Dear editor,
As a resident of Comox, I am concerned with council鈥檚 decision to have election signs removed from public property.
In this day and age, when fewer people are willing to run for election and the number of people turning out to vote is steadily going down, it is important to encourage involvement in the democratic processes of government. Signs in public places are one way of doing this.
These public signs move the election process beyond private opinion (e.g. private lawn signs) and show the concern and respect of local government and of the whole community for the political process.
The removal of signs for this election and I suspect for all future federal, provincial and local elections sends the opposite message. It also follows on the heels of another questionable decision by council 鈥� not to make public the dissenting votes of council members.
The removal of signs affects all political contenders, but it is especially difficult for newcomers who need name recognition. Unlike incumbents who enjoy a great deal of name recognition, newcomers have to get their names out there in as many places as possible, especially in public places where people are more likely to see them.
So, though this decision may seem fair to all candidates, it really isn鈥檛. Leaving the signs in public places helps to level the playing field. I note that even the incumbent wants the signs left in place.
The argument that signs in public places disfigure public property makes no sense at all.
As I understand it, Comox has always allowed signs on public property. This tradition goes back to the very emergence of democracy in the agora 鈥� the public meeting place in Athens. Politicians got together under their respective signs and banners to argue their political positions in front of the public.
I鈥檓 sure council doesn鈥檛 want to have the reputation of trying to help weaken or stamp out a 2,600-year-old tradition of democracy.
Finally, I couldn鈥檛 help noticing that all the candidates are unanimous in their opposition to sign removal. In this day and age of finely chiselled, conflicting political ideologies, it is hard to find consensus among parties on anything. This consensus may be the start of a whole new approach to political co-operation and mutual respect in the Comox Valley.
Let鈥檚 encourage it by leaving the signs in place.
Mike Bell,
Comox
