Saturday, November 08, 2008
Why I am running for the Island Trust -Sounder
Why I am running for the Island Trust
By Ian Lowden
250 words are just not enough to explain why I would be good for the trust and why that would be good for the community. I have long been a supporter of the trust even though I often disagree with them on decision-making, long term effects and process. My background experience in teaching, counseling and diving has developed within me certain skills that would be useful to the Trust.
‘Active listening’ is the ability to put aside your own view point long enough to really listen and understand the other person’s concerns.
Realizing that what we do today will still be affecting people long into the future. This skill helps me in not taking the easy fix but looking at many ways of doing things and choosing the one that I believe will best meet the needs of today and still be valid 30 years from now.
I developed an instinctive distrust of bureaucracies because they very quickly forget that they were invented to serve all the people, not just those who agree with us or share our cause.
I have learned that progress is inevitable and it leads to change and development.
It is the Trusts job to try and encourage development that will be good for the islands future and discourage that which will have negative long-term effects.
I am against the bridge but realize that to continue with ferries we really need two, not just one and we have to find ways to lower the fares.
By Ian Lowden
250 words are just not enough to explain why I would be good for the trust and why that would be good for the community. I have long been a supporter of the trust even though I often disagree with them on decision-making, long term effects and process. My background experience in teaching, counseling and diving has developed within me certain skills that would be useful to the Trust.
‘Active listening’ is the ability to put aside your own view point long enough to really listen and understand the other person’s concerns.
Realizing that what we do today will still be affecting people long into the future. This skill helps me in not taking the easy fix but looking at many ways of doing things and choosing the one that I believe will best meet the needs of today and still be valid 30 years from now.
I developed an instinctive distrust of bureaucracies because they very quickly forget that they were invented to serve all the people, not just those who agree with us or share our cause.
I have learned that progress is inevitable and it leads to change and development.
It is the Trusts job to try and encourage development that will be good for the islands future and discourage that which will have negative long-term effects.
I am against the bridge but realize that to continue with ferries we really need two, not just one and we have to find ways to lower the fares.
Answers to questions from Gabriola Sounder
Questions
1. Road maintenance and transportation are two issues of interest to many Gabriolans. What do you think are islanders’ main concerns around these issues and how will you address them.
Potholes, unpaved roads, and alkali gravel from Texada – work with RDN rep and the province, to effect change.
There is a transportation committee already at work –support them.
Devise and implement plans to reduce the traffic on the Ferry to force the fares down. Because of the prices traffic at Departure Bay is already down so far that for most runs they are using the older smaller ferries while a Billion dollars of ferry corporation debt, lies tide up in harbor – this has forced them to cut fares about 30% for next two months. If each island could cut in half the number of cars using the ferry, then prices would have to drop thus forcing down fares.
Access to timely and appropriate healthcare is on many Gabriolans’ minds. How will you balance islanders’ healthcare needs with those of the regional district?
Continue to support The Gabriola Health care Society as they are handling this issue quite well. When you have competent, talented and committed people you support however you can and you stay out of their way.
There are a number of important questions that have not been asked. I would like to see the Trust become more negotiable when they can within their mandate. Too often antagonistic relationships have developed which need not have happened had a more concerted effort been made to explain why and how decisions were made in respect to the mandate the province has given us.
2. Gabriolans have many opinions on how best to use island land. Issues surrounding agriculture, trails, and parkland management and acquisition need to be addressed. What do you think is Gabriola’s major land use issue? How will you address it and is there a timeline?
Stick to the OCP, zoning and bylaws. The major land use issue is misuse - septic systems too close together polluting their neighbor’s wells. Too many people are trying to use the same part of the water table. We have a study coming up which should give us better information on our water table and sustainability. In several parts of the island we are nearing or passed the ability of the rain to recharge our systems. People’s wells are now running dry every summer. The real question is how do we use all of our resources in a sustainable way.
3. Headlines declare the economy is in recession and some Gabriolans can no longer sustain themselves on island because of rising food costs and lack of affordable housing. What is the district doing about these issues and how will policies affect Gabriolans?
The District is essentially doing the same old things that have failed before. I doubt that what the district does will have any real effect on us. Our drive should be in the area of getting lower ferry fares, developing affordable housing and becoming more self-sufficient as an island.
One issue that has not been asked is what to do about houses built without permits or not up to code – I don’t want to see anyone’s house bulldozed. Give them time to bring up to code and a hefty fine for not getting a permit, but don’t destroy their home – that is not the Canadian way.
4. If our readers have more questions, how can they contact you?
I can be contacted at 250- 247- 7661
E-mail: ian.lowden@shaw.ca
Ian's Blog: http://ianlowden.blogspot.com/
Or at raspberries some afternoons.
I will be happy to address groups if they invite me and have
specific questions on where I stand on issues..
1. Road maintenance and transportation are two issues of interest to many Gabriolans. What do you think are islanders’ main concerns around these issues and how will you address them.
Potholes, unpaved roads, and alkali gravel from Texada – work with RDN rep and the province, to effect change.
There is a transportation committee already at work –support them.
Devise and implement plans to reduce the traffic on the Ferry to force the fares down. Because of the prices traffic at Departure Bay is already down so far that for most runs they are using the older smaller ferries while a Billion dollars of ferry corporation debt, lies tide up in harbor – this has forced them to cut fares about 30% for next two months. If each island could cut in half the number of cars using the ferry, then prices would have to drop thus forcing down fares.
Access to timely and appropriate healthcare is on many Gabriolans’ minds. How will you balance islanders’ healthcare needs with those of the regional district?
Continue to support The Gabriola Health care Society as they are handling this issue quite well. When you have competent, talented and committed people you support however you can and you stay out of their way.
There are a number of important questions that have not been asked. I would like to see the Trust become more negotiable when they can within their mandate. Too often antagonistic relationships have developed which need not have happened had a more concerted effort been made to explain why and how decisions were made in respect to the mandate the province has given us.
2. Gabriolans have many opinions on how best to use island land. Issues surrounding agriculture, trails, and parkland management and acquisition need to be addressed. What do you think is Gabriola’s major land use issue? How will you address it and is there a timeline?
Stick to the OCP, zoning and bylaws. The major land use issue is misuse - septic systems too close together polluting their neighbor’s wells. Too many people are trying to use the same part of the water table. We have a study coming up which should give us better information on our water table and sustainability. In several parts of the island we are nearing or passed the ability of the rain to recharge our systems. People’s wells are now running dry every summer. The real question is how do we use all of our resources in a sustainable way.
3. Headlines declare the economy is in recession and some Gabriolans can no longer sustain themselves on island because of rising food costs and lack of affordable housing. What is the district doing about these issues and how will policies affect Gabriolans?
The District is essentially doing the same old things that have failed before. I doubt that what the district does will have any real effect on us. Our drive should be in the area of getting lower ferry fares, developing affordable housing and becoming more self-sufficient as an island.
