EDITORIAL – Instead of a ward system, why not assign council ‘liaisons’?

Posted on June 7, 2017 in Editorials, Page One, Rothenburger // 1 Comment

(Image: CFJC Today)

THE KAMLOOPS by-election isn’t even official yet and already it has at least one issue — besides Ajax, that is.

Mayoral candidate Dr. Cynthia Ross Friedman wants everybody to start thinking about two words — “ward system.”

Changing from the city’s at-large system of electing councils isn’t a new idea but it’s been a long time since it was taken seriously. The city tried it once before — in the early 1970s — and quickly dropped it because it was a dud.

That was when several municipalities were forcibly amalgamated and it was thought a ward system would calm parochial jealousies.

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ArmchairMayor.ca is a forum about Kamloops and the world. It has more than one million views. Mel Rothenburger is the former Editor of The Daily News in Kamloops, B.C. (retiring in 2012), and past mayor of Kamloops (1999-2005). At ArmchairMayor.ca he is the publisher, editor, news editor, city editor, reporter, webmaster, and just about anything else you can think of. He is grateful for the contributions of several local columnists. This blog doesn't require a subscription but gratefully accepts donations to help defray costs.

1 Comment on EDITORIAL – Instead of a ward system, why not assign council ‘liaisons’?

lorraine winter // June 8, 2017 at 12:33 AM // Reply

Would a ward system not pit one of us against the other?

I completely agree with the previous commentators and shudder at the thought that parochialism could invade our beautiful city more than the Northshore/Southshore thing already has for decades.

I will be voting for a City representative who cares as much for a pothole on Westsyde Road as a sewer glitch in Aberdeen whether they live in Brock or at the east end of Dallas. Our city must shine as a microcosm for what we want in the world — caring for all we hold dear: family, friends, neighbors, fellow Kamloopsians, BCers, Canadians, North Americans and all world citizens.

I think the ward system could get ugly. We see/hear/read enough of that in the news already. Here at home, let’s collectively care for one another.

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