Sooke City council

When having my weekly Sunday dinner with my aunt Jane and uncle Rick, an interesting conversation came up that shed some light on the town of Sooke. Since my uncle was a social planner in Vancouver for 30 years, before he retired in Sooke, he is very active in the community plan discussions and makes recommendation to the council on community issues.

Shortly after I first arrived here there was a municipal election. In the running were the regulars, the ones who have been active on council for years, and a mayor who actually didn’t win by majority (the other two options put together outnumbered her but separately did not). The mayor got voted in again and there was even some new councilors voted in. One in particular was a young woman, about my age. I remember seeing her campaign posters and wondering to myself what councilor life as a young person would be in Sooke. Being young and enthusiastic about new and fresh ideas seems to be a need in most communities I’ve lived in. Usually the city council is made up of the same people who have been doing it for years and there is rarely such a young person elected. Obviously the people of Sooke thought it was time for change. My uncle told me through his attendance at the meetings that this woman was one of the few on council who believed in putting the towns needs and comments on the table for serious consideration, and reacting in a proactive and community minded fashion.
As it turns out many opposed her thinking, to the point where she did not want to fight anymore and quit.What a sad disappointment that someone who is forward thinking, community minded, young and enthusiastic can be ousted so easily by those who prefer to do “business as usual”. I do not blame her, I admire her for her ability to get voted in and to seek change in a place she lives in. I am sure she will be a force to be reckoned with in the future - as will many of us in this program- and it is only a matter of time before our votes outnumber the ‘good old boys’ of days gone past.