Hats off to 35 candidates in local elections

LAST WORD

ISABELLE SOUTHCOTT

Congratulations to every person who is running for office this month. A lot of you have stepped up. There are three candidates for Mayor, 18 candidates for City Council, six candidates for School Board, and eight for Regional District (not counting those who will be acclaimed). That’s 35 people who did the hard work of thinking through a platform, getting nominated, and now, working to convince you to vote for them.

These are not keyboard warriors, sharing their opinions on Facebook or Twitter. These are people who are sticking their necks out to participate in a real democratic process - and to be held accountable for their decisions.

The 2022-2026 term won’t be an easy one. The 2018-2022 elected officials faced down new, difficult issues that this new set of leaders will have to take up: the housing crisis, crime, the mill shutting down, the opioid crisis, the labour crisis, inflation, COVID’s lingering effects, name change, and more. But everyone running knows that. They’re aware of what they are facing (though there will surely be many fresh challenges over the next four years.) And they are choosing to run anyways.

Maybe it’s because they understand happiness more than the rest of us? That true joy comes from working hard on things you believe in, and seeing those seeds you planted grow, and eventually bloom.

I believe that everyone who has put their name forward to run for public office wants the opportunity to work today towards a better future.

Why else would you run? It’s not for the money or the good times. Our officials will read detailed reports, and attend meeting after meeting, many at night. They’re pulled away from their families with phone calls, emails and more, to do the work they were elected to do.

It’s not easy to try something new and it gets harder as you get older.

While not everyone will win a seat, everyone who campaigns for office contributes to moving this community forward, by articulating ideas in media and in meetings.

I am not running for office, but I did buy some tulip and hyacinth bulbs the other day. As I was planting them, my mind skipped ahead to next spring and how beautiful they would look.

As is the case so often in life, the things we do today are often only realized in the future.

This is beautifully illustrated in a quote by Nelson Henderson, “The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.”

To everyone running for office this fall, the staff at qathet Living sincerely appreciates your courage and contribution to our region. Thank you.

|| isabelle@prliving.ca