Open letter to Mayor Buckway and council:
This note is not meant to be inflammatory. It is a sincere and authentic expression of upsetting emotional residue following my attendance at the two most recent council meetings (Dec. 5 and Dec. 12).
Yes, the vote decision supporting pre-planning / pre-engineering of the Middle McIntyre Creek area is part of my dismay. However, I am more concerned about the manner in which certain delegates were addressed.
As mayor and city councillors you are elected by the citizens of Whitehorse. It would seem some of you may have forgotten that.
Of specific concern was Coun. Dave Stockdale’s approach to the presentations by two particular delegates who courageously shared their views of the proposed middle McIntyre Creek development. You know the two delegates about whom I am speaking.
In their efforts to express themselves in front of you, you chose to attempt to embarrass them. I can and do accept many different world views and approaches to life, and I believe we are richer for them. But I have much disdain for those who actively and willfully choose arrogance over humility, and for those who try to humiliate others.
At public meetings, your job is to listen to the delegates. All of them. Your job is to ask questions to draw out information. Your job is to hear and respect differing views. Your job is to understand.
On a related note, Coun. Stockdale, you spoke of wanting to hear about the facts as opposed to emotions. I find it odd that you would not recognize that emotional connection to our land and its wildlife is part of the spirit of this beautiful place. Listening to emotion is as important as looking for facts.
Furthermore, you spoke of “bias” in the room and of your perception that the room was biased towards protection and the environment. At a public meeting, those people who show up do so voluntarily. To me it is telling that Mr. Rick Karp was the only delegate to voluntarily show up and represent “development.”
At these two most important public meetings, where were the delegates who represent development who might have helped balance out your perception that the room was skewed towards protection?
Thank you for your consideration of this input.
I expect much more of the behaviour of my city councillors.
Chad Bauld
Whitehorse