Tim Collins
Contributor
Transparency and accessibility have become a keywords in contemporary politics.
The actual meaning of the words, however, have been obscured to the point where some of the politicians that most cry for transparency may be the same ones who are criticized for behaving in a manner that is the polar opposite of transparent.
Some of the municipalities that make up Greater Victoria are not immune to that phenomenon.
Here is just a sampling of the sort of events that have fuelled concerns regarding civic government transparency and the accessibility of civic politicians.
Recently, members of Victoria council struggled with the issue of B次元官网网址榗losed meetingsB次元官网网址� which bar members of the public and the media and for which no agenda or information is released.
On a separate topic, the same council struggled with and was split on the question of whether they should make information on a controversial project to transform Centennial Square to be more accessible to the public. In that case, three members of that council voted against the motion (which ultimately passed).
In 2023, the Chair of the Intermunicipal Advisory Committee on Disability Issues (IACDI) criticized West Shore municipalities for their transparency in implementing the provinceB次元官网网址檚 Accessible British Columbia Act and spoke about a B次元官网网址渢rust erosionB次元官网网址� that had come as a result.
Last year, a member of North Saanich council resigned after first calling the mayor B次元官网网址淢r. HitlerB次元官网网址� after Mayor Peter Jones shut down questions about the advisory committee on the districtB次元官网网址檚 official community plan.
In 2021, a municipal watchdog group filed a complaint with the Office of the B.C. Ombudsperson against Langford for declining to make councillorsB次元官网网址� financial disclosure documents available online. That long-standing council was virtually swept from office in the next election.
That change in LangfordB次元官网网址檚 governance didnB次元官网网址檛 alleviate transparency concerns, however as, Mayor Scott Goodmanson recently faced criticism after implying that a member of the public may be barred from city hall meetings after he allegedly confronted a council member at the councillorB次元官网网址檚 home.
But perhaps one of the best indicators of transparency and accessibility of politicians can be found in whether a resident can actually contact their elected officials.
Again, there are some significant differences across the municipalities that make up Greater Victoria.
While all the 13 municipalities have websites with the names of the mayor and councillors listed, most of those listings only provide the phone number for the municipal offices where a message for a councillor may, or may not, elicit a response.
Similarly, all the web sites provide email addresses for the mayor and councillors, but again most of those contacts go to their municipal office work email, and not their personal accounts.
And while calling or writing to the municipal contact points will often result in a response from either the politicians themselves, or a staff person, they sometimes do not.
For example, a recent attempt to elicit information on an issue in the City of Langford, Black Press Media contacted councillors at their municipal email accounts but only one replied with an automated response that referred the inquiry to the communications staff. That person was unfortunately not in the office for several days and, when they returned (nine days later) their response was simply to say that the B次元官网网址淐ity does not have a statement to provide (on the issue)B次元官网网址�.
In other cases, some civic politicians take a different approach.
Cynthia Day has been a councillor in Colwood for 21 years and posts her personal phone number online.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a personal preference for me. The community knows me, and people are less likely to be negative when youB次元官网网址檙e open to hearing their ideas,B次元官网网址� Day said. She went on to note that not all civic councillors list their personal numbers, and she respects their choice.
B次元官网网址淚 just feel that itB次元官网网址檚 overall beneficial,B次元官网网址� she said.
View Royal councillor Ron Mattson agrees.
B次元官网网址淵our role as a politician is to get input from residents. Otherwise, why are we here?B次元官网网址� Mattson said.
B次元官网网址淚 know one councillor who wonB次元官网网址檛 talk to anyone on the phone, and I think thatB次元官网网址檚 doing a disservice to the residents,B次元官网网址�
Victoria Coun. Chris Coleman is adamant that being available to the public is a critical part of the job. Not only is his personal phone number readily available, but he also goes so far as to go door-to-door two days a month to talk to residents.
B次元官网网址淚 want to know what we are doing well, what we are not doing well and whatB次元官网网址檚 important (to the residents). ItB次元官网网址檚 part of my job,B次元官网网址� Coleman said.
B次元官网网址淐ommunication can help to alleviate the anxiety that people have about whatB次元官网网址檚 happening (in government). That can make a big difference as anxiety can easily become anger and then rage and that rage can result in protest. ItB次元官网网址檚 really about the power of trust.B次元官网网址�
Mayor Maya Tait of Sooke agrees that personal contact is critical to creating trust in city hall.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e had callers who were a bit negative and even frightening, but weB次元官网网址檒l meet, and I let them see who I am and explain what weB次元官网网址檙e doing,B次元官网网址� Tait said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 important to engage and I meet people everywhereB次元官网网址� the night market, in the grocery store B次元官网网址� all over. Communication is important.B次元官网网址�
In Langford, Mayor Scott Goodmanson seems to agree with the sentiment.
B次元官网网址淲e moved our meeting times back to 7 p.m. from 5:30 to make sure that people could get to the meetings. I campaigned on trying to get city hall more accessible. How do you know what people need if you donB次元官网网址檛 interact with them?B次元官网网址� Goodmanson said.
Neither Goodmanson nor any of LangfordB次元官网网址檚 councillors list their personal phone numbers or emails online, however, and instead rely on the 2.25 communication staff (one position has communications as a partial responsibility) to screen communications and refer some attempts at communication directly to staff.
Goodmanson said that he feels that having communication staff in place is beneficial, and, in its latest budget, Langford made provision to hire another communications staff person.
ItB次元官网网址檚 an approach that rankles former mayor Stew Young. His criticism arises largely from two significant and consecutive tax increases for the municipality.
B次元官网网址淭hey (mayor and council) are not approachable. They wonB次元官网网址檛 let you talk at council meetings and if you say anything against them, they silence you,B次元官网网址� said Young.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 no conversation B次元官网网址o talking to anyone. They donB次元官网网址檛 talk to the electorate. The electorate has to talk to staff members.B次元官网网址�
Goodmanson, however, said that improvements in providing information to the public through the posting of a series of planning documents online have, in fact, improved public access to information.
But itB次元官网网址檚 the observations of Coun. Gery Lemon of View Royal that may be most instructive on the issue.
She has been in the office since 2018 and was a communications professional when she came to the office.
B次元官网网址淭he world has changed and itB次元官网网址檚 not the kind and gentle world of 30 years ago. ItB次元官网网址檚 actually a very challenging time and thereB次元官网网址檚 more disenchantment in the world,B次元官网网址� said Lemon. B次元官网网址淪till, IB次元官网网址檓 an elected public official and itB次元官网网址檚 my responsibility to avail myself to residents and to the media. ItB次元官网网址檚 really what the job is about.B次元官网网址�
Lemon does list her personal phone number online and intends to keep doing so.
EditorB次元官网网址檚 Note: This story has been updated to reflect where e-mails get sent to.
