YOUR LETTERS Compromised view
Mr. Whitcombe’s take on proportional representation (Dec. 12) is interesting, albeit confused.
An example is his allegation that most MLAs and MPs he knows “are very conscientious people who work hard for their constituents, regardless of their political stripes. Indeed, some even actively engage with proponents of a different view to gain perspective.”
That being said, Mr. Whitcombe then proceeds to systematically pulverize the very idea of compromise solutions. What is a compromise in Mr. Whitcombe’s world? What emerges from an MP’s or an MLA’s active engagement with proponents of a different view? If that politician gains a perspective from that engagement, is that not a compromise? If not, what then is a compromise?
The only other outcome is that the MP or MLA adopts a different view, or that the citizen adopts the MP’s or MLA’s view on whatever issue they may have differed. In other words, in Mr. Whitcombe’s world, to every question there can be only two answers, either yes or no, either right or wrong.
Proportional representation opens the door for “active engagement with proponents of a different view to gain perspective” to occur in the open, in Parliament or the Legislature, rather than in an ad-hoc fashion, at the sole discretion of whoever was elected under first-past-the-post, be that with more or less than 50 per cent of the popular vote?
André Carrel, Terrace point being, of course, are we trying to make the central core of Prince George the place to be for the homeless of central and northern B.C.? What are other communities doing to look after these people?
No one would suggest the homeless don’t need help, but in most cases would they not be served better in their home communities, closer to family and friends? That is, unless the living standards are so good here that a trip to P.G. is a solid move up.
Over the years, we have gradually seen the number of street people in Prince George grow. The situation is not unlike the premise of the movie Field of Dreams.... if you build it, they will come.
I would like to see the Connaught Inn turned into apartments for the working poor, seniors trying to survive on one Income, students so deep in debt they will never be able to pay it back, just trying to get a education. There are local people out there that need help, so don’t just focus on the homeless. Helen Sarrazin
Prince George
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