One issue that has not been asked is what to do about houses built without permits or not up to code – I don’t want to see anyone’s house bulldozed. Give them time to bring up to code and a hefty fine for not getting a permit, but don’t destroy their home – that is not the Canadian way.
4. If our readers have more questions, how can they contact you?
I can be contacted at 250- 247- 7661
E-mail: ian.lowden@shaw.ca
Ian's Blog: http://ianlowden.blogspot.com/
Or at raspberries some afternoons.
I will be happy to address groups if they invite me and have
specific questions on where I stand on issues..
Bio for IT Website
Ian Lowden MSc. BA.
30+ years in counseling, administration, activism, community involvement little theatre teaching college and scuba diving, own business, contract work in curriculum and project development. 9 years living on Gabriola.
The central issue facing the Islands is the continuing rise of ferry rates. We have seen that when traffic on the Vancouver rates dropped to where it was no longer practical to use the new ferries the premier stepped in and reduced rates for 60 days by 30%.
So we know who is really running BC Ferries and what there vulnerability is. I would like to see a trust backed boycott of local ferries using car pooling, small group co-op buying, using own boats, etc. Anything and everything involving every island group to reduce car traffic to the point where they are losing money and thus reduce fares. See Ian's Blog http://ianlowden.blogspot.com/ for more details. E-mail ian.Lowden@shaw.ca.
30+ years in counseling, administration, activism, community involvement little theatre teaching college and scuba diving, own business, contract work in curriculum and project development. 9 years living on Gabriola.
The central issue facing the Islands is the continuing rise of ferry rates. We have seen that when traffic on the Vancouver rates dropped to where it was no longer practical to use the new ferries the premier stepped in and reduced rates for 60 days by 30%.
So we know who is really running BC Ferries and what there vulnerability is. I would like to see a trust backed boycott of local ferries using car pooling, small group co-op buying, using own boats, etc. Anything and everything involving every island group to reduce car traffic to the point where they are losing money and thus reduce fares. See Ian's Blog http://ianlowden.blogspot.com/ for more details. E-mail ian.Lowden@shaw.ca.
Bio for Trust website
Ian Lowden MSc. BA.
30+ years in counseling, administration, activism, community involvement little theatre teaching college and scuba diving, own business, contract work in curriculum and project development. 9 years living on Gabriola.
The central issue facing the Islands is the continuing rise of ferry rates. We have seen that when traffic on the Vancouver rates dropped to where it was no longer practical to use the new ferries the premier stepped in and reduced rates for 60 days by 30%.
So we know who is really running BC Ferries and what there vulnerability is. I would like to see a trust backed boycott of local ferries using car pooling, small group co-op buying, using own boats, etc. Anything and everything involving every island group to reduce car traffic to the point where they are losing money and thus reduce fares. See Ian's Blog http://ianlowden.blogspot.com/ for more details. E-mail ian.Lowden@shaw.ca.
30+ years in counseling, administration, activism, community involvement little theatre teaching college and scuba diving, own business, contract work in curriculum and project development. 9 years living on Gabriola.
The central issue facing the Islands is the continuing rise of ferry rates. We have seen that when traffic on the Vancouver rates dropped to where it was no longer practical to use the new ferries the premier stepped in and reduced rates for 60 days by 30%.
So we know who is really running BC Ferries and what there vulnerability is. I would like to see a trust backed boycott of local ferries using car pooling, small group co-op buying, using own boats, etc. Anything and everything involving every island group to reduce car traffic to the point where they are losing money and thus reduce fares. See Ian's Blog http://ianlowden.blogspot.com/ for more details. E-mail ian.Lowden@shaw.ca.
Reponse to Shingle Qestions
Final Answers to Questions for Trust Candidates:
1. How long have you been a full-time resident of Gabriola, and what contributions to the Gabriola community have you made?
I must admit this question took me by surprise, as how long someone has lived somewhere says absolutely nothing about their ability to represent the community. I have lived here for nearly nine years.
As for the second part of the question: what contributions have you made to the community? This is even less relevant. How do we judge contributions? Is sitting on a board for ten years more or less of a contribution than having been a volunteer fire fighter for the same amount of time? Everyone makes some contribution to the community. I don’t think anyone could claim that they have made only positive contributions nor could anyone claim some one else has done nothing – life just doesn’t work that way. Personally I have done a lot of volunteer work, from being a PHC volunteer to providing free counselling for people who can’t afford to pay for it, to writing columns and articles for some 6 years (counting both newspapers) – most of these columns had to do with island issues or Islander’s perceptions, and other activities. So I guess I would have to say I have made more contributions than some and less than others.
2. What is your understanding of the “precautionary principle”, and how do you think it relates to the Trust mandate?
As defined in Island Trust documents: “The precautionary principle states that when an activity raises threats of harm to the natural environment or human health, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically”.
And “The Island Trust's mandate is to preserve and protect the Trust area and it’s unique amenities and environment for the benefit of residents of the trust area and of the province generally”.
This would mean that if you have doubts about how any proposal would affect the island environment or community, either now or in the future you should err on the side of caution and say no. It would also put the burden of proof on the person or persons making the proposal (or by-law) that both the short-term effects and the long-term effects would either be of benefit (or at least neutral) to the maintaining of the Trust Mandate. In short it means “if you can’t establish it is ok; don’t do it”.
If this principle was applied to all projects and by-laws it would result in a much more thorough examination of both the short and long-term effects on the Community.
3. The Gulf Islands Alliance sought and paid for a legal opinion on the abridged question; Are Local Trust Committees, the Trust Council and/or the Executive Committee required to exercise their powers consistent with the Trust object? Briefly outline what the answer to that question was, your thoughts about the answer, and how that would impact your behaviour as a Trustee.
The letter sent by the Alliance directs the attention of the Islands Trust Governance Task Force to the Superior Court of Appeal decision on the MACMILLAN BLOEDEL LIMITED vs. THE GALIANO ISLAND TRUST COMMITTEE case. The alliance believes this to be “the seminal decision on interpreting the Islands Trust Act, and because it provides direction regarding the unique powers and responsibilities that the Object of the Islands Trust [s. 3 Islands Trust Act] places in the hands of the Local Trust Committees”.
The court found for the trust council on the basis that whether or not there had been reasons other than those given for the by-laws the reasons were within the mandate of the trust.
What the court decided is really just common sense – of course our actions and decisions are required to be in accordance with our mandate no matter at what level the decisions are made. The court also found that they should be very hesitant in getting involved in any decision made by a democratically elected body within its legal charter. If we were making decisions not in keeping with our mandate then why would we bother getting elected?
4. Why are you running for Trustee?
I am running for three basic reasons. One is that this community has been good to me in many ways and what I have to offer as an Island Trust council member would, I believe, be a good way to give back to the community.
