For hundreds of letters, editorials, commentary in local newspapers, other media, see Media Articles
February 27, 2018
Mitzi Dean
Esquimalt - Metchosin MLA
I note in the newsletter an invitation to bring up issues of importance .For me, and an increasing number of community groups, regional governance is an important issue. The region lacks effective governance. The RD model is not working well for a metropolitan area of some 375,000 people. Transportation and regional growth planning cases in point, not to mention sewage.
The province has the responsibility and the tools to deal with regional governance reform. Needed change is not going to come out of the status quo; exhortation by the province to do better not withstanding.
I take Waterloo Region ON as an example of a possible regional government structure that would be an improvement. I think the municipal minister ought to be asked by local MLAs in the capital region to look at this model and other models no doubt as part of a broad review regional governance that is very much needed. I hope you and other MLAs will do this and join others in the region in helping set this process in motion.
https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/regional-government/regional-responsibilities---who-does-what-in-government.aspx
Colwood Resident
Mitzi Dean
Esquimalt - Metchosin MLA
I note in the newsletter an invitation to bring up issues of importance .For me, and an increasing number of community groups, regional governance is an important issue. The region lacks effective governance. The RD model is not working well for a metropolitan area of some 375,000 people. Transportation and regional growth planning cases in point, not to mention sewage.
The province has the responsibility and the tools to deal with regional governance reform. Needed change is not going to come out of the status quo; exhortation by the province to do better not withstanding.
I take Waterloo Region ON as an example of a possible regional government structure that would be an improvement. I think the municipal minister ought to be asked by local MLAs in the capital region to look at this model and other models no doubt as part of a broad review regional governance that is very much needed. I hope you and other MLAs will do this and join others in the region in helping set this process in motion.
https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/regional-government/regional-responsibilities---who-does-what-in-government.aspx
Colwood Resident
Hotel Association of Greater Victoria letter to BC Minister Selina Robinson, October 17, 2017
Resident (below) appeals to Oak Bay Mayor to support governance review, November 30, 2015:
MORE Letters
To Peter Fassbender, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development - Greater Victoria Hotel Assoc. (3)
To Times Colonist, re: Provincial leadership urged on amalgamation referendum results - Amalgamation Yes
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Residents' letters sent to Oak Bay Council regarding participation in a governance review, re May 25 and June 22, 2015 Council meetings.
June, 2015
Dear Mayor Atwell and Council,
I am writing tonight, not as president of the GTCA but as voter in Saanich. I understand that Councillor Plant has given notice of a motion to be presented for your consideration on Monday, May 25, 2015. I understand this motion is to simply write a letter asking the province to initiate a governance study for the region. As I will be out of town on Monday, I am writing this email to express my support for this motion. To be clear, this motion does not suggest that Saanich is in favour of any particular governance option. In fact we only have one governance option on the table at the moment which the status quo. No other option has been defined nor researched. Until that work is complete there really cannot be any debate as to the preferred governance solution for Saanich or for the region. It is long passed the time when any reasonable governing body whether a corporate board or community association to closely examine whether or not the structure of management and governance on behalf of all taxpayers is serving the needs the citizens in the best manner for today's world.
Further, the results of the last election sent a clear message that Saanich voters feel it is time to undertake such a mission. The most efficient way to do this is through a provincially supported study. Those that suggest Saanich did not vote on whether or not to support such a study should remember that Frank Leonard lost his seat in part because of his very vocal opposition to even asking Saanich voters any question about governance. When such a question was finally developed, somewhat at the last minute, our former Mayor Leonard clearly stated that this needed to be a citizen led initiative not a council led project. So let's do that, let the work begin and encourage all voices to be heard.
Thank you.
Rob Wickson
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Mar 8, 2015
To the Mayor and Council of the Municipality of Saanich:
At the last municipal election a majority of Saanich voters, including myself and family members, voted in favour of the rather devious question relating to amalgamation that the previous council put on the ballot. To date, Saanich council appears to have done nothing in response to this vote, although several other municipalities have got together to discuss the matter. The Province has even offered to help in the discussions. I am very disappointed in the current council's attitude.
