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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Voters making up minds in byelection

Letter writers express concerns and hopes surrounding vote to choose new Nanaimo MLA
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Letters to the editor should be no longer than 250 words and will be edited. Include your address (it won’t be published). E-mail editor@nanaimobulletin.com.

To the editor,

Re: Byelection campaign underway, Jan. 8.

It baffles me, that the B.C. NDP candidate in the current byelection, in the electoral district of Nanaimo, could not resist an opportunity to become an MLA in what she refers to in a campaign flyer as, “John Horgan’s government.”

On Dec. 7, I received via Canada Post a campaign flyer from the member of Parliament for Nanaimo-Ladysmith, which indicated that she was the B.C. NDP candidate in this month’s byelection. In other words, she would not be completing her four-year contract with the voters who elected her to federal office in 2015.

Thereafter, I learned through the media that her last day in Parliament would be Dec. 14, and I understand that her resignation as MP was effective Jan. 2. So, it appears that a politician can notify his or her employer that they are a candidate for a position with another employer, while still employed at a different level of government. In which other occupation would the employer accept such an arrangement?

Janet Irvine, Nanaimo

Opinion: Traditional byelection wisdom may not apply in Nanaimo

To the editor,

Re: Byelection campaign underway, Jan. 8.

I am writing to voice my concern that our mayor has been in the news lately showing support to a particular provincial party. I find this highly unprofessional that our city mayor would be playing favorites when it comes to this election. Mayor Krog said that he would keep provincial politics out of the city yet he is on the front page of news outlets showing his support while standing on stage with this party.

I would expect with all of the issues that currently need our city’s attention that our mayor and council would be concentrating on these issues versus spending time endorsing political parties. When Mayor Krog left his seat he left saying that he needed to focus on the city and fixing these issues.

I believe everyone is allowed to voice their opinions and vote for whom they want to – except the mayor and council. They are working for the citizens of this town, not the province. This is something that can seriously affect our city by the leader of our city playing favourites. I believe this needs to stop. Their opinions and vote should be kept to themselves to keep the integrity of our city at the highest level.

We live in a democratic society which allows us all our right to vote, however the politicians we elect in should be working for us and not a particular political party.

Cody Dreger, Nanaimo

POLL: Have you decided who you’re voting for in the byelection?

To the editor,

Re: Byelection campaign underway, Jan. 8.

Here’s my view on why a vote for the NDP candidate in the Nanaimo provincial byelection at the end of January 2019 increases the risk of toppling the NDP-Green alliance.

Now that proportional representation is off the table, concerns about vote splitting and strategic voting are about to pick up. The B.C. Liberals currently hold 42 seats in the legislature, while the NDP have 41 and the Greens three.

The best way to help stabilize this situation is to support the Green candidate. Here’s why. If the NDP candidate wins, the proportions remain the same. This is simply too fine an edge on holding the balance of power to form government. If any MLA from the NDP or Greens steps down, gets sick, crosses the floor, etc., then the government might falter.

The risk is higher maintaining the status quo than rebalancing it slightly to add an additional seat to the Greens so that they have four seats instead of three. Given the number of seats currently held by the NDP compared to the Greens, the statistical chance of this happening is 10 times greater for the NDP.

To keep the current government stable and functioning, this is the most logical decision. The NDP candidate should step down and throw full support toward the Green candidate. This is the best to way to serve her party and to keep our current alliance government functioning so that they can follow through on their mandate.

Michael D. Mehta, Gabriola Island

RELATED: Nanaimo byelection to be held Jan. 30

To the editor,

Re: Nanaimo candidate called out for once wearing a Trump hat, Jan. 10.

For the next three weeks, Nanaimo will be the centre of political focus in our province. The results of the byelection, to fill the legislator seat vacated by a new mayor, has the potential to impact the entire province, not just the riding. So, with that in mind, I beg you, please do not stand by and allow candidates to run a campaign like a bunch of unsupervised five-year-olds on the playground, fighting over a whiffle ball.

The campaign has barely begun and the mudslinging has already got me shaking my head and praying that no one pays any attention to it. The recent sharing of one candidate’s humourous jab at the President of the United States is being shared out of context in an effort make the candidate look bad. It’s not about the issues that impact your community or your riding. It’s not about government policy or taxation. It’s not about development, growth, employment, health care, education, or transport. It’s not about anything that has a genuine concern about the people who live in Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, or even B.C.

Please look beyond it. Please look at all of the candidates and the parties they represent. This election is too important, too pivotal, to make a decision based on a Facebook post that is best left in the volumes of mindless drivel one finds in a rant and rave page.

Sean Smith, Campbell River


The views and opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the writer and do not reflect the views of Black Press or the Nanaimo News Bulletin. If you have a different view, we encourage you to write to us or contribute to the discussion below.