Dear Editor: The decision not to hold a byelection for (Burnaby city councillor Anne) Kang’s seat is an abdication of democratic principles.
Mayor Derek Corrigan claims that the problem is that a byelection would be too expensive and we’re too close to a new election, but the current legislation has already decided that issue and placed the cut-off for byelections at the beginning of the election year.
I would suggest that Corrigan’s real worry is that a byelection would give the people of Burnaby an opportunity to voice their level of (dis)satisfaction well ahead of an election and possibly give momentum to some of his party’s competition.
Stephen Samuel, Vancouver
