The recent Advocate web poll shows that respondents are almost equally divided on the question, “Are you happy with the municipal election results.” Unfortunately, this division is already visible.
Nov. 2 Advocate article Councillors differ over city’s vaccine policy proves that. How can a councillor override a public health recommendation for people to be vaccinated to protect the general public? Without question everybody has the right to their own beliefs, however when that belief affects me, I feel I have the right to fight back. As a councillor, Victor Doerksen was elected to be a leader, so isn’t it his responsibility to lead? When thousands of scientists and well respected health professionals are promoting the COVID-19 vaccination to protect people and our health systems, isn’t it incumbent on our elected officials to support them no matter their own beliefs?
I was surprised to see so many incumbents re-elected to council, especially since we have seen the $107,000 council investigation boondoggle happen this year. As taxpayers we have just witnessed all this money, that surely could have been used for something that would benefit us, being flushed down the toilet by this investigation. This whole debacle raises the question of why do we employ city solicitors if they are unable to act on taxpayers behalf and why was the whole thing done in secret. Surely, as taxpayers who footed the bill, we deserve to know the whole truth about what went on. I challenge the new council to deliver on their pre-election promises of more transparency at city hall, and to be more responsible for how tax dollars are spent.
George Croome, Red Deer