The second has to do with a change in my personal outlook since I had the lung transplant. Before the transplant, I didn’t plan beyond next week, afterwards it slowly dawned on me that I now had the life expectancy to make long term commitments and that having the talents to make a difference, it was time to do.
Third, I have always been an ardent supporter and defender of the Trust. I haven’t always been pleased with its decisions or the quality of long term thinking that has gone into some of the decisions made. I felt that I could bring my abilities at analysis, long-term thinking, problem solving and win-win mindset to the Trust in such a way as to make decision making more accountable, more transparent and show how the decisions made reflected the Trust mandate.
1. How long have you been a full-time resident of Gabriola, and what contributions to the Gabriola community have you made?
I must admit this question took me by surprise, as how long someone has lived somewhere says absolutely nothing about their ability to represent the community. I have lived here for nearly nine years.
As for the second part of the question: what contributions have you made to the community? This is even less relevant. How do we judge contributions? Is sitting on a board for ten years more or less of a contribution than having been a volunteer fire fighter for the same amount of time? Everyone makes some contribution to the community. I don’t think anyone could claim that they have made only positive contributions nor could anyone claim some one else has done nothing – life just doesn’t work that way. Personally I have done a lot of volunteer work, from being a PHC volunteer to providing free counselling for people who can’t afford to pay for it, to writing columns and articles for some 6 years (counting both newspapers) – most of these columns had to do with island issues or Islander’s perceptions, and other activities. So I guess I would have to say I have made more contributions than some and less than others.
2. What is your understanding of the “precautionary principle”, and how do you think it relates to the Trust mandate?
As defined in Island Trust documents: “The precautionary principle states that when an activity raises threats of harm to the natural environment or human health, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically”.
And “The Island Trust's mandate is to preserve and protect the Trust area and it’s unique amenities and environment for the benefit of residents of the trust area and of the province generally”.
This would mean that if you have doubts about how any proposal would affect the island environment or community, either now or in the future you should err on the side of caution and say no. It would also put the burden of proof on the person or persons making the proposal (or by-law) that both the short-term effects and the long-term effects would either be of benefit (or at least neutral) to the maintaining of the Trust Mandate. In short it means “if you can’t establish it is ok; don’t do it”.
If this principle was applied to all projects and by-laws it would result in a much more thorough examination of both the short and long-term effects on the Community.
3. The Gulf Islands Alliance sought and paid for a legal opinion on the abridged question; Are Local Trust Committees, the Trust Council and/or the Executive Committee required to exercise their powers consistent with the Trust object? Briefly outline what the answer to that question was, your thoughts about the answer, and how that would impact your behaviour as a Trustee.
The letter sent by the Alliance directs the attention of the Islands Trust Governance Task Force to the Superior Court of Appeal decision on the MACMILLAN BLOEDEL LIMITED vs. THE GALIANO ISLAND TRUST COMMITTEE case. The alliance believes this to be “the seminal decision on interpreting the Islands Trust Act, and because it provides direction regarding the unique powers and responsibilities that the Object of the Islands Trust [s. 3 Islands Trust Act] places in the hands of the Local Trust Committees”.
The court found for the trust council on the basis that whether or not there had been reasons other than those given for the by-laws the reasons were within the mandate of the trust.
What the court decided is really just common sense – of course our actions and decisions are required to be in accordance with our mandate no matter at what level the decisions are made. The court also found that they should be very hesitant in getting involved in any decision made by a democratically elected body within its legal charter. If we were making decisions not in keeping with our mandate then why would we bother getting elected?
4. Why are you running for Trustee?
I am running for three basic reasons. One is that this community has been good to me in many ways and what I have to offer as an Island Trust council member would, I believe, be a good way to give back to the community.
The second has to do with a change in my personal outlook since I had the lung transplant. Before the transplant, I didn’t plan beyond next week, afterwards it slowly dawned on me that I now had the life expectancy to make long term commitments and that having the talents to make a difference, it was time to do.
Third, I have always been an ardent supporter and defender of the Trust. I haven’t always been pleased with its decisions or the quality of long term thinking that has gone into some of the decisions made. I felt that I could bring my abilities at analysis, long-term thinking, problem solving and win-win mindset to the Trust in such a way as to make decision making more accountable, more transparent and show how the decisions made reflected the Trust mandate.
Reponse to Sounder on why I was running.
Why I am running for the Island Trust
By Ian Lowden
400 words are just not enough to explain why I would be good for the trust and why that would be good for the community. I have long been a supporter of the trust even though I often disagree with them on decision-making, long term effects and process. My background experience in teaching, counseling and diving has developed within me certain skills that would be useful to the Trust.
‘Active listening’ is the ability to put aside your own view point long enough to really listen and understand the other person’s concerns. I find that only by suspending our own view points or believe system can we really understand what the other person wants and why.
Realizing that what we do today will still be affecting people long into the future. This skill helps me in not taking the easy fix, but instead to look at many ways of doing things and choosing the one that I believe will best meet the needs of today and still be valid 30 years from now.
I developed an instinctive distrust of bureaucracies because they very quickly forget that they were invented to serve all the people, not just those who agree with us or share our cause. In most agencies it is easy to turn into a bureaucrat and become more rigid and less helpful.
I have learned well in the area of creative problem solving, it was one of the things I taught at college. Instead of labeling a request as a problem, or outside Trust policy, sometimes redefining the problem, giving everyone a different perspective, allows you ways to use the system. This again goes back to how well you have listened.
I have learned that progress is inevitable and it leads to change and development.
It is the Trusts job to try to encourage development that will be good for the island’s future and discourage that which will have negative long-term effects.
I am against the bridge but realize that to continue with ferries we really need two, not just one and we have to find ways to lower the fares.
So, if you believe the Trust has become a little rusty and fixed in their views then give them a booster shot of common sense, long term planning, active listening and creative problem solving – vote for me.
By Ian Lowden
400 words are just not enough to explain why I would be good for the trust and why that would be good for the community. I have long been a supporter of the trust even though I often disagree with them on decision-making, long term effects and process. My background experience in teaching, counseling and diving has developed within me certain skills that would be useful to the Trust.
‘Active listening’ is the ability to put aside your own view point long enough to really listen and understand the other person’s concerns. I find that only by suspending our own view points or believe system can we really understand what the other person wants and why.
Realizing that what we do today will still be affecting people long into the future. This skill helps me in not taking the easy fix, but instead to look at many ways of doing things and choosing the one that I believe will best meet the needs of today and still be valid 30 years from now.
I developed an instinctive distrust of bureaucracies because they very quickly forget that they were invented to serve all the people, not just those who agree with us or share our cause. In most agencies it is easy to turn into a bureaucrat and become more rigid and less helpful.
