Recent historical events have confirmed my belief that the worst way to make a decision is by putting it to the popular vote. Therefore I was concerned to read in the (Gazette, May 17) that approval for the branch library, aquatics center and hockey arena might be sought through plebiscite in conjunction with the fall municipal election.
The Brexit vote, which has created division and economic havoc for the United Kingdom, resulted from a voting public who did not understand the implications of the choice they were making and therefore voted based on propaganda, emotion, and self-interest. Those who formed the elected government in the U.K. at that time did understand those implications but for political reasons chose not to act on what they knew.
Although on a smaller scale, we have a similar situation here. Council members have been immersed in all of these three projects for some time now, and are privy to the pros, cons, costs, risks, regulations, public opinion, and potential implications of each. But instead of making the best decision they can for the betterment of the community as a whole, they are considering handing off the decision to the general population so that we can choose based on nothing more than propaganda, emotion, and self-interest.
Mayor Crouse’s reservations were evident in that same Gazette article when he stated – “councils are elected to make these kinds of difficult decisions.” I could not agree more.
In my opinion, council needs to set aside any personal biases they themselves may hold then decide on these three projects using all of the information that is available to them. Only then can we hope to have decisions made that provide an overall benefit to our community.
John Dolman, St. Albert
