Do governments routinely ignore us, and it's simply a case of not noticing that one-sided arrangement until we have to turn to them for help? That question, or at least something to that effect, was put to me a couple of weeks back while discussing the radio towers issue with an individual involved in the fight to keep them out of Point Roberts. Given all the battles waged with government over major projects in recent years, you'd think this would have been another jaded Tsawwassenite fed up with all that's been foisted on the community.
Ironically, it was actually someone from across the line who was wondering how her government, and ours, had allowed the situation to get to this point. How does something that doesn't make any sense, and looks so easy to correct, turn into such an ordeal? It was a tough one to answer, but it did provide an interesting launching point for a discussion in terms of getting government to respond to public pleas.
Local government is the closest to the people and, for the most part, I think it does a good job of listening to its constituents. That's not to say it's going to do everything you ask, but it generally heeds what it hears, which is why, for example, building heights are limited and the redevelopment of Tsawwassen's commercial core and the Ladner waterfront continue to languish.
The higher up the food chain you go, however, the less it seems that public input is considered. That's not to say it's totally disregarded, but if senior government gets something set in its mind, good luck trying to change it. It's been attempted a number of times around here with limited success.
When agendas developed around cabinet tables far removed from these parts are coupled with large, hard-to-move bureaucracies, it generally proves too much for locals to overcome. In these cases, what's decided from afar is then sold to us as the best option, local sensibilities be damned.
Delta and Point Roberts are by no means unique when it comes to being dictated to, yet it seems we get more than our fair share.
The idea of senior government telling us the way it should be, rather than the other way around, has rubbed enough folks around here the wrong way that we've made B.C. history by electing an outspoken independent the last two times.
It's a sign we're not going to take it, but when it comes to the radio towers and other important issues, that doesn't mean senior government won't keep trying.
