Brain Quest
Category Archives: Politics
All Ideas Are Welcome
Ken Wuschke’s “Moving Forward Requires Open And Frank Dialog” calls to mind courses and trainings in Communication, that Listening is vital to Communication and that both are necessary to facilitating the setting of goals and moving forward.
With all the diversity found in a Canadian city the size of Abbotsford ensuring all the participants have a clear understanding and agreement about what is being discussed, and ensuring all the participants have a clear understanding of what each other means by what they are saying, clear communication is a complex challenge.
One of the first things basic communications courses make sure participants understand is how often people are talking of apples and oranges when both are operating under the mistaken impression they are discussing bananas. The two people, supposedly speaking the same language, are in fact hearing something different from what the speaker was [or thought they were] saying.
Ensuring clear understanding of all aspects of the conversation, by all parties to the conversation, is fundamental to building trust.
Complicating clear communication and understanding is the need, often either unrecognized or ignored, to establish which facts are fact and which fall into the category ‘what ain’t so’.
As Mark Twain said: “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”
Mr. Wuschke’s statement: “It seems that every council out of the past three terms have had their lightening rod issue” implies that we are talking about separate and distinct councils.
However, an examination of the members of these councils reveals that the core voting majority is the same for the councils elected in 2005, 2008 and 2011. Thus to me it has been, in a very real sense, the same council since 2005.
That the majority of council has been the same since 2005 explains the continued growth of the disconnect and distrust between council and many citizens that Mr. Wuschke writes of.
Mr. Wuschke’s statement ‘…..and now the homeless issue. It seems that every council out of the past three terms have had their lightening rod issue’ demonstrates the importance understanding the history of the councils, mayors, councillors and an issue such as homelessness; and the need to establish or at the very least explore the history of the issue[s] if clear and effective conversation is to take place.
Abbotsford Community Services was not the first BC Housing proposal to pay for construction of affordable housing and – more importantly – to fund programs and supports that significantly raise the probability of resident being sober a year after treatment from the 3% of the traditional approach. Council also blew off the September 2008 proposal – $11,000,000.00 for the capital costs and $22,700,000.00 for programs and supports.
The approach to homelessness, and the excuses, has remained the same over the years that the core of council has remained the same. Over that period of time we have experienced the misnamed ‘Compassion Park’ and its consequences; watched affordable housing being built in Mission and Chilliwack but not Abbotsford; could stand beside Highway 1 and watch modular housing from the 2010 Olympics trucked through Abbotsford to provide affordable housing in Chilliwack; been through numerous city pogroms against the homeless; watched the city ignore the negative consequences of their behaviours and actions, then repeat the same behaviours and actions over and over again as though next time the outcome would be different.
Homelessness is not simply an issue of the current council; it was an issue when I became involved with poverty, affordable housing, mental illness, substance use 12 years ago.
!2 years of council’s politically correct spin on the homeless issues; of councils taking actions that steadily worsened the issue homeless, ignoring advice and actions that had been demonstrated elsewhere to be effective in addressing homelessness; actively blocking resources and services that would have served to reduce homelessness.
The current council, the majority of the current councillors, are now reaping what they sowed in previous terns on previous councils.
The fact the core of the council in 2005 remains the core of the council in 2014 is also the reason it will be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve Mr. Wuschke’s call for “The community needs to have open and effective communication to city council” and “One where everyone’s ideas are welcome”.
However, faced with homelessness and other social issues, the economic and financial realities facing the city, the OCP, city services, infrastructure, Abbotsford Centre…….
…….neither the city nor its citizens can afford the current state between city hall, the politicians and citizens.
Moving forward does not require unanimous consent. It does require citizens take the actions necessary for them to be able to give informed consent and avoid the negative consequences of decisions based on Mark Twain’s “what ain’t so”. Moving forward also requires that decisions made by the city be based on reasons that are clearly set out, understood and rational.
Communication and trust are two way streets, must be two way streets if they are to exist and function.
APPENDIX
City of Abbotsford Council 2011 – 2014
Mayor B. Banman, and Councillors L. Barkman, H. Braun, S. Gibson, M. Gill, D. Loewen, B. MacGregor, P. Ross, and J. Smith
City of Abbotsford Council 2008 – 2011
Mayor G. Peary; and Councillors L. Barkman, S. Gibson, M. Gill, L. Harris, D. Loewen, B. MacGregor, P. Ross, and J. Smith
City of Abbotsford Council 2005 – 2008
Mayor G. Ferguson; Councillors B. Beck, C. Caldwell, S. Gibson, M. Gill, L. Harris, D. Loewen, P. Ross, and J. Smith
Apples and Apples OR Oranges?
