Monday, February 7 2011
Flying Shingle
Dear Editor,
The Under-represented Islands
As residents of Gabriola and surrounding Islands, we find ourselves in difficult circumstances.
The one important issue which our local Islands Trust committee deals with is once again being dealt with by one elected Trustee.
The primary function of our Islands Trust is to act as a land-use planning body for most of the Gulf Islands. Gabriola and surrounding islands have only two elected representatives to the Trust, who speak for a population of approximately five thousand people. If one of those trustees finds themselves to be in conflict of interest on any matter, they must excuse themselves from the planning and decision making functions of the Trust, and shift the full responsibility of that role to the one remaining Trustee, who must then carry on as the sole voice for our community.
We currently find ourselves in exactly this situation. On a matter of major community importance, that being the potential rezoning of a significant piece of property to accommodate the wishes of a self-appointed, not for profit society, Trustee Deborah Ferens has discovered herself, through no fault of her own, to be in conflict of interest in the decision to rezone. She has, rightly and properly, removed herself from the process, leaving the decision in the hands of Sheila Malcolmson, the only remaining elected Trustee.
Both Trustee’s actions are being vigorously and continuously defended, but for me it is not about the actions of a couple of Trustees. I am quite certain that they are acting correctly according to the letter of the law and therefore do not need to be defended. However, there is something much bigger at stake here.
What is being forgotten in all of this is the fact that we, the residents - those of us who make this place our home - who work and live without the help of handouts or donations, remain totally under-represented in this process. In fact we are being treated with disdain, as though we are in the way and unnecessary. That fact is the underlying problem, and it is absolutely and totally indefensible.Those who think it is just fine to hand out millions of dollars’ worth of zoning in such an irresponsible manner, should hang their heads in shame. Those who think it is okay to force our only remaining elected Islands Trustee to take full responsibility for making a decision that will affect our entire community for decades to come, need to go back to school and take a civics course. Those who think it is acceptable to allow the Islands Trust, represented by one elected person, to make long term planning decisions, over which they have no power of enforcement, should wonder at their own future stability on this island.
The question we need to ask ourselves is: are we content with reactive zoning and unenforceable bylaws or do we want what we deserve, real and inclusive proactive planning based on true representation?This is not an easy question to answer, as the solution involves conviction and dedication and requires us to put aside our comfort and complaining, and put in the work and effort required to make the change. If we are not willing to put in the work and effort, then all there is for us to engage in is endless complaining and name calling.
It is time for all of us to stand up and say enough is enough! We are no longer going to be governed by self-appointed special interest groups and not-for profit societies, who are determined to have their own way by shouting the loudest and the longest. It is time for reason and democracy to prevail.So I guess the real question we need to ask ourselves is, and it’s a big one:
How do we want to be remembered by future generations?
The Under-represented Islands
As residents of Gabriola and surrounding Islands, we find ourselves in difficult circumstances.
The one important issue which our local Islands Trust committee deals with is once again being dealt with by one elected Trustee.
The primary function of our Islands Trust is to act as a land-use planning body for most of the Gulf Islands. Gabriola and surrounding islands have only two elected representatives to the Trust, who speak for a population of approximately five thousand people. If one of those trustees finds themselves to be in conflict of interest on any matter, they must excuse themselves from the planning and decision making functions of the Trust, and shift the full responsibility of that role to the one remaining Trustee, who must then carry on as the sole voice for our community.
We currently find ourselves in exactly this situation. On a matter of major community importance, that being the potential rezoning of a significant piece of property to accommodate the wishes of a self-appointed, not for profit society, Trustee Deborah Ferens has discovered herself, through no fault of her own, to be in conflict of interest in the decision to rezone. She has, rightly and properly, removed herself from the process, leaving the decision in the hands of Sheila Malcolmson, the only remaining elected Trustee.
Both Trustee’s actions are being vigorously and continuously defended, but for me it is not about the actions of a couple of Trustees. I am quite certain that they are acting correctly according to the letter of the law and therefore do not need to be defended. However, there is something much bigger at stake here.
What is being forgotten in all of this is the fact that we, the residents - those of us who make this place our home - who work and live without the help of handouts or donations, remain totally under-represented in this process. In fact we are being treated with disdain, as though we are in the way and unnecessary. That fact is the underlying problem, and it is absolutely and totally indefensible.Those who think it is just fine to hand out millions of dollars’ worth of zoning in such an irresponsible manner, should hang their heads in shame. Those who think it is okay to force our only remaining elected Islands Trustee to take full responsibility for making a decision that will affect our entire community for decades to come, need to go back to school and take a civics course. Those who think it is acceptable to allow the Islands Trust, represented by one elected person, to make long term planning decisions, over which they have no power of enforcement, should wonder at their own future stability on this island.
The question we need to ask ourselves is: are we content with reactive zoning and unenforceable bylaws or do we want what we deserve, real and inclusive proactive planning based on true representation?This is not an easy question to answer, as the solution involves conviction and dedication and requires us to put aside our comfort and complaining, and put in the work and effort required to make the change. If we are not willing to put in the work and effort, then all there is for us to engage in is endless complaining and name calling.
It is time for all of us to stand up and say enough is enough! We are no longer going to be governed by self-appointed special interest groups and not-for profit societies, who are determined to have their own way by shouting the loudest and the longest. It is time for reason and democracy to prevail.So I guess the real question we need to ask ourselves is, and it’s a big one:
How do we want to be remembered by future generations?
