Post by John Zeger on Nov 9, 2005 13:44:51 GMT -5
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It is regrettable that I have to use this forum to respond to John Harding's editorial in the Daily Courier on Tuesday, Nov. 8 "We have to ASK whether group has much depth." I requested that he allow me an opportunity to respond via a letter to the editor or to print the entire ASK news release but was denied both. There is no freedom of expression at the Daily Courier but rather only freedom for John Harding to use his position to be the mouthpiece for the local urban growth machine.
I would now like to respond to Harding's accusations and criticisms. First, he charged that the ASK campaign has no depth and is focused largely on putting a halt to development. He cited my response to a question about the mountain pine beetle which Harding considers to be an election issue (he's probably the only one in town who thinks so) as an example of our lack of depth. In response, I would like to point out that ASK has the most comprehensive platform of any candidate. Go to www.sustainablekelowna.org and click on platform and judge for yourself. Our platform adddresses itself to all the major campaign issues. I am learning more about the pine beetle and never claimed to be a know-it-all like Harding. That's why there are city departments -- to advise council on matters. My expertise is in urban planning which constitutes 75% of all council agenda items. I am strong where most of the other candidates are weak.
Harding accused myself and ASK of being ignorant regarding RCMP staffing needs as Superintendent McKinnon expressed satisfaction with his dealings with city council. The public must recognize that Supt McKinnon and the Kelowna RCMP detachment are presently in negotiations with the city regarding next years police budget and staffing needs and that he cannot be completely candid about his needs. As evidence, when asked by another candidate at a town hall meeting on crime last night just how many officers he needed, McKinnon said he could not answer the question as it would jeopardized his discussions with the city. When I asked him if city council was doing everything to address the problem of crime in the downtown, McKinnon again expressed satisfaction with city council in regard to staffing requests but also said that "we don't always get 100% of what we want," and that he always asks for the smallest amount that he though he could get by with so as not to be a burden on taxpayers.
I am not shrinking from the assertion that the RCMP is understaffed. As evidence I point to the need for the RCMP to pull officers from the property crimes section during the summer months to bolster the downtown unit. We should have a permanently enlarged Downtown Enforcement Unit. And it seems like Harding doesn't even read his own newspaper as on the same page as the Courier's article "ASK policing charge news to RCMP" there is a small item entitled "More downtown cops needed," where Councillor Robert Hobson is quoted as saying tht "City council should budget for police foot patrols year-round in the downtown core," which is what ASK suggested in its news release. ASK accused the present council as being "reactive" which is exactly what it is, as they are only waking up to this realization now. If elected to council I pledge that the RCMP would get 100% of what they asked for and that staffing increases be made pro-actively and not only after a problem has become painfully evident.
Harding accuses ASK of wanting to put a halt to development while hiding behind ambiguities such as "sustainable development." ASK has never called for "a halt to development" and Harding is once again trying to reduce everything to their simplistic extremes. Can this man seriously not comprehend the word "slow?" Further, ASK has never used the term "sustainable development" but rather "sustainability" and has spelled out exactly how we would implement this by limiting the number of building permits as they have done in Brampton, Ontario.
In the last paragraph in the article we get a hint of Harding's agenda where he suggests that developers be extended "carte-blanche." As I stated earlier Harding is the mouthpiece of the local urban growth machine consisting of developers and builders, etc. who stand to benefit from rapid growth as it means rapid profits for them. It also means more profits for Harding and the Courier in terms of expanding circulations and increased advertising dollars. This man obviously cannot put the interests of the community before his pecuniary wants. The electorate would be wise to do with Harding's comments the same thing as they have done with the OMRA endorsements. Ignore them both.
It is regrettable that I have to use this forum to respond to John Harding's editorial in the Daily Courier on Tuesday, Nov. 8 "We have to ASK whether group has much depth." I requested that he allow me an opportunity to respond via a letter to the editor or to print the entire ASK news release but was denied both. There is no freedom of expression at the Daily Courier but rather only freedom for John Harding to use his position to be the mouthpiece for the local urban growth machine.
I would now like to respond to Harding's accusations and criticisms. First, he charged that the ASK campaign has no depth and is focused largely on putting a halt to development. He cited my response to a question about the mountain pine beetle which Harding considers to be an election issue (he's probably the only one in town who thinks so) as an example of our lack of depth. In response, I would like to point out that ASK has the most comprehensive platform of any candidate. Go to www.sustainablekelowna.org and click on platform and judge for yourself. Our platform adddresses itself to all the major campaign issues. I am learning more about the pine beetle and never claimed to be a know-it-all like Harding. That's why there are city departments -- to advise council on matters. My expertise is in urban planning which constitutes 75% of all council agenda items. I am strong where most of the other candidates are weak.
Harding accused myself and ASK of being ignorant regarding RCMP staffing needs as Superintendent McKinnon expressed satisfaction with his dealings with city council. The public must recognize that Supt McKinnon and the Kelowna RCMP detachment are presently in negotiations with the city regarding next years police budget and staffing needs and that he cannot be completely candid about his needs. As evidence, when asked by another candidate at a town hall meeting on crime last night just how many officers he needed, McKinnon said he could not answer the question as it would jeopardized his discussions with the city. When I asked him if city council was doing everything to address the problem of crime in the downtown, McKinnon again expressed satisfaction with city council in regard to staffing requests but also said that "we don't always get 100% of what we want," and that he always asks for the smallest amount that he though he could get by with so as not to be a burden on taxpayers.
I am not shrinking from the assertion that the RCMP is understaffed. As evidence I point to the need for the RCMP to pull officers from the property crimes section during the summer months to bolster the downtown unit. We should have a permanently enlarged Downtown Enforcement Unit. And it seems like Harding doesn't even read his own newspaper as on the same page as the Courier's article "ASK policing charge news to RCMP" there is a small item entitled "More downtown cops needed," where Councillor Robert Hobson is quoted as saying tht "City council should budget for police foot patrols year-round in the downtown core," which is what ASK suggested in its news release. ASK accused the present council as being "reactive" which is exactly what it is, as they are only waking up to this realization now. If elected to council I pledge that the RCMP would get 100% of what they asked for and that staffing increases be made pro-actively and not only after a problem has become painfully evident.
Harding accuses ASK of wanting to put a halt to development while hiding behind ambiguities such as "sustainable development." ASK has never called for "a halt to development" and Harding is once again trying to reduce everything to their simplistic extremes. Can this man seriously not comprehend the word "slow?" Further, ASK has never used the term "sustainable development" but rather "sustainability" and has spelled out exactly how we would implement this by limiting the number of building permits as they have done in Brampton, Ontario.
In the last paragraph in the article we get a hint of Harding's agenda where he suggests that developers be extended "carte-blanche." As I stated earlier Harding is the mouthpiece of the local urban growth machine consisting of developers and builders, etc. who stand to benefit from rapid growth as it means rapid profits for them. It also means more profits for Harding and the Courier in terms of expanding circulations and increased advertising dollars. This man obviously cannot put the interests of the community before his pecuniary wants. The electorate would be wise to do with Harding's comments the same thing as they have done with the OMRA endorsements. Ignore them both.