To the Editor,
I find it very naïve of Alberni First candidates to consent in advance and subjugate themselves by agreeing to be influenced by what can be described as, or compared to, a lobbyist organization. These candidates willingly agree to be indebted to this group of 100 by consenting to conform to the association’s own decision making, for our entire community, if they become officials in our local government.
Alberni First admits their agenda is to establish an inordinate socioeconomic power, based on the description of their rules for their endorsed candidates as described by Sharie Minions: “Once a decision is made the entire Alberni First group will support that decision regardless of how the vote falls.”
This practise will demean local legislation by twisting it away from fairness, in order to serve the association’s own priorities. We need to defuse this self-interest group before any exploitation occurs. Do these 100 members genuinely represent the interests of our entire community? Was every person in Port Alberni offered the opportunity to participate in Alberni First? Of course not, a democratic process is not the way to go when the top echelon’s plans don’t cover the collective needs of the community as a whole.
Stacey Gaiga,
Port Albern