Letter to the editor, Times Colonist, available online July 27th, at https://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/letters-july-27-cross-border-wildfires-condo-crisis-12593695
Government backtracked on its referendum promise
I have been involved in the labour movement all my working life, 70 years, and have always supported the NDP because of their fair labour policies favouring the working people. Still, more importantly, I believe in the democratic system.
I have been disappointed with the undemocratic decision to not allow citizens the right to decide on the recommendations of the Citizens Assembly regarding the amalgamation of Saanich and Victoria.
In 2022, both municipalities and the provincial government agreed to spend a total of $750,000 to form a Citizens Assembly, which consisted of 48 citizens chosen at random and who volunteered several weekends and a thousand-plus hours to discuss the merits of merging the two municipalities.
The understanding was that their recommendation would be put to a binding referendum in the 2026 municipal elections. They recommended that it was in the best interest of the two municipal governments to amalgamate.
Whether you are in favour or opposed is not the question. It is the fact that the provincial government backtracked on a binding referendum, wasting money on another information referendum and denying the citizens the right to make that decision.
Ivan Crossett
Victoria