Dear Editor:
Congratulations to the successful candidates elected to mayor, council and school board.
I would like to thank and commend the unelected candidates who put their best foot forward and became involved in Election 2011.
You are the real winners for standing up for your beliefs.
I found it a very enlightening and rewarding experience to see first-hand how democracy works in New Westminster.
Once again, the efforts of developers, labour groups, socialist media providers and endorsement/promotion by federal NDP leaders and the provincial MLA have resulted in even a greater imbalance of control of our city.
It is now up to all of us to be diligent watchdogs to ensure our elected representatives live up to the concerns of the taxpayer.
It is now time to reflect on the elected officials to make sure council addresses issues like transparency, accountability, transportation issues, spending, private sector job creation, economic development, and avoidance of discrimination towards those who do not march to their drummer.
I invite all taxpayers to join in over the next three years to hold elected officials' feet to the fire by ensuring they are accountable to taxpayers for the benefit of all.
This is to include federal and provincial politicians who undemocratically endorsed their friends in the district labour council slate and bypassed the views of the balance of their constituents.
John Ashdown, New Westminster
