Enjoy the ceremonies, Mr. Mayor

Back in the armchair after a couple of weeks and catching up on everything from small to large, but the troops seem to have done just fine without me.

Looking into the issue of Olympics tickets today. A lot of people seem to have their shirts in a knot over politicians accepting tickets to the Olympics, as though it represents some kind of graft. Or, at least, an insult to all those who are unable to attend.

Gifting to politicians is a sensitive issue, but let’s remember these are the people we’ve chosen to represent us, so let’s let them do that, shall we? Chilliwack mayor Sharon Gaetz is in the news for turning down tickets to the opening ceremonies, noting the optics would not be good.

On the other hand, Kamloops mayor Peter Milobar has accepted tickets to those same ceremonies. Who’s right and who’s wrong?

Both pairs of tickets were offered by the B.C. Lottery Corp. but the source is not of key interest here. Is it right for a mayor to accept such a freebie?

I say yes, no problem. In Milobar’s case, our city is home to the head office of the Lottery Corp. but, again, that’s not really the issue. The issue is, what is so wrong about a mayor attending the opening of one of the biggest international events in our province in recent memory?

Travel expenses and the acceptance of gifts are both important issues, and mayors should not take either lightly. But this is well within the realm of mayoral responsibilities and fully justified.

As for Gaetz and her concern that taking the tickets would contravene the Community Charter (that’s the legislation that governs what municipalities can and can’t do), she has nothing to worry about. No contravention involved.

Gaetz comes off as a bit of a grandstander, while Milobar is doing the right thing. But, as he told me today, “It’s one of those things where you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.”