“This is the process,” repeated city and BC Housing representatives at the July 12 town hall-style forum about the shelter proposed for Fraser Avenue. As if all they needed to do was say it enough times they could make folks feel like they had a say.
Both parties selling the idea that consultation has been done or will continue admitted the location selection process began 18 months ago. Where is the analysis of other locations, options or prior consultation with potential neighbours?
Notifying citizens of a major development two days before a first reading, a month before final decision, less than six months to project completion, is not good community engagement. People aren’t stupid – they know when a decision has been made behind closed doors and are being invited to watch the dog and pony show.
Nothing could have been clearer than when a city representative claimed it was impossible and even inappropriate for the mayor or council to attend the forum. His statement insinuating if the council were all present it would constitute a council meeting, and if only some attended it would create an “unfair advantage” for certain councilors, is absurd. Should we be asking Mayor Harrison, Couns. Cannon, Flynn and Wallace Richmond for the minutes from their council meetings at the Silverbacks games since their mere presence in a public space somehow creates a decision-making body?
The moment bureaucrats deter and even advise elected officials not to do the work they were elected to do (engage and represent citizens), we need to be very concerned about the state of democracy in that institution.
To be clear, Salmon Arm needs a shelter. But perhaps if the city hadn’t dragged its feet, hoping someone else would solve the problem until the point of emergency we saw this past winter, and perhaps if our elected officials had the forethought to advocate for and participate in real community engagement, we wouldn’t be forcing one down a community’s throat.
Maybe there is a way to make decisions that assumes the average citizen is intelligent and worthy of meaningful consultation instead of just managed and performed to by a small group of people.
Kristine Wickner