The Editor:
There's an increasingly frustrating cycle with our municipal parties in New Westminster.
The trend seems to go like this: a Community First elected official is accused of doing something inappropriate. The New West Progressives (NWP) push the issue to get public outcry.
Community First declares that this means the whole thing is a "fake controversy" (per Mayor Johnstone's recent retort in the Record) and refuse to take accountability for anything may have legitimately upset the public.
Rinse. Repeat.
The fact is this: it can both be true that the NWPs over play their hand when Community First finds itself in hot water ... and that Community First stumbles into a curious amount of hot water in the first place.
It feels insulting to the public that each and every time, instead of an apology or explanation, we're told that this is just "playing politics" by the other side.
The truth is that the public was owed transparency about the Mayor's trip before he left.
They are still owed an apology for Dee Beattie's abhorrent conduct.
They are also owed an apology for former Chair Dhaliwal's wrongdoing at the polls. Or her cutting of students' mics when they spoke out against racism, transphobia, sexual assault and more at a school board meeting.
There are only so many times a party can be caught like this before it's clear that this isn't about another side playing politics — it's a troubling and systemic issue that needs to be addressed. Properly.
"Sorry" really doesn't have to be the hardest word.
- Sarah Arboleda, New Westminster
