colonist request to let politicians know what issues concern them. When readers were asked for their key priorities, many wrote in with only one: Amalgamation.
“Police amalgamation for sure, but I think that many capital region voters must be feeling frustrated by the inefficiencies associated with 13 municipal governments and a regional district governing a population of only 350,000 citizens.
Ultimately it is an issue that must be addressed by the province, but that will only happen if voters of the region begin talking about it and pressing for action,” wrote Don Jones, who lives in Victoria.
There are 13 municipalities in the region, with 126 elected councillors and mayors. Each of those has its own staff and infrastructure.
In total within the region, there are seven municipal police forces and RCMP detachments. This either results in “community-based, no call too small” policing from one perspective, or a fractured system that allows people to slip between the cracks due to a lack of communication between various detachments.
Most politicians and police chiefs say their taxpayers don’t want to pay for the problems of another municipality. The downtown issues that Victoria police deal with comes up most often from outlying municipalities.
Voters haven’t been asked the question on policing directly, something several readers suggested be done.
“How about a referendum on the issue? Let the voters tell you what they want,” wrote one man from Saanich.
A 2003 poll conducted for CHEK News and the Times Colonist found police amalgamation was supported by 70 per cent of capital region residents, including a majority in every municipality. Municipal amalgamation was supported by 53 per cent.
Reader comments:
“There should be only ONE issue in this fall’s election. It should be AMALGAMATION. It will never happen even though it is badly needed. The councils of each municipality would never axe their own jobs and any provincial government of any colour (Liberal, NDP, etc.) is not courageous enough to mandate it.” – Andrea Dillabough
“Amalgamation must be addressed and if the municipalities themselves can’t or won’t talk about it, then it should be pushed from the province or above. Why do we need 13 municipalities in the capital district? Perhaps at one time they were regions with borders but not now.” - Barb O’Hara
“To me, the burning issue beneath the surface that affects all others is amalgamation of municipalities. We need this out of the closet and on the table. Imagine all of the decisions we need to make and if they can be made in a different environment, one of more unfractured and less isolated decision making.” – Jack Shore
copyright Times Colonist
Election 2011: What's on your mind?
Times Colonist,
October 16, 2011
The municipal elections are just over a month away and candidates are hitting the hustings. So it seemed a good time for Times Colonist readers to let the council wannabes know what issues are on their minds.
We asked for reader thoughts and suggestions on top issues they’d like candidates to address.
The top issue didn’t surprise political experts, but it might the politicians who say there’s no appetite for it: amalgamation of the region and of the seven police forces.
It was the issue most brought up by readers, many of whom feel strongly on the topic.
“Whatever the issues are, they cannot be addressed or resolved in isolation among 13 villages, all at cross-purposes with each other,” wrote Carol Davis of Pender Island and Victoria.
Wrote Jennifer Sutton: “Stop all the power struggles and get on with doing what is best for the people of Greater Victoria.”
Secondary sewage treatment continues to be a concern for people. Many readers were opposed to the secondary treatment mandated by the provincial government, some in favour and numerous readers want politicians to explain it more fully and state their opinion on the contentious $782-million project.
AMALGAMATION: OVERDUE
Some voters are clearly tired of “13 little fiefdoms” in the region and want police to form one force and municipalities to form one city.
Amalgamation of municipalities and the police forces was clearly top of mind for many readers who responded to the Times Colonist request to let politicians know what issues concern them. When readers were asked for their key priorities, many wrote in with only one: Amalgamation.
“Police amalgamation for sure, but I think that many capital region voters must be feeling frustrated by the inefficiencies associated with 13 municipal governments and a regional district governing a population of only 350,000 citizens.
Ultimately it is an issue that must be addressed by the province, but that will only happen if voters of the region begin talking about it and pressing for action,” wrote Don Jones, who lives in Victoria.
There are 13 municipalities in the region, with 126 elected councillors and mayors. Each of those has its own staff and infrastructure.
In total within the region, there are seven municipal police forces and RCMP detachments. This either results in “community-based, no call too small” policing from one perspective, or a fractured system that allows people to slip between the cracks due to a lack of communication between various detachments.
Most politicians and police chiefs say their taxpayers don’t want to pay for the problems of another municipality. The downtown issues that Victoria police deal with comes up most often from outlying municipalities.
Voters haven’t been asked the question on policing directly, something several readers suggested be done.
“How about a referendum on the issue? Let the voters tell you what they want,” wrote one man from Saanich.
A 2003 poll conducted for CHEK News and the Times Colonist found police amalgamation was supported by 70 per cent of capital region residents, including a majority in every municipality. Municipal amalgamation was supported by 53 per cent.
Reader comments:
“There should be only ONE issue in this fall’s election. It should be AMALGAMATION. It will never happen even though it is badly needed. The councils of each municipality would never axe their own jobs and any provincial government of any colour (Liberal, NDP, etc.) is not courageous enough to mandate it.” – Andrea Dillabough
“Amalgamation must be addressed and if the municipalities themselves can’t or won’t talk about it, then it should be pushed from the province or above. Why do we need 13 municipalities in the capital district? Perhaps at one time they were regions with borders but not now.” - Barb O’Hara
“To me, the burning issue beneath the surface that affects all others is amalgamation of municipalities. We need this out of the closet and on the table. Imagine all of the decisions we need to make and if they can be made in a different environment, one of more unfractured and less isolated decision making.” – Jack Shore
copyright Times Colonist
