Editorial — Politicians’ health is none of our business

FRIDAY MORNING EDITORIAL — Ever since Nancy Bepple resigned from Kamloops City council earlier this year, there was a keen curiosity about the exact nature of the “health issues” she gave as the reason.

Well, now we now know. She has been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. Bepple made the revelation Thursday on CBC Daybreak Kamloops, a day after announcing she will seek a third term on council.

She told CBC she wanted to focus on the reasons she wanted another council term, rather than her health, at her announcement, and that’s the reason she declined to answer repeated questions about it then.

Fair enough. It would also have been perfectly acceptable if she had continued to refuse details. Politicians have to open themselves to scrutiny more than most people in society, but health is a personal issue that should remain off limits to the media and the public if they wish.

Some politicians prefer not to discuss their health. Jack Layton was one of those. Some are perfectly OK with talking about — such as Rob Ford.

Unless a politician’s health impairs his or her ability to do the job, it’s really none of our business.