I am a strong supporter of some form of amalgamation and unless Saanich council takes action sooner rather than later they will not receive my support at the next election.
Sincerely,
(name withheld)
20 year resident of Saanich
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In early January 2015, Amalgamation Yes communicated the expectations of the electorate to all municipal councils in Greater Victoria and the CRD Board that resulted from the 75% YES endorsement of a governance review. Amalgamation Yes also proposed draft guidelines for developing the studies. Read the letters.
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Residents, local businesses, and other organizations expressed their desire to have the non-binding question placed on the 2014 municipal ballot by writing letters to their respective councils and to Amalgamation Yes. Some of those letters appear below, with the writer's permission. If the writer declined to have their name published, only the content is posted.
Want to send a letter too? Need an address for your council? And please copy us. Also, we welcome hearing your views directly, so contact us.
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Open letter to the voters in the Capital Region, November, 2014
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October 6, 2014
Frank Leonard's proposal is an insult to the people of Saanich. He is desperate and wants to confuse this issue.
Let us not deal with this puppet dictator any more and actively support Richard Atwell for Mayor.
Rick Paige,
Saanich
****************************************************************************
Open letter to the Mayor and Council of View Royal, Colwood, North Saanich, Metchosin, Highlands and Sooke, October 3, 2014
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Response from The District of Saanich
Mr. Heemskerk:
This email is to acknowledge receipt of your September 9 correspondence regarding municipal amalgamation, and to advise that the correspondence has been shared with Saanich Council.
Thank you.
Sharon
The Corporation of the District of Saanich
c/o The Office of the Municipal Clerk
770 Vernon Avenue
Victoria BC V8X 2W7
September 9, 2014
Greetings
I was at council yesterday to see what was on the agenda and to continue to get a sense of how council operates. I was very pleased to see the housing for women approved by council. This complex near Royal Oak will be an excellent addition to facilities in this area.
I am a member of the AmalgamationYes Board and a resident of Saanich. We have made presentations to many of the councils in this area and had hoped to make one to Saanich Council as well. We are still prepared to do so if Council would agree to hear from us. Our position is that the electorate should have a right to vote on how they wish to be governed and that a study on governance in this region is timely and necessary. I can tell you that many Saanich residents feel the same as witnessed by the Angus Reid poll, the signatures on our petition and the people who come to us on the streets at events such as the Saanich Fair.
Five municipalities are now putting an amalgamation related question on the ballot. I would ask that you consider doing so as well. For your information I have included a status report.
Tony Heemskerk
To Mayors and Councillors in Greater Victoria, from the Hotel Association of Greater Victoria
| gv_hotel_assoc._support_letter.docx.pdf |
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September 10, 2014
To Vic Derman, Saanich Councillor
cc: all Saanich Councillors
I was speaking to a friend of mine who spoke to you in the elevator in the CRD building. He said that you said you had not heard from any Saanich residents that they wanted to vote on a non-binding question on amalgamation in November 2014 and that our question was too vague.
I am surprised you have not heard from anyone as I have sent emails to Council and to the Mayor at Saanich.ca. I have provided information on the initiatives of AmalgamationYes, press releases and asked to make a presentation. I know that others have done the same and am surprised these have not been sent on to you and other members of Council. We have let Saanich residents know that they could contact you at Saanich.ca. As these do not seem to be sent on to you, we will let the public know to use your shaw address in future to let their wishes be known. I have also asked to meet with the Mayor and have not heard back from his office.
I can tell you that many individuals have told me personally and on the street and at the Saanich Fair that they want Saanich to put a question on the ballot. In addition the Angus Reid poll, a reputable firm, has confirmed that 80% of those polled feel a question should be on the ballot. I was surprised at the Saanich Fair by how many people approached us and volunteered their signatures.
