EDITORIAL – Those who eulogize Al Raine provide a true picture of the man

An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.

WHAT PEOPLE SAY after you’re gone sometimes inflates the good stuff and downplays the rest. On the other hand, it can provide others with an honest picture of who you were and what you accomplished during your time on earth.

The most insightful comments usually come from those who had personal knowledge of and experience with the departed. So, many who knew Al Raine are relating their experiences with the late Sun Peaks mayor.

Words such as integrity, honesty, visionary, friendship, wisdom and knowledgeable are being used to describe him. And they’re all true. That’s certainly how I knew him, and I’ll add just a couple of thoughts about that.

I was acquainted with Al Raine before he became mayor of Sun Peaks as well as after the ski resort was incorporated in 2010 and he became its first and only mayor. I knew him best as a fellow director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, especially since Electoral Area P — the area I represented — surrounds Sun Peaks.

Thus, we kept in touch on matters involving wildfires, issues with the road up to the ski hill, and even schooling, for example. We worked together on infrastructure issues, especially the healthcare centre and Sun Peaks Centre, because we both understood that such facilities were beneficial both to residents of Sun Peaks and to those in nearby Area P.

We also saw eye to eye on such things as board expenses and taxation. Al was always a voice of reason and of moderation. He was a humble man, the opposite of a bombastic politician. When he took his turn during a board debate, he often used his wry humour to point out what should have been obvious to the rest of us from the beginning.

This, of course, doesn’t even touch on his countless achievements at Sun Peaks and elsewhere both in the world of skiing and in community leadership.

One description of Mayor Raine this week has been that when he spoke, others listened. It’s a fitting tribute. The world needs more like him.

Mel Rothenburger is a former regular contributor to CFJC-TV and CBC radio, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Webster Foundation Commentator of the Year finalist. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor.  He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.