I have learned well in the area of creative problem solving, it was one of the things I taught at college. Instead of labeling a request as a problem, or outside Trust policy, sometimes redefining the problem, giving everyone a different perspective, allows you ways to use the system. This again goes back to how well you have listened.
I have learned that progress is inevitable and it leads to change and development.
It is the Trusts job to try to encourage development that will be good for the island’s future and discourage that which will have negative long-term effects.
I am against the bridge but realize that to continue with ferries we really need two, not just one and we have to find ways to lower the fares.
So, if you believe the Trust has become a little rusty and fixed in their views then give them a booster shot of common sense, long term planning, active listening and creative problem solving – vote for me.
Sent to all 33 IT Candidates.
Hi Everybody:
My name is Ian A. Lowden. I am a candidate for the island Trust from Gabriola. I thought it might be a good thing to have everyone who is running for the Trust on a group list, So that we could share some ideas.
I am a long time and solid supporter of the Island Trust Candidate, however I am not always a supporter of some of the things done by the Trust -executive, support staff, or local councils such as the botched rebellion attempt on Galliano by the last council. Everyone says they are supporters of the Mandate when they run for election however as with anything else some people have private agendas. To take a vow and stand for election to support the mandate and not do so is I think the worse form of treachery a person is capable of. Politicians in general seem to have little difficulty selling out their voters and their voters trust without any noticeable difficulty with their conscience which is why, with some notable exceptions, I have always tended to rank politicians as somewhere around the level of pedophiles. Which is why, at this late stage of my life (59) I find it particularly interesting to find myself running for public office.
If you want top know the reasons I am running they are on my bog http://ianlowden.blogspot.com/ . However the reason I am writing each of you is to acquaint you with some of my ideas should I become elected. I intend to apply for one of the vacant spots on the executive - not because of ego I assure you. I have accomplished enough in my life time that my ego needs no boosting by position. The reason I will apply is because I have an agenda - some very definite ideas on what we need to do to strengthen the Trust and it's Mandate.
It should come as no surprise that the trust is losing credibility on many islands. there are distinct reasons for that. Some of it has to do with individual reps but a lot has to do with some bad habits that have grown almost into the accepted way of doing things on the Trust. I have a letter from a trust employee telling another council member that this person will not release some information to candidates or trust members AND MOST IMPORTANTLY to the public. Where this employee gets off telling the trust and the public what he will and won't do is beyond me but apparently the council including the outgoing Chair are hesitant or is it afraid to challenge him. If elected I intend to make it very clear to our employees that the Council of Elected Trust members makes those decisions and staff are there to carry out instructions not to give them. Somehow the culture of the Trust, like most government bureaucracies,has grown up that it is the Bureaucrats that run things as trustees come and go. I intend to reverse that mode of thinking by making sure that all of our employees realize that they hold their jobs at the pleasure of the Trust elected members through the Council. Those who cannot get along with this new understanding, will find that it is not just Trustees that come and go. Though this attitude on the part of some and I emphasize ONLY SOME of our employees is part of the reason that The Trust is losing the trust of many islanders it is not the only reason.
I think that if we are to really be a an effective agent in upholding our Mandate then some of the things that have become habit for the council and the individual reps must change. I refer specifically to our reasons for making decisions and how we communicate those reasons to the public. Too often decisions are made without explaining why in terms of our Mandate those decisions are being made. For the same reason we have to examine every proposal that comes to us in terms of how it will effect the Mandate we are also responsible to people bringing those proposals, ideas or even by-laws why we are approving or ruling against their idea in terms of what our mandate is. Clarity in our thinking and transparency in our methods must be watchwords. people can respect a person that says no to them and tells them why they must say no. What upsets people is that they do not really understand what our mandate is and what it isn't. so we must educate them by our explanations and by our role modeling of being honest, transparent and clear in our reasoning, and understandable in our actions and reasons. We need to make sure that we show how a decision could affect our mandate now or 50 years from now - although 20 year thinking is more doable than fifty and a serious edge over most politicians who sometimes can not envision next week let alone beyond their term. An example of this is our ferry fiasco - anyone who is used to long range thinking would have known that the more expensive you make the ferries the less people will use them and you will end up losing more to lack of customers than you make in increased fares. Likewise it doesn't take a think tank to realize that if you increase fares the long term effect will be to depress the economy of any areas dependent on those ferries and the effect of that downturn will effect the whole economy of the province in a negative way. we spend Billions on the Olympics which in the long term benefits only a few developers but try to take our Olympic losses out of those areas that need ferry service. Why not just introduce a $40 toll on the sea to sky highway for the next few years? because such a toll would not be tolerated and yet we allow the government to run rough shod over us because we aren't all connected by provincially paid for roads. See my article on Boycotting the Ferry Corporation on my blog- it is probably about the fourth item and addresses a concept of forcing fares down which I would like each of you to mention in your local paper and get feedback from your island as to how they might accomplish this on your island.
Please excuse the segway. Back to what we might do to regain support and credibility for the trust and to ensure our mandate is carried out for future generations. One thing I think we must do is switch our thinking a little. Just because we are elected does not make us a government. We are not the rulers and cannot afford that mode of thinking unlike our provincial and federal reps. We are elected as guardians of the TRUST MANDATE and as servants of that goal. When we forget that we are mere Guardians, temporary ones at that, we may find it easier to stay out of the normal pitfalls of THOSE WHO ARE ELECTED. We might avoid thinking of ourselves as important decision makers and makers of policy and thus somehow we must possess a wisdom beyond that of the mere mortals we represent. Those in our higher levels of government believe in treating the public much like they are growing mushrooms - if you don't understand this analogy think of the conditions needed to grow mushrooms. As representatives of our islands and as guardians of a Trust more sacred than our ambitions we cannot afforded to behave in the vulgar, condescending, and just plain silly way our senior levels of government are used to doing.
We must also be able to put aside our ambitions and even our loyalty to our respective island as we represent the Mandate first last and always and everything we do is subordinate to that. Likewise our staff must understand that they are not there to get the best development at the least cost but they are there only to serve the mandates and are subordinate to that mandate and to the elected council of those who are the guardians of that Mandate. both our staff and ourselves need to understand that unlike other levels of government or the bureaucratic code - don't say yes if a no will do and keep information secret because somehow bureaucrats think that information is power. I have news for them - the next time one of our employees tells me that we don't release that information to the public that person had either better have one very good reason or they should be dusting off their resume and looking for a position where needless secrecy is policy and where keeping the public uninformed about how their money is spent is an acceptable business practice because I don't plan on keeping any long term secrets from my fellow Islanders nor do I intend to start lying to my friends and neighbors. I am hoping that many of you share these views and that if we are elected we can work towards a more open and honest apparatus that serves our Mandate better. If I am not elected I would hope some of you will remember and perhaps expand on some of these ideas. Again the blog spot is http://ianlowden.blogspot.com/ and the article I would like you to read and think about is Boycotting the ferry Corporation which should be about fourth down. One other think to think about is did you know that BC FERRIES pays a great deal of your fare money to support professional sports - look for it's logo next time you are watching a game - those don't come cheap and why would a monopoly have to use your money to advertise? Ian Lowden
My name is Ian A. Lowden. I am a candidate for the island Trust from Gabriola. I thought it might be a good thing to have everyone who is running for the Trust on a group list, So that we could share some ideas.
