It’s hard to know where to start. The election was a total shock to some and a foregone conclusion to others. We have gone from a council that was so myopic that it was painful to one that has the potential to reverse the direction that the last four municipal councils championed. I’m torn between [...]
Also tagged Municipal Hall, Municipal Politics
On November 19, we will decide whether or not we want to continue exploring the idea of a National Park on Bowen. As your mayor I want to share my thoughts on this important decision.
Let’s first look back. From the beginning this Council has supported the National Park process. We unanimously
The Municipal election rhetoric is starting to heat up with the pro-development crew taking out full-page ads in the Undercurrent and treating our mailboxes to their propaganda. I read some of it and decided that they were saying almost the exact opposite of what I would say if I were running for council.
Also tagged Cape Roger Curtis, Ferry, Island Life, Municipal Politics, Snug CoveThe National Park debate is warming up again. On the one hand I like the fact that it is a sincere debate between people with honestly held beliefs and a passion for the outcome. On the other hand I hate this debate, for exactly the same reasons. While I believe that the outcome is a [...]
Also tagged Island LifeWe are often told that politics on Bowen is highly polarized but I’m beginning to think that we’re actually a pretty cohesive group. It’s true that we have a small group that would make us get permits to cut down a tree in our yard and another small group that would love to see a [...]
Also tagged Island Life, Municipal PoliticsWhenever we’ve been off the island for any length of time I read through the accumulated Undercurrents to catch up. The last few have been quite enlightening.
First there was the great council debate about when we should have a community vote on the proposed National Park. Of course Parks Canada (PC) hasn’t actually put forward [...]
There may one day be a National Park on Bowen but right now I doubt that any betting man would place the odds at better than 100 to 1. In the last few weeks the Park plan has taken some pretty serious hits. It started with the unveiling of the Parks Canada Preliminary Concept Plan that [...]
Also taggedNo matter what happens from here on in, nobody can accuse the citizens of Bowen of not doing their job. Most of the heavy lifting was done by the National Park Community Advisory Committee, which consisted of 31 islanders who applied to Municipal Council to serve on the committee. Unlike so many task forces and [...]
Also tagged Island LifeAs the National Park (NP) feasibility assessment process unfolds all kinds of little facts and speculations pop up. It’s hard to know which ones are true and important and which ones are just fear mongering or incidental. For example, did you know that Bowen is the only
Also taggedI was listening to the last Parks Canada meeting. A woman got up and spoke about how the actions of BC Ferries (BCF) were “unconscionable”. That struck me as a little harsh even for BC Ferries so I looked it up.
Also tagged Ferry