AmalgamationYes has proposed a question which we felt was clear for the electorate and would suffice to give direction to elected officials to approach the province for funding a study so that options could be studied. Our question was used by some municipalities why others crafted their own. Any question is non-binding and no action will be taken unless and until a further question is placed before the electorate in a subsequent election. I am sure that Saanich Council if it chose to debate this issue has the resources to craft a question which is not vague as was your concern.
AmalgamationYes is not lobbying for any model as more information is required. We do believe the current structure is not the best form of governance for our region but again that needs careful study and consultation. This will be more difficult unless your council is willing to engage in the discussion. Five councils Victoria, Langford, Central Saanich, Sidney and Esquimalt have agreed to consult the electorate, hopefully Saanich can add their name to the list.
We are prepared to make a presentation to council. I would welcome a meeting with you. We have gathered much information on the subject which can be viewed at our website www.amalgamationyes.ca/ . I hope you will give the matter some consider and await your reply.
Tony Heemskerk
Board Member
AmalgamationYes
Saanich resident
****************************************************************************************************
Please share. I am in Saanich - where the Mayor is an elected BC Liberal dictator by 20% of the eligible voters.
It is obvious that our elected representatives in our 13 municipalities will not let us have a vote on amalgamation and do not believe in Democracy. They are petty, small thinking and trying to preserve what they think is their privileged position.
We the people should call for a massive turnout at the municipal election this fall, to throw them all out."
Rick Paige
*****************************************************************************************************
To Oak Bay Council, August 2, 2014
"As you may be aware, during July 2014 the polling group Angus Reid Global conducted a public opinion survey in Greater Victoria on municipal governance issues in the region. Residents of all municipalities in the Capital Region were polled, with the sample balanced to census on age and gender, and with a margin of error of a +/-4.7%, 19 times out of 20.
Some key findings of the poll are as follows:
Many Oak Bay residents have signed either an online or paper petition requesting that a non-binding question to study amalgamation be placed on the November municipal ballot. These are in addition to the Oak Bay residents who were surveyed by Angus Reid Global.
Given the overwhelming support for a review of municipal governance, the natural democratic response to this pressing regional issue should be to provide residents with the formal means to express an opinion on this matter, through a non-binding ballot question --- a question that would merely raise the opportunity to study amalgamation or further service integration.
Indeed most, if not all, current Oak Bay Council members had pledged community engagement as a major priority during the 2011 municipal election campaign. And now the community is seeking to be engaged. As Jack Knox of the Times Colonist recently wrote, “Good grief, why are councillors so resolutely reluctant to gauge what people think?” (July 30, 2014).
I am asking, on behalf of the residents of Oak Bay, that you reconsider an earlier decision that this topic is not of interest of residents of Oak Bay and therefore will not be discussed further. If that is an accurate reflection of the views of our community, then asking a non-binding ballot question would validate it.
But refusing to accept community views is a defensive position more akin to circling the wagons than providing leadership; it is bound to be a failed strategy in the long run.
Thank you, and I look forward to the opportunity to further discuss how we can improve our Greater Victoria neighbourhood of Oak Bay."
Lesley Ewing
Oak Bay Response, August 11, 2014
"On January 27, 2014 the issue was considered by Council and the correspondence was received. Your correspondence will not be formally placed on a Council agenda as the issue has already been considered. Nevertheless, your correspondence will be circulated to individual members of Council. Should one of them feel that the subject requires further debate at the Council level, they would be free to raise the matter on their own initiative."
******************************************************************************************************
To the Mayor and Council of Esquimalt, August 1, 2014
"I would like to urge council to consider including the following question on the ballot this fall: "Are you in favour of reducing the number of municipalities in the Capital Regional District through amalgamation?"
I was not aware that council decided April 14th not to proceed with a Town Hall meeting or that this decision was implicitly a decision not to include the question on the ballot.
Esquimalt residents understand better than anyone that the CRD model is broken and does not work. We have an opportunity to review alternative models yet council seems to feel we should take no action. To say there has to be agreement on the question is ludicrous. Until we get a new model, agreement will not happen.
