Almost 10 years to the day I wrote my first Community Comment for this paper.
For those scoring at home, that is about 170 articles and 85,000 words. A few of my comments have slipped through the cracks in various hard drive failures, the result of which has made me the king of multiple back-ups for all my files. I was curious what my first comment was so I checked in with Ted Murphy.
Not surprisingly, it was mostly about a poll that suggested the majority of South Deltans wanted some services and development in the community. Just think, in a year from now we will be able to buy tennis balls without having to drive to Richmond!
If you read this paper, most of you will know that I have been a supporter of thoughtful development scenarios that I believe will enhance the lives of families in Delta. Was there really any way that we could insulate ourselves from the status quo in a perceived Pleasantville? I never did but there are many that did and still do.
Compromise will win in the end.
I haven't always written about development issues. Many of my contributions have been political in nature. I have been involved in municipal and provincial politics for many, many years in Vancouver and Delta, here for the past 20 of them.
I must admit that as I get older, my political interest is waning somewhat. Now, for the most part, I like to muse about food, the food system and teaching youngsters how to grow, share and eat food that they have grown themselves on school farms. Project Pickle has been a rewarding and valuable initiative for all involved.
Having said that, my political sensibilities are on high right now and I am intrigued by what I have been witnessing in the lead up to the big day on Monday.
My daughter was home for the Thanksgiving weekend and we took some time to talk about things before we made our way to the advance polls. I have no idea how she or my wife Peggy voted and that is the way it should be in my view. We all shared our observations and commented on the issues and the campaigns themselves.
The big push to get the youth vote out seems to be working. Advance polling numbers are up a whopping 16 per cent over the last election, which would seem to point toward a greater overall turnout at the polls, an outcome that can only be good.
Also, to the youth vote, it would seem that Donald Trump and gun control issues in the United States have had a profound effect on young voters north of the border. It has been encouraging to hear from my daughter describing her discussions with friends on the political front there and here.
Recently, University of Texas governors have put forward a new law that will allow licensed gun users to carry concealed weapons in buildings on campus. This frightening move, that may have far-reaching consequences, has apparently resonated in Canada. Youth here, it would seem, understand the differences between Republicans and Democrats and are absolutely appalled by the freaky gun thing in American schools.
How they act on this fear and loathing north of the 49th will certainly be interesting to see.
Mike Schneider is founder of Project Pickle and likes to write about growing, cooking and eating food.