I am a long time and solid supporter of the Island Trust Candidate, however I am not always a supporter of some of the things done by the Trust -executive, support staff, or local councils such as the botched rebellion attempt on Galliano by the last council. Everyone says they are supporters of the Mandate when they run for election however as with anything else some people have private agendas. To take a vow and stand for election to support the mandate and not do so is I think the worse form of treachery a person is capable of. Politicians in general seem to have little difficulty selling out their voters and their voters trust without any noticeable difficulty with their conscience which is why, with some notable exceptions, I have always tended to rank politicians as somewhere around the level of pedophiles. Which is why, at this late stage of my life (59) I find it particularly interesting to find myself running for public office.
If you want top know the reasons I am running they are on my bog http://ianlowden.blogspot.com/ . However the reason I am writing each of you is to acquaint you with some of my ideas should I become elected. I intend to apply for one of the vacant spots on the executive - not because of ego I assure you. I have accomplished enough in my life time that my ego needs no boosting by position. The reason I will apply is because I have an agenda - some very definite ideas on what we need to do to strengthen the Trust and it's Mandate.
It should come as no surprise that the trust is losing credibility on many islands. there are distinct reasons for that. Some of it has to do with individual reps but a lot has to do with some bad habits that have grown almost into the accepted way of doing things on the Trust. I have a letter from a trust employee telling another council member that this person will not release some information to candidates or trust members AND MOST IMPORTANTLY to the public. Where this employee gets off telling the trust and the public what he will and won't do is beyond me but apparently the council including the outgoing Chair are hesitant or is it afraid to challenge him. If elected I intend to make it very clear to our employees that the Council of Elected Trust members makes those decisions and staff are there to carry out instructions not to give them. Somehow the culture of the Trust, like most government bureaucracies,has grown up that it is the Bureaucrats that run things as trustees come and go. I intend to reverse that mode of thinking by making sure that all of our employees realize that they hold their jobs at the pleasure of the Trust elected members through the Council. Those who cannot get along with this new understanding, will find that it is not just Trustees that come and go. Though this attitude on the part of some and I emphasize ONLY SOME of our employees is part of the reason that The Trust is losing the trust of many islanders it is not the only reason.
I think that if we are to really be a an effective agent in upholding our Mandate then some of the things that have become habit for the council and the individual reps must change. I refer specifically to our reasons for making decisions and how we communicate those reasons to the public. Too often decisions are made without explaining why in terms of our Mandate those decisions are being made. For the same reason we have to examine every proposal that comes to us in terms of how it will effect the Mandate we are also responsible to people bringing those proposals, ideas or even by-laws why we are approving or ruling against their idea in terms of what our mandate is. Clarity in our thinking and transparency in our methods must be watchwords. people can respect a person that says no to them and tells them why they must say no. What upsets people is that they do not really understand what our mandate is and what it isn't. so we must educate them by our explanations and by our role modeling of being honest, transparent and clear in our reasoning, and understandable in our actions and reasons. We need to make sure that we show how a decision could affect our mandate now or 50 years from now - although 20 year thinking is more doable than fifty and a serious edge over most politicians who sometimes can not envision next week let alone beyond their term. An example of this is our ferry fiasco - anyone who is used to long range thinking would have known that the more expensive you make the ferries the less people will use them and you will end up losing more to lack of customers than you make in increased fares. Likewise it doesn't take a think tank to realize that if you increase fares the long term effect will be to depress the economy of any areas dependent on those ferries and the effect of that downturn will effect the whole economy of the province in a negative way. we spend Billions on the Olympics which in the long term benefits only a few developers but try to take our Olympic losses out of those areas that need ferry service. Why not just introduce a $40 toll on the sea to sky highway for the next few years? because such a toll would not be tolerated and yet we allow the government to run rough shod over us because we aren't all connected by provincially paid for roads. See my article on Boycotting the Ferry Corporation on my blog- it is probably about the fourth item and addresses a concept of forcing fares down which I would like each of you to mention in your local paper and get feedback from your island as to how they might accomplish this on your island.
Please excuse the segway. Back to what we might do to regain support and credibility for the trust and to ensure our mandate is carried out for future generations. One thing I think we must do is switch our thinking a little. Just because we are elected does not make us a government. We are not the rulers and cannot afford that mode of thinking unlike our provincial and federal reps. We are elected as guardians of the TRUST MANDATE and as servants of that goal. When we forget that we are mere Guardians, temporary ones at that, we may find it easier to stay out of the normal pitfalls of THOSE WHO ARE ELECTED. We might avoid thinking of ourselves as important decision makers and makers of policy and thus somehow we must possess a wisdom beyond that of the mere mortals we represent. Those in our higher levels of government believe in treating the public much like they are growing mushrooms - if you don't understand this analogy think of the conditions needed to grow mushrooms. As representatives of our islands and as guardians of a Trust more sacred than our ambitions we cannot afforded to behave in the vulgar, condescending, and just plain silly way our senior levels of government are used to doing.
We must also be able to put aside our ambitions and even our loyalty to our respective island as we represent the Mandate first last and always and everything we do is subordinate to that. Likewise our staff must understand that they are not there to get the best development at the least cost but they are there only to serve the mandates and are subordinate to that mandate and to the elected council of those who are the guardians of that Mandate. both our staff and ourselves need to understand that unlike other levels of government or the bureaucratic code - don't say yes if a no will do and keep information secret because somehow bureaucrats think that information is power. I have news for them - the next time one of our employees tells me that we don't release that information to the public that person had either better have one very good reason or they should be dusting off their resume and looking for a position where needless secrecy is policy and where keeping the public uninformed about how their money is spent is an acceptable business practice because I don't plan on keeping any long term secrets from my fellow Islanders nor do I intend to start lying to my friends and neighbors. I am hoping that many of you share these views and that if we are elected we can work towards a more open and honest apparatus that serves our Mandate better. If I am not elected I would hope some of you will remember and perhaps expand on some of these ideas. Again the blog spot is http://ianlowden.blogspot.com/ and the article I would like you to read and think about is Boycotting the ferry Corporation which should be about fourth down. One other think to think about is did you know that BC FERRIES pays a great deal of your fare money to support professional sports - look for it's logo next time you are watching a game - those don't come cheap and why would a monopoly have to use your money to advertise? Ian Lowden
Trust response to how they are spending our money.
