To the editor:

The most exciting news so far in relation to 91大黄鸭鈥檚 civic election has to do with the emergence of the Future of 91大黄鸭 Consortium.

This is a growing group of community organizations including the K.L.O Residents Association, 91大黄鸭 South-Central Association of Neighbourhoods, PLAN 91大黄鸭, B.C. Poverty Reduction Coalition, 91大黄鸭 Area Cycling Coalition, Fresh Outlook Foundation, Summerhill Pyramid Winery, 91大黄鸭 People鈥檚 Alliance, Global Empowerment Coalition of the Central Okanagan, Renters United 91大黄鸭, and the Central Okanagan Food Policy Council.

The group鈥檚 stated goal is to help residents make informed choices about voting based on the results of a survey that will be distributed to all candidates seeking answers to a set of twenty-five questions. The answers will be published through the organizations鈥� networks and will also be sent to media outlets for broader publication.

Until now, crime and safety were being promoted by candidates and some media outlets as a key election issue. While 91大黄鸭 does, of course, have crime, the rate of serious crime is dropping and 90 per cent of respondents to the 2017 Citizen Survey said they feel safe in our community.

The issue of 鈥榗rime鈥� simply doesn鈥檛 conform to an actual need for it to take centre stage.

Ludicrously, the relocation of Costco was also being promoted as an election issue 鈥� one on the scale of a potential cross-border international incident.

The questions asked by the Future of 91大黄鸭 Consortium will instead relate to several of the plans, pathways, strategies and roadmaps that have been created by the city in connection with issues such as community goals, growth and development, transportation, homelessness, climate action, and available and affordable housing.

As I see it, that adds up to a second dimension of the importance of this initiative. The grassroots are focused on what matters most, and they鈥檙e wresting a degree of control back from the candidates who, at best, have been too willing to jump on the populist bandwagon of scary crime and exacting punishment, and, at worst, have been scraping the bottom of the political barrel for something to try to sell.

There鈥檚 nothing ludicrous about proclaiming, 鈥減ower to the people!鈥� To move our agenda forward, we鈥檒l need to familiarize ourselves with the survey results when they鈥檙e released. Next, we鈥檒l have to get out there to the all-candidates meetings to insist that candidates amplify the answers they鈥檝e provided. Finally, we鈥檒l have to educate our friends and show up with them on Election Day to support the candidates who appear credible on the points our grassroots organizations have brought forward.

This is how to make Election 2018 count.

Dianne Varga,

91大黄鸭, BC