The Greater Victoria Conversation on Amalgamation group wants the topic to continue to be talked about around the region, despite the municipal elections being long over.
B次元官网网址淥ne of the frustrations over the last few municipal elections is that leading into the election, (amalgamation) is a number one topic. But immediately following elections, it gets dropped,B次元官网网址� said Rod Phillips, a volunteer with the advocacy group.
B次元官网网址淎fter all the work weB次元官网网址檝e put in to get the question put on the ballot so we can once and for all get this question answered, we thought we canB次元官网网址檛 just let it go at just having government doing it the way they typically do it.B次元官网网址�
On Feb. 24, volunteers will host a town-hall style meeting to give residents an opportunity to find out more information and continue the conversation.
B次元官网网址淲e want to ensure that we (bring) the community together as much as possible to bring together all of the various opinions for and against, and more importantly, all those who donB次元官网网址檛 really know what itB次元官网网址檚 all about,B次元官网网址� Phillips said.
Langford was the only West Shore municipality to hold a referendum on amalgamation. Its yes/no question, the most clearly worded on the topic of the eight listed on civic ballots around Greater Victoria, passed by the slimmest of margins, just 13 votes on a total ballot count of 4,451.
At the meeting, expert panelists will give three-minute fact overviews of eight topics, including transportation, emergency services and governance of municipalities.
Those in attendance will then disperse into groups to discuss those topics, ask more questions and talk about possible solutions.
All questions and ideas from participants and panelists will be recorded and packaged together.
B次元官网网址淭he goal is to provide effective aggregation of ideas and thoughts and questions, so that it can be provided to (the provincial) government in an appropriate way,B次元官网网址� said Phillips.
The amalgamation conversation takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 24 from 5 to 9:30 p.m. at the S.J. Willis Education Centre, 923 Topaz Ave. in Victoria.
For more information on the organization or the event, visit . To RSVP, go online to .
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