In Chilliwack, we’ve gotten used to our governance culture with a mish-mash of ad hoc elected and unelected representatives and special interests appointed to speak for the values of a narrow selection of non-diversified, non-inclusive viewpoints.
Our city fathers (and I mean that in the paternalistic, condescending definition of the term) tell us that they’ve taken our interests into account and they have enough councillors to do the job. They don’t have my interests at heart and maybe not yours either. We can change that by the choices we make in the civic election on Oct. 15.
Having eight city councillors, instead of six should have been one of the choices offered to us this election, but it is not, and, according to the community charter, it can’t be until the next election cycle in four years. We’ve missed this opportunity.
Chilliwack should have eight city councillors, according to the community charter: “118 (1)Unless otherwise provided by letters patent or by a bylaw under this section, the council size for municipalities must be as follows: (a)for a city or district having a population of more than 50,000, the council is to consist of a mayor and 8 councillors;…”
There are many reasons to increase council representation. Additional council members would have time to pursue passion projects like
• economic development
• fire protection
• affordable housing
• green infrastructure and buildings and other sustainability projects
• cycling and transit infrastructure
• food security
• women, children, youth and seniors
• equity, diversity, inclusion, Indigenization, decolonization
• arts and culture
• and a healthier community generally.
Perhaps most important is the diversity two more council representatives would bring to consider the perspectives of Indigenous people, people of colour, people with disabilities, neurodiverse people, youth, older residents, LGBTQ2S+ people, and others with differences.
I challenge council and mayoral candidates to respond to this question: Do you support increasing Chilliwack’s city council from six to eight councillors and why or why not?
Amber Price, Ian Carmichael, Ken Popove, Harv Westeringh, Bud Mercer, Chris Kloot, Brent Bowker, Jared Mumford, Craig Hill, Debora Lynn Soutar, Jason Lum, Jeff Shields, Mike McLatchy, Nicole Huitema Read
Lisa Morry
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