Trust Response to Request for Information on How Our Money is Being Spent
Sheila Malcolmson was good enough to pass this on to me. I guess as an ordinary citizen I don’t merit a direct reply from this Fraser character nor from our outgoing Chair Kim Benson who I sent 3 emails to this last week and never got a direct response from her –perhaps she was embarrassed that she couldn’t get that information as one of our employees wouldn’t give it to her. I think I only got this response because my third letter stated that my next contacts on this issue would be to the premier, the ombudsman and the people at Freedom of Information Act. (AND I WOULD HAVE ALSO CONTACTED AS MAY NEWSPAPERS AS POSSIBLE. I WOULD APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU SENDING THIS EMPLOYEES REFUSAL TO YOUR LOCAL PAPERS AND MEMBERS OF LEGISLATURE). I will of course send a copy to this to the chair and papers and others but not to the employee that didn’t have enough respect for an Islander to reply in person. If his boss wants to share this response before he reads it in the paper that is up to her. I wonder why the amount of money spent harassing Summer Rain is such a secret. I mean even if the Trust had won it would probably have been thrown out because the Trust violated the Trust act and supporting legislation in filing the suit. I refer specifically to the section that in essence states ‘all means to resolve a problem must be used, including arbitration, before engaging in legal action’, no arbitration was used in this case because nobody thought about it including the attorney apparently because I offered to arbitrate and was told by one of our reps after consultation with the attorney that it was too late for the necessary step of arbitration because they had already filed against summer rain. At that point the Trust should have withdrawn the case because they hadn’t followed their own mandated procedure – but after all it is not like it was their money they were wasting, it was only yours.
From: Mac Fraser
Sent: Fri 07/11/2008 10:38 AM
To: Sheila Malcolmson
Cc: Lisa Dunn; Linda Adams
Subject: FW: financial reports
Good morning, Sheila. In response to the question below about the cost of the Summer Rain litigation, I have spoken with Linda Adams on this and been advised that the Islands Trust does not release this information to the general public, to include candidates. Thank you
Mac Fraser
Director
Local Planning Services
Islands Trust
Preserving and Protecting the Unique Environment and Amenities of the Islands Trust Area
From: Lisa Dunn
Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2008 9:59 AM
To: Sheila Malcolmson
Cc: Ian Lowden; Mac Fraser
Subject: financial reports
Hello Sheila and Ian,
The Islands Trust audited financial statements are here & up-to-date for the most recent 3 years. http://islandstrust.bc.ca/tc/fpc.cfm
Please let me or Craig Elder know if you need previous years.
I confess the text parts of the actual annual reports are still in draft form on my desk - I inherited a 5-year backlog. Nothing to hide there - just a fact of staff worklload. They are close and would have been done by now if it wasn't for this election. I will present as many of them as possible to December Trust Council.
I am cc'ing Mac to address the legal costs question.
Cheers,
Lisa Dunn
Director
Trust Area Services
200-1627 Fort St.
Victoria BC V8R 1H8
In Victoria 405-5174
Enquiry BC Toll-free call 1-800-663-7867
or from the lower mainland 604-660-2421
Websites: www.islandstrust.bc.ca www.islandstrustfund.bc.ca
Preserving Island communities, culture and environment
Sheila Malcolmson was good enough to pass this on to me. I guess as an ordinary citizen I don’t merit a direct reply from this Fraser character nor from our outgoing Chair Kim Benson who I sent 3 emails to this last week and never got a direct response from her –perhaps she was embarrassed that she couldn’t get that information as one of our employees wouldn’t give it to her. I think I only got this response because my third letter stated that my next contacts on this issue would be to the premier, the ombudsman and the people at Freedom of Information Act. (AND I WOULD HAVE ALSO CONTACTED AS MAY NEWSPAPERS AS POSSIBLE. I WOULD APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU SENDING THIS EMPLOYEES REFUSAL TO YOUR LOCAL PAPERS AND MEMBERS OF LEGISLATURE). I will of course send a copy to this to the chair and papers and others but not to the employee that didn’t have enough respect for an Islander to reply in person. If his boss wants to share this response before he reads it in the paper that is up to her. I wonder why the amount of money spent harassing Summer Rain is such a secret. I mean even if the Trust had won it would probably have been thrown out because the Trust violated the Trust act and supporting legislation in filing the suit. I refer specifically to the section that in essence states ‘all means to resolve a problem must be used, including arbitration, before engaging in legal action’, no arbitration was used in this case because nobody thought about it including the attorney apparently because I offered to arbitrate and was told by one of our reps after consultation with the attorney that it was too late for the necessary step of arbitration because they had already filed against summer rain. At that point the Trust should have withdrawn the case because they hadn’t followed their own mandated procedure – but after all it is not like it was their money they were wasting, it was only yours.
From: Mac Fraser
Sent: Fri 07/11/2008 10:38 AM
To: Sheila Malcolmson
Cc: Lisa Dunn; Linda Adams
Subject: FW: financial reports
Good morning, Sheila. In response to the question below about the cost of the Summer Rain litigation, I have spoken with Linda Adams on this and been advised that the Islands Trust does not release this information to the general public, to include candidates. Thank you
Mac Fraser
Director
Local Planning Services
Islands Trust
Preserving and Protecting the Unique Environment and Amenities of the Islands Trust Area
From: Lisa Dunn
Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2008 9:59 AM
To: Sheila Malcolmson
Cc: Ian Lowden; Mac Fraser
Subject: financial reports
Hello Sheila and Ian,
The Islands Trust audited financial statements are here & up-to-date for the most recent 3 years. http://islandstrust.bc.ca/tc/fpc.cfm
Please let me or Craig Elder know if you need previous years.
I confess the text parts of the actual annual reports are still in draft form on my desk - I inherited a 5-year backlog. Nothing to hide there - just a fact of staff worklload. They are close and would have been done by now if it wasn't for this election. I will present as many of them as possible to December Trust Council.
I am cc'ing Mac to address the legal costs question.
Cheers,
Lisa Dunn
Director
Trust Area Services
200-1627 Fort St.
Victoria BC V8R 1H8
In Victoria 405-5174
Enquiry BC Toll-free call 1-800-663-7867
or from the lower mainland 604-660-2421
Websites: www.islandstrust.bc.ca www.islandstrustfund.bc.ca
Preserving Island communities, culture and environment
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Boycott the Ferry Coproration
Boycott the Ferry Corporation.
By ian.Lowden@shaw.ca
I think we all can agree that the Ferry Corporation is slowly strangling the islands with constant fare increases and a steady downward spiral of service quality. We may agree but I haven’t seen anyone coming up with any real strategies to do anything about it. That is no one until our Premier showed us the way – he cut fares because the higher fares were costing more from a decrease in profits than the increased fares could make up for it.
