Dear Editor:
Having been involved with the Pattullo Bridge issue from the beginning, I must offer a small correction to the letter by Chris Dumfries (Re: What will NDP do for us?, Letters to the editor, The Record, Sept. 7).
In fact, Judy Darcy has spoken publicly about the Pattullo Bridge at the residents' forum held at the Justice Institute at the beginning of May, and also in letters to editor published in this newspaper. So, her position on the Pattullo Bridge is known, and, as far as I can tell, her position on the Pattullo Bridge is shared by many of New Westminster's concerned citizens.
The other statements in Mr. Dumfries' letter are quite on target. Yes, it would be nice if politicians provided hard facts about their positions before elections. It would be nice if the provincial government told us about its plans on the HST. It would be nice if New Westminster council told us about its plans on the civic centre/business tower development without a partner.
In reality, all politicians resist providing any detailed statements, unless the public and the media ask tough questions and persist for answers. In this respect, New Westminster has a lot of work to do. In our last elections, only two out of 15 residents' associations and only two community groups held a total of only three all-candidates meetings. It would be nice if next time most of the residential associations and community groups have all-candidates meetings. As I know, the excuse most often used by various groups against having such meetings is "we are not political." May I respond that a properly organized all-candidates meeting has little to do with partisan politics and everything with basic democratic process.
Vladimir Krasnogor, New Westminster
