Dear Editor:
Re: Consider the source of criticism, Letters to the editor, Burnaby NOW, Jan. 15.
I was a bit surprised and disappointed that one of my city councillors felt compelled to sling a little mud at Helen Ward after her criticism of transit changes that have come with the redevelopment in the Brentwood area. City Coun. Pietro Calendino took a highly inflammatory tone and brought up an unrelated issue to attack and discredit Ward with respect to her current, legitimate concerns about transit user safety and inconvenience, and the ongoing concerns about public consultation and accountability surrounding development.
He shot at the messenger yet still hasn't got the message: Many residents in our town centres feel powerless and voiceless with their city council. Their wealthy new neighbours propose and build structures of a scale and density not previously seen without anyone on council speaking out on their behalf. These structures were simply not possible until the rules were quietly changed three years ago after the mayor's party seized all the seats on council.
In my experience, council tends to largely ignore concerns about accountability as its decisions are all "part of the plan."
And if that isn't reason enough to tune out concerned citizens, they only need to remind us
that Burnaby was the "best run city in Canada" based on 2007 data when there actually was a little diversity of opinion in local government.
As to why Coun. Calendino targeted Ward, one can only assume the councillor took exception to Ward quoting him publicly about his perception of her "political rants," but that should not excuse him from engaging in bullying behaviour. He is in a position of power. He gets paid well to listen to the concerns and answer the questions of all residents in Burnaby. Name-calling and using abusive language directed at a person both privately and publicly are classic schoolyard bullying tactics and are designed to ostracize the person in the weaker position.
Since I don't think anyone in the oligarchy that governs Burnaby will see this for what it is, bullying, I feel compelled to speak out. Residents who disagree with what our city officials do or say, need to feel safe to express their opinions and concerns without the threat of having their character smeared by their elected leaders.
Rick McGowan, Burnaby
