Dear editor,

So you want to remove Don McRae from office?

OK. I understand why. Or at least I understand why I would want to if I truly felt that he had knowledge of the HST prior to the May 2009 election and didn鈥檛 share it.

Or further still, if I felt that he could have positively influenced the powers that be within days and weeks of his arrival to Victoria.  I hear you and I agree.  Let鈥檚 remove him if that is or was the case.

But it wasn鈥檛 nor is it the case. Which of you would have been so principled that you, as a rookie MLA, would have ostracized the very people that you pledged to work with to affect positive change for the Comox Valley?

I believe the majority of people in the Comox Valley have that as strength. That they ask themselves 鈥淲hat would I do if I were in his position?鈥� And they come up with a little bit of grace.

I guess that鈥檚 why I鈥檓 disturbed by the reaction of some on the left who seek to vent their anger towards a good and honest person like Don McRae. I know him, so I know of whom I speak.

Most small business owners I know, that have educated themselves on the HST, have been impressed with the overall impact of this tax to their prosperity, which affects the whole Valley.

If people are angry, I understand why. There is a chasm between the haves and have-nots.

No one saw this more than I did during my time in the Valley as I worked with the homeless. My hope was and still is that green business and manufacturing companies come to the Valley.

Don works hard to attract investors, high-tech industries, call centres and the like to ensure that there are medium-paying jobs in the Valley and not just low-paying retail and restaurant jobs.

When Don beat me by a handful of votes to become the candidate for the BC Liberals, I, more than anyone, had reason to be upset. I truly felt that I would do a bang-up job on behalf of all of the Comox Valley: Tell it like it is, broker trust and peace between the left and right.

But I鈥檓 often asked what would I have done with the HST? With tough decisions, I research the facts and follow them wherever they may go. With the HST, I believe we all would have preferred that it be brought to our attention in a more informative and forthright manner.

But is the HST on substance bad for B.C.?  Specifically, is it bad for the Comox Valley?

For those considering recalling Don, ask a few of the business owners around town. Do some low-key research and then vote.

Why ask your local business owners?  Because they are, and always will be, the economic life blood of the community. If they don鈥檛 succeed, then people move away to where better opportunities exist and then you won鈥檛 have teachers in schools, fully functioning hospitals, local tax base for rec centres, etc.  

If you want to remove Don from office, what will it gain you? Who will replace him? Will they be exponentially better? Worth all this grief?

There are reasons why voters have the right every election to quietly and anonymously step into a private booth and cast their choice. The people that are organizing to remove Don want to challenge your private right and confront you to declare a public choice.

They鈥檙e frustrated that Don got elected in the first place and now have a forum to vent. No greater good will come of this exercise.

And you already know what the outcome will be: There won鈥檛 be enough required votes to recall him, the Left will dig in and vent their frustrations, the Right will maintain trajectory and the majority of the Valley will not participate in this angry exercise.

Why not simply agree to disagree and exercise your vote on the HST this fall and your vote of Don McRae鈥檚 overall performance in the next provincial election?

I certainly wouldn鈥檛 want him having to dedicate so much of his time, energy and focus on the distraction of a recall. I鈥檇 want him to work on more important things.

Shawn Wilson

Editor鈥檚 note: Shawn Wilson was the the community services manager for the Comox Valley Salvation Army before moving to Langley in 2009.