Editor:
Re: ‘Disrespectful to ancestors in every way,’ Sept. 15.
It is outrageous that White Rock Mayor Wayne Baldwin should attempt to intimidate the elected representatives of a First Nations Community – one mild-mannered man and two woman, armed with a cease-and-desist order – and then proceed to give them a condescending lecture of his various historical grievances.
Especially appalling was the shouting at and attempted minimization of the SFN council members. The scene was quite horrifying. Proper consultations and a more diplomatic attitude would have produced an completely different result.
To hold a by-invitation-only ground-breaking ceremony, have armed RCMP guards present and not invite the historical owners of the land – let alone the general taxpaying public – is about as insulting and disrespectful as it gets.
Fiona MacDermid, White Rock
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Finally, Semiahmoo First Nation has been able to get the attention the White Rock council.
A rational person should have expected that when you ignore their possible interests, threaten to cut off their water, plan a major renovation that may impact their history with no discussion – not even an invitation to the ground breaking – you could expect pushback.
It is my opinion that the mayor and council are destroying the fabric of the city. They have been seduced by developers who are only interested in profit. We, the citizens, did not even get a kiss.
Their proposals are presented as a fait accompli needing only a change in zoning. The new development plan could/may have been written by the developers. A fatally flawed survey by the city was accepted as having some value. No wonder senior staff are leaving this sinking ship.
Council stopped having public questions at the end of regular council meetings from citizens who might want clarification or have good ideas. Following a strike by civic workers, the council decided on the punitive outsourcing of garbage collection that has resulted in having multiple contractors’ heavy trucks picking up garbage all through the week. The purchase of the water utility was done with little consultation; we do not know the price or alternatives, only that we now have a new water tank that will provide the same contaminated water as before.
In-camera discussions and even decisions are being made without information or input from citizens. It seems that only the interests of their friends are being considered – an example is the trees on the hump.
It is unfortunate there is no mechanism to recall this group that is destroying our community. We have to throw out the bunch of them at the next election and hope there is enough left to save.
Frank Mansell, White Rock