For me this will be one of the deciding factors in how I cast my votes this fall. I will not support candidates who are unwilling to demonstrate support for (as opposed to saying they support) investigating alternatives to the current model."
John Hopewell
******************************************************************************************************
"A Labour Perspective on Amalgamation in the CRD
Are 13 different municipalities in one small region confusing enough? Let's go down the rabbit hole and look at just who is actually doing the day to day work that keeps our communities moving.
Of the 13 municipalities, 9 employ unionized employees organized in four Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) locals. Locals 50, 333, 374 and 2011 represent municipal workers in Victoria, Esquimalt, Oak Bay, Sidney, North Saanich, Colwood, Sooke, Metchosin and Saanich.
Furthermore, Local 1978 represents Capital Region District employees and Local 410 represents Greater Victoria Public Library employees.
It’s important to note that CUPE is a unique union in Canada, as individual locals have a great deal of autonomy. Each CUPE local in the region has its own president, treasurer, trustees (auditors), bylaws, board meetings, etc. This is much like having 13 different mayors, councillors, CAOs, senior management, etc.
And to add further complexity, each of the 9 municipalities has a separate collective agreement (contract) with the CUPE local. This means there are 9 different wage scales, (some) benefits, working conditions, workplace rules, etc. for municipal workers in the region.
So while no CUPE local has taken a position on amalgamation, the issue is important to the lives of all CUPE members. Therefore, the question is being posed to each municipal candidate seeking Victoria Labour Council endorsement in the November election.
The issue of amalgamation is important for everyone, and should remain at the forefront of any local government election."
Trevor Davies
******************************************************************************************************
"I found it difficult to spend the time sending my request to councils who dismiss me based on where I live. I find this really insulting. There are just too many regional issues to just dismiss a citizen outright on their forms for contact. I gave up after seeing that it would not be easy.
I did however send a message to each of the Colwood councillors as they don't have a "contact form" and you can cut and paste their emails.
I hope it helps."
(Greater Victoria resident)
*******************************************************************************************************************
To our elected councils,
"Prior to the next municipal election, we will only be supporting candidates who allow us the right to investigate amalgamation. The CRD no longer fills our needs as a region.
My husband and I , therefore support placing the following non-binding question on the November 2014 ballot:
“Are you in favour of reducing the number of municipalities in the Capital Region through amalgamation?”
(Greater Victoria resident)
*******************************************************************************************************************
".....I use every PART of this region and your "community" question continues to create the silos of mistrust and non-cooperation in this region. And sometimes I felt racism from being in this community from those outside. Time to stop that. No more them and us. It is time to move forward with better models of governance. Lets investigate and not be so fearful about gathering information.
I definitely am asking each candidate their views on this. Are you willing to support this non-binding question, to further investigate?"
Respectfully,
(Greater Victoria resident)
******************************************************************************************************************
"I am a resident of Colwood and I am absolutely livid that the question to amalgamate or not will be removed from the ballots. I can't believe it! Just because people don't want to volunteer to to be in a focus group is not an indication there is no interest in amalgamation! Good grief I am angry. I want that question - use the one Amalgamation yes suggests - back on. How do you know what your constituents want without a ballot question!!!"
LF. Royal Bay
*****************************************************************************************************
Open Letter to the Mayor and Council of View Royal.
"I was present in the audience at the March 11, 2014 Committee of the Whole meeting where the agenda included correspondence from local residents requesting that a non-binding referendum question to study service integration be placed on the next View Royal municipal ballot this fall.
It is a mark of civic maturity and confidence that Councillors John Rogers, Ron Mattson and Heidi Rast have properly understood the request to have a non-binding referendum question on the ballot.
A 'yes' or 'no' response from residents would provide policy direction only to the municipality. It's an effective tool for local government to determine the depth of support for integrating services with other municipalities, and serves as a basis upon which the Province will fund unbiased studies to determine the feasibility, benefits and costs. Ultimately any changes to municipal organizations would require a binding referendum in 2018 or beyond………..
