Dear Editor:
Re: Don't insult the city's electorate, Letters to the editor, Burnaby NOW, Jan. 29.
I got quite a laugh from that writer Gord Larkin who seems to think that citizen volunteer groups are an effective opposition to Burnaby's current BCA-dominated government.
Does he really think that anyone who's opposed to any of the mayor's policies gets appointed to any citizen volunteer group? Don't make me laugh. I certainly didn't read much opposition from Mr. Larkin. I know because I've applied to a couple of those volunteer groups in the past and only received the sounds of silence.
If he wants an example of our Burnaby dictatorship, he should just take a look at the public hearing on a proposed 53 storey highrise at Brentwood Mall, set for Feb. 25. Sure there'll be a chance to make comments. But no public debate will be allowed. Welcome to China or Russia. The whole Brentwood expansion plan was pre-approved by council before it went to a public hearing.
This lack of chance for public debate is one way in which the current council keeps getting re-elected. At election time, you'll have one chance to ask one question after waiting in line with other disgruntled citizens at one poorly advertised public meeting in your area. This means that the same council could probably get re-elected by holding no public meetings at all. This was proven by our own Jane Shin of the NDP, provincially last year in North Burnaby.
So long as the electorate can be kept discouraged by the election process and ignorant of the issues, as Mr. Larkin seems to be, the more likely a government is to get re-elected.
Jim Ervin, Burnaby