The three new ferries are tied up at the docks and they are using the old smaller ones because with the fare increase they can seldom fill the new ones and so they can’t justify the expense of using them. According to TV news David Hahn the CEO of BC Ferries found out on the news on TV that the premier had ordered a 30% cut to try and lure people back to using the ferries and did so without even consulting with the CEO. If I were Hahn I would think it time to dust off the old resume. So now we know who is really running BC Ferries-the Premier, and what his weaknesses are Bad PR and the ferry corporation losing more money by not running at full capacity.
With more than a billion dollars debt and virtually no assets BC Ferry doesn't have the credit rating to borrow money for the bridge and the government has refused any and all funding for a bridge, I think therefore that the bridge issue is pretty dead. Our MLA has sent me two emails concerning the bridge. In the first he assured me that he has polled almost every MLA and no one wants to get into building any bridges, suggested that the whole thing started from a ill considered remark by David Hahn in a television interview and now he doesn’t know how to back out of it but the MLA’s (or is it the MIA’s) and the premier are not impressed with him at this point Here is the second letter:
Dear Constituents,
Thank you for your recent emails around the issue of a bridge to Gabriola. I do not now, nor will I ever support a bridge to Gabriola. The purpose of Islands Trust is to preserve the unique character of the Islands. One cannot have an Island connected by a bridge!
Yours truly,
Leonard Krog, MLA
I am also including a letter from the Island Trust to David Hahn and his response where he declares he has no preference for a bridge or a ferry. It is in Adobe but I will also include the same thing in word.
I think once people start to figure that out that the bridge is never going to happen they will realize the only choice we have is to get the rates and waits down. Without the pro- island vs. pro-bridge split, people will be more willing to work together because we all realize that presently the greatest danger to the islands are the ferry rates and service. A version of this will be coming out at the end of November, after all the politics is done, in my column. Maybe the Sounder will even reprint it and hopefully so will the Island Tides newspaper.
If we can get most of the islands newspapers, the Island Trust, and every conceivable group on each island like the Chamber of Commerce, Ratepayers Association, Service Clubs, Gun club, Palette People, Artists, Musicians, Builders Seniors, Conservation Groups, any one and everyone, to all back the idea then we can win. This is a problem that affects everyone including Vancouver Island, the North Coast and Queen Charlottes. This may be the very first time that everyone can work together no matter any other differences because it is the problem we all face. If we don’t win it what happens to each of us and to our communities? People are already leaving the island over the fares and service. The Real Estate Bubble may not have burst quite yet but the ferry problems are sure putting some mighty big leaks in it.
What starts out as some ideas of how to organize and some strategies, slowly becomes a movement that may eventually have every island involved likely even Vancouver Island. The more involvement the more media attention it draws and therefore draws in more people and becomes self-sustaining. When it starts to give the BC Liberals a bad time in terms of negative attention, which affects voters everywhere then the government will listen. To get them to listen we have to speak loudly and in a language they understand –bad PR and a slowly bankrupting Ferry Corporation. Do we have to worry if the Ferry Corporation bleeds itself out of business? No not at all, because in turning Ferry corporation from Crown Status to private corporation they had to sell it to someone. There were of course no investors who wanted to buy it after it was stripped of assets and left with more than a Billion dollars debt for ferries commissioned by the Government. Our government did some very creative bookkeeping (of the kind they wouldn’t allow private citizens to do) and thus sold the corporation to itself. As the government owns BC ferries they can’t let it go down and if our boycott works then they will have to return to subsidies, they won’t have any other choices. There is no doubt that the Government has encouraged people to settle off shore so they should have the same duties to us as they do to the people served by highways. When was the last time you had to pay a toll to use a road in BC or even a Bridge?
I was in Ontario during the Claque Sound protests and it was being covered by all the networks and major papers-virtually everyone in the rest of Canada, except maybe Quebec, knew about it and sympathized. Political public opinion matters even from other provinces because it affects tourism, business relocating to BC, and eventually votes. If elected I will be asking the Trust Council to get behind this concept for all the Islands- it is clearly within their mandate to do so. If not elected, I will be expecting those who do win to do the same. Who knows they might if everyone else is getting involved.
Developing a full-scale boycott takes time and patience and being inclusive. That means we involve everyone within a lose framework so nobody fells like some person or group is telling them what to do – perhaps even a Boycott Council on every island. We don’t need leaders and followers we need active participants. There have been other protests that seemed to just peter out. I suspect that the reason they accomplished little is that they lacked a realistic strategy and may have been somewhat exclusive. I just found out last night that a couple of individuals had been trying for nine months to organize an effective protest, I hadn’t heard much about it and I will bet most of you didn’t either. Besides protest rallies are one offs that make no real difference if there isn’t a strategy to do more than simply protest. Protests seldom work but boycott’s do because they affect the Corporation and eventually the government where it hurts – in the pocket book and in making them look bad.
Concretely, what we need to do is we our ferries to lose more money by trying to make sure they almost never run at anywhere near their capacity. That means putting far fewer vehicles on the ferry. We can accomplish this by car-poo9ling, small co-ops of neighbors ordering bulk quantities of what they now shop in Nanaimo for and using our own boats when possible. Car-pooling is not easy to arrange, some people just won’t do it, as they aren’t interested in getting involved. We have to expect the usual amount of apathy from those who don’t feel part of the community or those who believe they are too good to get involved in anything as mundane as going a little out of the way for their community. I know people who don’t own a car, won’t hitchhike or ride a bicycle 3 km to the ferry because it is beneath them- instead they are always depending on someone else to drive them anywhere.
To get car-pooling and small co-ops going means getting together with friends and neighbors and also means meeting strangers. One of the ways we could facilitate it is by organizing a couple of parking areas with signs up for North, South, and West Nanaimo. That way as you drive by, say somewhere like Agi Hall, you would know at a glance if there was anyone wanting a ride and going your way. Some people already park cars on the Nanaimo side. They could pick up walkers on the ferry or as they get off.
Besides commuting the second biggest reason people go to Nanaimo is for shopping at places like Costco. Instead of going shopping once a week get together with a group to buy bulk quantities and the share them out with a small group or a larger one. This would take a little organization but instead of ten cars going it could be done with a Van and two people. Many years ago this was the normal way people did things.
Also, before you make that trip over – really think about whether it is necessary? Could it be put off? Could groups take kids to top the aquatic center or other events? Could you put off for a while your need to use the ferry? Eventually, if enough of us try hard enough and co-operate for the community good we would cause the ferry corporation to lose even more money and that is the goal because as we all know, when money talks governments listen.
Ian’s Blog http://ianlowden.blogspot.com/ E-mail ian.lowden@shaw.ca
By ian.Lowden@shaw.ca
I think we all can agree that the Ferry Corporation is slowly strangling the islands with constant fare increases and a steady downward spiral of service quality. We may agree but I haven’t seen anyone coming up with any real strategies to do anything about it. That is no one until our Premier showed us the way – he cut fares because the higher fares were costing more from a decrease in profits than the increased fares could make up for it.