………...By placing a non-binding referendum question on the ballot, the democratic rights of residents are affirmed and they are able to exercise their electoral franchise. The Mayor and Council are servants of the people of the View Royal community, and as such, future deliberations must be conducted in a respectful manner, with community interests placed above self-interest."
(Greater Victoria resident)
Please share. I am in Saanich - where the Mayor is an elected BC Liberal dictator by 20% of the eligible voters.
It is obvious that our elected representatives in our 13 municipalities will not let us have a vote on amalgamation and do not believe in Democracy. They are petty, small thinking and trying to preserve what they think is their privileged position.
We the people should call for a massive turnout at the municipal election this fall, to throw them all out."
Rick Paige
*****************************************************************************************************
To Oak Bay Council, August 2, 2014
"As you may be aware, during July 2014 the polling group Angus Reid Global conducted a public opinion survey in Greater Victoria on municipal governance issues in the region. Residents of all municipalities in the Capital Region were polled, with the sample balanced to census on age and gender, and with a margin of error of a +/-4.7%, 19 times out of 20.
Some key findings of the poll are as follows:
- Overall, 84 per cent of respondents are in favour of amalgamation (50% are strongly in favour; 34% moderately in favour)
- 89 per cent of respondents support a non-binding referendum on amalgamation
- 80 per cent support having an independent, comprehensive cost-benefit study and analysis of amalgamation
Many Oak Bay residents have signed either an online or paper petition requesting that a non-binding question to study amalgamation be placed on the November municipal ballot. These are in addition to the Oak Bay residents who were surveyed by Angus Reid Global.
Given the overwhelming support for a review of municipal governance, the natural democratic response to this pressing regional issue should be to provide residents with the formal means to express an opinion on this matter, through a non-binding ballot question --- a question that would merely raise the opportunity to study amalgamation or further service integration.
Indeed most, if not all, current Oak Bay Council members had pledged community engagement as a major priority during the 2011 municipal election campaign. And now the community is seeking to be engaged. As Jack Knox of the Times Colonist recently wrote, “Good grief, why are councillors so resolutely reluctant to gauge what people think?” (July 30, 2014).
I am asking, on behalf of the residents of Oak Bay, that you reconsider an earlier decision that this topic is not of interest of residents of Oak Bay and therefore will not be discussed further. If that is an accurate reflection of the views of our community, then asking a non-binding ballot question would validate it.
But refusing to accept community views is a defensive position more akin to circling the wagons than providing leadership; it is bound to be a failed strategy in the long run.
Thank you, and I look forward to the opportunity to further discuss how we can improve our Greater Victoria neighbourhood of Oak Bay."
Lesley Ewing
Oak Bay Response, August 11, 2014
"On January 27, 2014 the issue was considered by Council and the correspondence was received. Your correspondence will not be formally placed on a Council agenda as the issue has already been considered. Nevertheless, your correspondence will be circulated to individual members of Council. Should one of them feel that the subject requires further debate at the Council level, they would be free to raise the matter on their own initiative."
******************************************************************************************************
To the Mayor and Council of Esquimalt, August 1, 2014
"I would like to urge council to consider including the following question on the ballot this fall: "Are you in favour of reducing the number of municipalities in the Capital Regional District through amalgamation?"
I was not aware that council decided April 14th not to proceed with a Town Hall meeting or that this decision was implicitly a decision not to include the question on the ballot.
Esquimalt residents understand better than anyone that the CRD model is broken and does not work. We have an opportunity to review alternative models yet council seems to feel we should take no action. To say there has to be agreement on the question is ludicrous. Until we get a new model, agreement will not happen.
For me this will be one of the deciding factors in how I cast my votes this fall. I will not support candidates who are unwilling to demonstrate support for (as opposed to saying they support) investigating alternatives to the current model."
John Hopewell
******************************************************************************************************
"A Labour Perspective on Amalgamation in the CRD
Are 13 different municipalities in one small region confusing enough? Let's go down the rabbit hole and look at just who is actually doing the day to day work that keeps our communities moving.
