Comments on: Greater Victoria deserves better governance

By: Stan Bartlett

Stan Bartlett — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 22:14:40 +0000

Here is what I would like to make two suggestions regarding improved governance:

1) Change “Limit municipal terms to two four-year terms” to “Limit municipal terms to two consecutive four-year terms in any position”. We want good councillors to return but everyone needs to retool, acquire new skills or refresh old ones and reacquaint themselves with the issues of the general population.

2) All members of municipal council must reside in the municipality in which they serve.

I suggest that better decisions might be made if they had a little “skin in the game”.

Shelley

By: Shelley Campbell

Shelley Campbell — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 20:05:44 +0000

Shelley

I would like to make two suggestions regarding improved governance:

2) All members of municipal council must reside in the municipality in which they serve.

I suggest that better decisions might be made if they had a little “skin in the game”.

What is the process for making these changes as certainly some of the members of the current Victoria council have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 00:17:24 +0000

Much to consider! In case it has been missed, it makes sense to me that our local council should be comprised only of residents of the city of Victoria. How can councilors from other jurisdictions vote without prejudice, or caring, about issues that impact our local taxpayers, especially when it comes to control of spending and fiscal prudence?

By: John Olson

John Olson — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 18:30:17 +0000

An interesting Q is to what extent does the co-op model of governance underlying that of the CRD meet the UN criteria for good governance. Can the province make this claim? Enid Slack–of the Munk Institute– has expressed doubts about this model while more recently arguing that a two tier model of regional government has significant advantages over one tier models, and over non-governmental ones like the BC RD voluntary co-operation model. But that said I doubt there is the political will to review the structure of regional governance — in the light of the UN criteria –of what is now firmly cemented practice. Even so incremental improvements on the status quo this side of such a review are all to the good.