Here we go – another election

Posted On October 17, 2006

There’s little visible enthusiasm about the election that’s only 2 days away. Visible in the usual sense of signs. But people are talking, and that’s probaby more important. I just got off the phone with CBC’s Leonard Linklater, discussing some of the voting details and issues in the Carcross area. I’m really pleased to see how much interest CBC is showing in the community elections – Dave Croft will even be calling on Thursday night as the votes are being counted. It’s easy to feel that nobody cares about what goes on in Carcross except residents.

The big issues here are about development. Not IF there should be development (that’s pretty much a given), but what type. Things are more positive than they’ve been in decades, and we need to keep on that path – it feels so incredibly good.

We have an all-candidates meeting at the community hall in 2 1/2 hours. Trisha Estabrooks will be there from CBC, and Greg Kehoe, president of the Chamber of Commerce, has compiled some well-thought-out questions for each candidate to answer, so it feels like a good meeting is coming.

In Whitehorse, there are a couple of deadbeats running for election as councillors because it looks like easy money for a part-time job. In the Big City, councillors get paid $17,000 a year to do a job that takes little more time than the one in Carcross does, and here nobody gets a nickel.

I get the feeling sometimes that I should have been born with a big Capitalist streak in me so I would have run in the city. But, even though my body is there a fair bit, none of my heart is. I wish Bev Buckway, who I know as a person capable of making intelligent decisions under pressure, the best of luck in her bid for mayor. I have no faith, though, that people who would effectively re-elect Fennis Fentie as Premier will be any smarter on Thursday.