Of the 13 municipalities, 9 employ unionized employees organized in four Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) locals. Locals 50, 333, 374 and 2011 represent municipal workers in Victoria, Esquimalt, Oak Bay, Sidney, North Saanich, Colwood, Sooke, Metchosin and Saanich.
Furthermore, Local 1978 represents Capital Region District employees and Local 410 represents Greater Victoria Public Library employees.
It’s important to note that CUPE is a unique union in Canada, as individual locals have a great deal of autonomy. Each CUPE local in the region has its own president, treasurer, trustees (auditors), bylaws, board meetings, etc. This is much like having 13 different mayors, councillors, CAOs, senior management, etc.
And to add further complexity, each of the 9 municipalities has a separate collective agreement (contract) with the CUPE local. This means there are 9 different wage scales, (some) benefits, working conditions, workplace rules, etc. for municipal workers in the region.
So while no CUPE local has taken a position on amalgamation, the issue is important to the lives of all CUPE members. Therefore, the question is being posed to each municipal candidate seeking Victoria Labour Council endorsement in the November election.
The issue of amalgamation is important for everyone, and should remain at the forefront of any local government election."
Trevor Davies
******************************************************************************************************
"I found it difficult to spend the time sending my request to councils who dismiss me based on where I live. I find this really insulting. There are just too many regional issues to just dismiss a citizen outright on their forms for contact. I gave up after seeing that it would not be easy.
I did however send a message to each of the Colwood councillors as they don't have a "contact form" and you can cut and paste their emails.
I hope it helps."
(Greater Victoria resident)
*******************************************************************************************************************
To our elected councils,
"Prior to the next municipal election, we will only be supporting candidates who allow us the right to investigate amalgamation. The CRD no longer fills our needs as a region.
My husband and I , therefore support placing the following non-binding question on the November 2014 ballot:
“Are you in favour of reducing the number of municipalities in the Capital Region through amalgamation?”
(Greater Victoria resident)
*******************************************************************************************************************
".....I use every PART of this region and your "community" question continues to create the silos of mistrust and non-cooperation in this region. And sometimes I felt racism from being in this community from those outside. Time to stop that. No more them and us. It is time to move forward with better models of governance. Lets investigate and not be so fearful about gathering information.
I definitely am asking each candidate their views on this. Are you willing to support this non-binding question, to further investigate?"
Respectfully,
(Greater Victoria resident)
******************************************************************************************************************
"I am a resident of Colwood and I am absolutely livid that the question to amalgamate or not will be removed from the ballots. I can't believe it! Just because people don't want to volunteer to to be in a focus group is not an indication there is no interest in amalgamation! Good grief I am angry. I want that question - use the one Amalgamation yes suggests - back on. How do you know what your constituents want without a ballot question!!!"
LF. Royal Bay
*****************************************************************************************************
Open Letter to the Mayor and Council of View Royal.
"I was present in the audience at the March 11, 2014 Committee of the Whole meeting where the agenda included correspondence from local residents requesting that a non-binding referendum question to study service integration be placed on the next View Royal municipal ballot this fall.
It is a mark of civic maturity and confidence that Councillors John Rogers, Ron Mattson and Heidi Rast have properly understood the request to have a non-binding referendum question on the ballot.
A 'yes' or 'no' response from residents would provide policy direction only to the municipality. It's an effective tool for local government to determine the depth of support for integrating services with other municipalities, and serves as a basis upon which the Province will fund unbiased studies to determine the feasibility, benefits and costs. Ultimately any changes to municipal organizations would require a binding referendum in 2018 or beyond………..
………...By placing a non-binding referendum question on the ballot, the democratic rights of residents are affirmed and they are able to exercise their electoral franchise. The Mayor and Council are servants of the people of the View Royal community, and as such, future deliberations must be conducted in a respectful manner, with community interests placed above self-interest."
(Greater Victoria resident)