Ex-mayor series continues with Garry Litke
Garry Litke was mayor of Penticton in 2013-14.
Prior to that time, Litke served on city council from 2005-14. He also ran provincially as an NDP candidate in the riding of Penticton-Okanagan Valley in 2005, losing to incumbent Bill Barisoff.
Born in Edmonton, Litke has lived in Penticton for 49 years, and is married with three children.
After teaching high school English in Alberta for six years, he moved to Penticton, where he taught at Princess Margaret and Pen-Hi for another 27 years. Stops along the way included service to the Okanagan Skaha Teachers’ Union, where he is an honourary lifetime member, and five years in contract negotiation and administration with the B.C. Teachers’ Federation.
While vacationing, Litke corresponded with Valley editor James Miller via email about his time as mayor in what’s the seventh and final part of a series of interviews with Penticton’s former mayors.
HERALD: What have you been up to since leaving office?
LITKE: Kendra and I have been travelling a lot, to Mexico, New Orleans, Jordan, Palestine and Israel. We recently returned from five weeks in Morocco. I’m also trying to keep fit, by skiing and cycling. I recently rode in my fifth Granfondo. And I’ve been doing a lot of writing.
HERALD: Did you enjoy being mayor?
LITKE: Yes. It was one of the most gratifying, yet challenging, experiences of my life. I loved meeting new people who were committed to making this city and this province a better place to live. During my nine years on council, I worked with amazing people.
HERALD: What accomplishment were you proudest of?
LITKE: Several. Completing the negotiations which brought the first WestJet flights into Penticton. The Okanagan walkway was a great example of consultation, starting with a range of options which we took to the community. Everything, from doing nothing with the goat trail that existed there before, all the way to turning Lakeshore Drive into a pedestrian mall, was considered. Obviously, the option we chose was the one the community wanted, and the result has been embraced ever since.
There was the dedication of the Three Blind Mice community forest. This dedication in the northeast sector of Penticton was a positive environmental and recreational move. It reduces urban sprawl, creates a safer venue for mountain biking, and has quickly become a tourist attraction.
And, bike lanes. Designated lanes make cycling safer for cyclists and motorists, encouraging more people to ride, staying healthy and protecting the environment. No new lanes have been created since I retired.
HERALD: What was your greatest challenge?
LITKE: The conflict with the hospitality association over funding.
HERALD: Have you ever considered a political comeback?
LITKE: It depends. If I see a credible slate of candidates for city council come forward this fall, I will be happy to take a back seat and continue to enjoy my retirement.
HERALD: What is your opinion of the current council?
LITKE: Some of the decisions might not have been the ones I’d have made, but I have learned it is easier to criticize than to govern.
HERALD: Who on the present council are you most impressed with?
LITKE: Those who have a long history of community involvement that inform their decision making, and who know how to listen to the entire community, are the best members of council.
HERALD: What advice do you give to a person considering running for council?
LITKE: It is your job to be the spokesperson for council, not staff. It is your job to be out in public, communicating and getting feedback, not staff. Don’t be afraid to be a lone dissenting vote. Stick to your principles and do what you believe is best for the city.
Get involved by volunteering, serving on city committees and showing some evidence of leadership ability. Writing letters to the editor isn’t sufficient.
HERALD: As a retired teacher, do you agree with Nova Scotia’s decision to abolish school boards?
LITKE: No. The best government is when decisions made are closest to the people they affect. British Columbia has diverse demographics and geography which require decisions to be made with regional needs in mind. The current trend of control from Victoria should be reversed, returning more decision making to local school boards, including contract negotiation.
HERALD: You were a strong voice against a prison being located in Penticton. Do you still believe the Okanagan Correctional Centre, which was eventually located on Osoyoos Indian Band land, was not in the best interests of Penticton?
LITKE: I was opposed to the location of the prison. The most important factor in the eventual decision was community involvement. I promoted taking the question to a referendum, where 67 per cent of the population said “no” to the prison being located in Penticton.
HERALD: What is the solution to the homeless situation?
LITKE: With their limited mandate and resources, local governments cannot solve all the problems on their own. It requires a co-ordinated strategy with provincial and federal levels. When I first came to Penticton in 1979, there were no loaded shopping carts trundling down the sidewalks or people sleeping under bridges. Since then, we have seen the elimination of a national housing strategy, the slashing of social assistance budgets and the closing of mental institutions, to name a few. I am pleased to see this issue finally attracting more attention.
HERALD: What do you think of our present provincial government?
LITKE: Well, one year into this government the coalition of NDP and Green seems to be working. Progress has been made on a number of fronts. This might be an argument in favour of proportional representation, proving that coalition governments can work, and encouraging us to vote “yes” on the referendum this fall.
HERALD: How will you be voting on the proportional representation referendum this fall?
LITKE: I will be voting “yes.” The latest proof of a need for change comes from the election in Ontario, where Premier (Doug) Ford captured 79 per cent of the seats with only 40 per cent of the vote. That 39 per cent discrepancy between voters and actual representation is narrowed to around five per cent in countries where proportional representation is in effect.
HERALD: How do you think our federal government is doing?
LITKE: I’m mostly disappointed, especially with the recent decision to invest $4.5 billion on dirty energy with the creation of a new Crown corporation. That size of investment could have moved us ahead with development of solar technology and the creation of wind farms. In Morocco, most rooftops and even nomad tents in the desert have solar panels to power their lights and charge their cellphones. And, Palm Springs is powered almost exclusively by wind energy. We are falling far behind. The government’s attack on pensions through Bill C-27 jeopardizes the financial security of seniors in this country. Many people have worked hard all their lives contributing to a pension plan in lieu of wages. They shouldn’t have to worry about whether those funds will be there when they retire. This bill is also retroactive, so, if passed, has the potential of jeopardizing even those seniors currently on a pension.