LETTER – Issues to consider in the next election for Kamloops City council
(Image: Mel Rothenburger)
Dear Armchair Mayor,
About a month ago, I had a visitor stop by the house. He came by to pick up something I had for another person. As he played with our dog on the front lawn, we talked about municipal politics. He suggested that I run for council and that I should start thinking about a campaign and alignment with certain policies.
My age and the fact that I have a chronic health issue rule me out of running. But, if I was going to run, what would be my response to this fellow’s ideas?
First, I have felt for some time that Kamloops needs a Ward system for our council members. The city could be divided geographically into 6 or 8 wards and one councillor would be elected from each ward. The Mayor could be from any ward and would run as a representative for the citizens of Kamloops as a whole.
Secondly, expenditures of over a set value need to go to a referendum. The AAP method does not allow for secret ballots. The AAP is something like a negative billing scheme and that is not allowed in many business transactions.
Third, there has to be something done about the “gang mentality” that has been so prevalent the last (almost) 3 years. Councillors are not elected as a gang. Most candidates tell the voters that they can work with others, even those who may be difficult to work with. Remember, you too may be difficult to work with and just don’t admit to being that way. I think of my first day at school and having to share toys with other kids at the sandbox. It was a new experience for all the kindergarten kids but it was a lesson in sharing and getting along. Bullies don’t do well at the sandbox.
So, who is already thinking about the civic election next fall, just over a year from now? How many of the incumbents will run again? Will any of them run for Mayor? A more important question, how many of we seniors will vote for any of the incumbents given their track record so far?
I hope that some folks come out of the population of citizens and let their names stand for public office. I think of some of the folks who comment on your web site, Mel. There are some very good candidates who have a mind to think, reason and act maturely. Some folks will lay hold of the value of holding public office and the trust that entails.
Best wishes.
JOHN NOAKES,
Citizen of Westmount
ArmchairMayor.ca 
Prince Albert Saskatchewan, with a population of under 40,000 ppl have a ward system. Brandon Manitoba, with a population of just over 50,000 ppl have a ward system. Lethbridge Alberta with a population equal to Kamloops, voted in favour of a ward system during their last municipal election. Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon, Calgary and Edmonton all subscribe to ward systems, as does almost all of Ontario, Quebec and all 4 Atlantic provinces. BC is the only province that doesn’t have a ward system and perhaps not coincidentally we also have amongst the lowest municipal voter rate in the country.
I have no problem with the AAP except for the 10% voter rate, it needs to go back to the 5% threshold where it was before Gordon Campbell began fiddling with it 20 years ago. And we should also have some type of independent scrutineers be involved in the voter count process. Also the city needs to allow the public to sign petitions rather than casting individual votes like we did for the Riverside Parkade. Additionally we need to have an independent source determine the voter count rather than have city hall do it. During the 2022 municipal elections, Elections BC determined Nanaimo had 3,000 more eligible electors than Kamloops but last yr Kamloops city hall determined we had 7,000 more eligible voters than Nanaimo whilst both cities ran AAP’s, was this incompetence or fraud?
Ok, maybe I do have a few problems with the AAP’s.
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I see we now have another one. This time it’s for a land purchase.
Run again for office Mac. You’d be a good man in there.
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