The three new ferries are tied up at the docks and they are using the old smaller ones because with the fare increase they can seldom fill the new ones and so they can’t justify the expense of using them. According to TV news David Hahn the CEO of BC Ferries found out on the news on TV that the premier had ordered a 30% cut to try and lure people back to using the ferries and did so without even consulting with the CEO. If I were Hahn I would think it time to dust off the old resume. So now we know who is really running BC Ferries-the Premier, and what his weaknesses are Bad PR and the ferry corporation losing more money by not running at full capacity.
With more than a billion dollars debt and virtually no assets BC Ferry doesn't have the credit rating to borrow money for the bridge and the government has refused any and all funding for a bridge, I think therefore that the bridge issue is pretty dead. Our MLA has sent me two emails concerning the bridge. In the first he assured me that he has polled almost every MLA and no one wants to get into building any bridges, suggested that the whole thing started from a ill considered remark by David Hahn in a television interview and now he doesn’t know how to back out of it but the MLA’s (or is it the MIA’s) and the premier are not impressed with him at this point Here is the second letter:
Dear Constituents,
Thank you for your recent emails around the issue of a bridge to Gabriola. I do not now, nor will I ever support a bridge to Gabriola. The purpose of Islands Trust is to preserve the unique character of the Islands. One cannot have an Island connected by a bridge!
Yours truly,
Leonard Krog, MLA
I am also including a letter from the Island Trust to David Hahn and his response where he declares he has no preference for a bridge or a ferry. It is in Adobe but I will also include the same thing in word.
I think once people start to figure that out that the bridge is never going to happen they will realize the only choice we have is to get the rates and waits down. Without the pro- island vs. pro-bridge split, people will be more willing to work together because we all realize that presently the greatest danger to the islands are the ferry rates and service. A version of this will be coming out at the end of November, after all the politics is done, in my column. Maybe the Sounder will even reprint it and hopefully so will the Island Tides newspaper.
If we can get most of the islands newspapers, the Island Trust, and every conceivable group on each island like the Chamber of Commerce, Ratepayers Association, Service Clubs, Gun club, Palette People, Artists, Musicians, Builders Seniors, Conservation Groups, any one and everyone, to all back the idea then we can win. This is a problem that affects everyone including Vancouver Island, the North Coast and Queen Charlottes. This may be the very first time that everyone can work together no matter any other differences because it is the problem we all face. If we don’t win it what happens to each of us and to our communities? People are already leaving the island over the fares and service. The Real Estate Bubble may not have burst quite yet but the ferry problems are sure putting some mighty big leaks in it.
What starts out as some ideas of how to organize and some strategies, slowly becomes a movement that may eventually have every island involved likely even Vancouver Island. The more involvement the more media attention it draws and therefore draws in more people and becomes self-sustaining. When it starts to give the BC Liberals a bad time in terms of negative attention, which affects voters everywhere then the government will listen. To get them to listen we have to speak loudly and in a language they understand –bad PR and a slowly bankrupting Ferry Corporation. Do we have to worry if the Ferry Corporation bleeds itself out of business? No not at all, because in turning Ferry corporation from Crown Status to private corporation they had to sell it to someone. There were of course no investors who wanted to buy it after it was stripped of assets and left with more than a Billion dollars debt for ferries commissioned by the Government. Our government did some very creative bookkeeping (of the kind they wouldn’t allow private citizens to do) and thus sold the corporation to itself. As the government owns BC ferries they can’t let it go down and if our boycott works then they will have to return to subsidies, they won’t have any other choices. There is no doubt that the Government has encouraged people to settle off shore so they should have the same duties to us as they do to the people served by highways. When was the last time you had to pay a toll to use a road in BC or even a Bridge?
I was in Ontario during the Claque Sound protests and it was being covered by all the networks and major papers-virtually everyone in the rest of Canada, except maybe Quebec, knew about it and sympathized. Political public opinion matters even from other provinces because it affects tourism, business relocating to BC, and eventually votes. If elected I will be asking the Trust Council to get behind this concept for all the Islands- it is clearly within their mandate to do so. If not elected, I will be expecting those who do win to do the same. Who knows they might if everyone else is getting involved.
Developing a full-scale boycott takes time and patience and being inclusive. That means we involve everyone within a lose framework so nobody fells like some person or group is telling them what to do – perhaps even a Boycott Council on every island. We don’t need leaders and followers we need active participants. There have been other protests that seemed to just peter out. I suspect that the reason they accomplished little is that they lacked a realistic strategy and may have been somewhat exclusive. I just found out last night that a couple of individuals had been trying for nine months to organize an effective protest, I hadn’t heard much about it and I will bet most of you didn’t either. Besides protest rallies are one offs that make no real difference if there isn’t a strategy to do more than simply protest. Protests seldom work but boycott’s do because they affect the Corporation and eventually the government where it hurts – in the pocket book and in making them look bad.
Concretely, what we need to do is we our ferries to lose more money by trying to make sure they almost never run at anywhere near their capacity. That means putting far fewer vehicles on the ferry. We can accomplish this by car-poo9ling, small co-ops of neighbors ordering bulk quantities of what they now shop in Nanaimo for and using our own boats when possible. Car-pooling is not easy to arrange, some people just won’t do it, as they aren’t interested in getting involved. We have to expect the usual amount of apathy from those who don’t feel part of the community or those who believe they are too good to get involved in anything as mundane as going a little out of the way for their community. I know people who don’t own a car, won’t hitchhike or ride a bicycle 3 km to the ferry because it is beneath them- instead they are always depending on someone else to drive them anywhere.
To get car-pooling and small co-ops going means getting together with friends and neighbors and also means meeting strangers. One of the ways we could facilitate it is by organizing a couple of parking areas with signs up for North, South, and West Nanaimo. That way as you drive by, say somewhere like Agi Hall, you would know at a glance if there was anyone wanting a ride and going your way. Some people already park cars on the Nanaimo side. They could pick up walkers on the ferry or as they get off.
Besides commuting the second biggest reason people go to Nanaimo is for shopping at places like Costco. Instead of going shopping once a week get together with a group to buy bulk quantities and the share them out with a small group or a larger one. This would take a little organization but instead of ten cars going it could be done with a Van and two people. Many years ago this was the normal way people did things.
Also, before you make that trip over – really think about whether it is necessary? Could it be put off? Could groups take kids to top the aquatic center or other events? Could you put off for a while your need to use the ferry? Eventually, if enough of us try hard enough and co-operate for the community good we would cause the ferry corporation to lose even more money and that is the goal because as we all know, when money talks governments listen.
Ian’s Blog http://ianlowden.blogspot.com/ E-mail ian.lowden@shaw.ca
