Dear Editor:
An interesting issue is developing in the civic election.
Based on column inches (centimetres?) in your newspaper, and discussions with friends and acquaintances, the approval/non-approval of candidates by the New Westminster and District Labour Council is garnering as much consideration as any other issue.
Now, it's not the "Labour" part that concerns me, as much as the "and District."
It would seem that people who do not live or pay taxes in our city are making these decisions for us.
A look at the New Westminster and District Labour Council's website indicates a large geographic area, but little information on how individual candidates are approved, or by what criteria, or by whom.
The decision-makers could be shop stewards from Surrey that decide our mayoral candidate. Or, posties from Port Moody promoting our council candidates. Is it clerks from Coquitlam or bakers from Burnaby who will decide who gets the school board nod?
Again, I must stress it's the out-of-city possibilities that disturb me, not the honourable trades mentioned above.
In discussions with other voters, many profess they do not know the answers to these questions, but would like to.
Perhaps one of your reporters could assist many of your readers with some answers to these questions.
I look forward to the next few editions of your paper.
Chris Dumfries, New Westminster
