Letter to the Editor

Theodore Roosevelt wrote: “A typical vice of politics is the avoidance of saying anything real on real issues” and judging from Mr. Norm Macdonald’s latest letter to the editor it would seem we are in need of a political vice squad.

His comparison of BC Liberal candidates is just another way of avoiding being accountable for what he is or is not doing on the real issues that are faced by real people living here in Columbia River-Revelstoke.

On election night I personally called Mr. Macdonald congratulating him on his success. I also told him that going forward we would be actively working at providing him with opportunities to demonstrate his accountability to the people who live here; an opportunity any elected person should welcome with open arms.

So what does MLA accountability look like to a BC Liberal?

Instead of Mr. Macdonald’s regular MLA report that does nothing but slam the BC Liberals and fosters his party’s skewed world view, how about giving this a shot. The MLA could start by sharing if he is working on real issues such as the ongoing struggle our ranching community is having with predators, specifically wolves; or what he may be doing to assist local politicians with the provincial park issue on the north end of Columbia Lake or flood mitigation in the Golden area; or share with us the times he has met with the provincial Minister of Transportation and the active solutions to the Trans Canada Highway issue he hopefully is brokering; or the ways that he supported the community of Meadowbrook in their successful quest for a park at Cherry Creek Falls; or the measures he took to best represent residents of Golden with the ongoing Causeway Island issue.

My informed guess is that his report would be a short one but it would at least be one that actually addresses something other than his account of what others are not doing.

Voters here in Columbia River-Revelstoke, find it puzzling why Mr. Macdonald is so reluctant or afraid to share his record of accomplishment with us knowing it is his responsibility to do so.

From the eyes of this BC Liberal volunteer and the 4,543 people who cast their votes for the BC Liberals in the last election, we take this opportunity to remind Mr. Macdonald that listening to constituents is a very important part of the job but it does not stop there. More important and in the words of John F Kennedy, “things do not happen…things are made to happen.” Give it a try Norm, you just might like it.

Doug Clovechok,

Fairmont Hot Springs

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