That is the Question that I asked myself after I finished reading Let Minor Sports Use Abbotsford Centre.
Now I know that people after reading the opening sentence may well be thinking ‘He’s lost it’ if they know or read me and that anyone reading my writing for the first time is going ‘Huh?’ how can comparing an arena to an arena not be comparing apples to apples? Especially if they have stood in both the Abbotsford rink and the Langley rink and know how very similar the rinks are.
Disclosure:
When the Abbotsford Centre was originally completed and city council was scrambling desperately because they had built this $100,000,000.00 facility and had no tenant lined up to play there I called for council not to let their egos have them paying any price to save face by getting a hockey team to play in their Great White – Empty – Elephant and to save the Abbotsford’s taxpayers $3,000,000.00 a year by leaving the facility closed until they had a sound business plan.[Here we go again – Rush, Rush, Rush, Not another costly ‘profit’, Abbotsford’s $expensive$ AHL pipedream ]
Since the Heat have left town I want to know why council renegotiated Global Spectrums contract for the Centre rather that mothballing the Centre, an action that would save taxpayers $3,000,000.00 per year. At least until such time as council finely came up with a viable business plan.
The fact is that in several ways comparing the Langley arena to the Abbotsford arena is comparing an apple and an orange.
Consider this chart:
One of the things that always leaves me shaking my head sadly is that once you have stood inside both Arenas and experience the extent to which both arenas are the same, it boggles the mind that the taxpayers of the Abbotsford paid 667% more than Langley’s taxpayers paid.
Given that Abbotsford City Council always makes excuses and never accepts responsibility for the consequences of their errors in judgement it is no surprise Council has refused to explain to taxpayers how it is that Abbotsford’s taxpayers paid 667% more than Langley’s taxpayers did, for what is effectively the same arena.
It is even more mind boggling that for some unfathomable reason, Abbotsford taxpayers, in light of the fact they have re-elected those responsible and never question the WHY of paying 667% more [6.67 times as much], seemed to be comfortable with and accepting of the fact they, as Abbotsford taxpayers, paid 667% more for the same arena, than did Langley’s taxpayers.
I find that acceptance unfathomable because the only reason for the difference – the vast difference – in the cost to taxpayers between Abbotsford and Langley is the decisions, actions and competence of the two councils.
During the fiscal year Abbotsford pays $6,696,000.00 [7,884,000.00 – 1,188,000.00] more then Langley for their arena.
So, even if you assume that Langley’s arena is as badly managed as the Abbotsford Centre is and thus runs the same yearly operating deficit of $3,000,000.00 as the Abbotsford Centre does, the $6,696,000.00 less per year for construction and interest costs paid by Langley and its taxpayers, gives Langley significantly more flexibility, affordability, when it comes to paying for an annual subsidy of $3,000,000.00.
I think it highly unlikely that Langley’s arena is as badly managed as Abbotsford’s arena for several reasons.
First is that over the past decade plus Abbotsford’s council has time after time demonstrated a lack of basic financial and management sensibilities or abilities. Every time that council has promised a profit or savings or senior government grants, the reality has turned out to be losses/operating subsidies or large cost over runs or Zip, Nada, Nothing from the senior levels of government – because Abbotsford council failed to handle the grant request properly. So while Langley’s council may not have demonstrated masterful financial, business or management skills…… they have demonstrated their ability not to ‘screw up’ financial, business or management as Abbotsford’s council has repeatedly done over the past decade plus.
Second is the fact that the Langley Chiefs were partners with Langley in building the arena – after Abbotsford’s council turned down the Chief’s offer to partner with the City of Abbotsford to build a new arena for the Chief’s to move into and play out of. Langley benefits from the Chief’s experience with the arena in Chilliwack. More importantly Langley has a stable, profitable franchise as their anchor tenant.
The final cost consideration that needs to be consider, another significant negative financial factor for Abbotsford is that Abbotsford’s council has been playing….fast and loose shall we say….with the DCC [Development Cost Charges] funds, using the funds to avoid the large tax raises that were required to pay for council’s profligate, spending.
Actually, not avoid having to have large tax raises but to push the large tax raises into the future in hopes of……an economic miracle that would allow council to avoid or further delay having to crank taxes by double [10% or more] digits?
There has been no economic miracle and Abbotsford’s taxpayers are on the hook to pay back the money used to keep tax increases artificially low. Since the DCC funds are to be spent on infrastructure, not operating the City, Abbotsford’s taxpayers are facing large tax increases, deep cuts to city services or some combination of tax increases and service cuts to repay the DCC funds.
It may well turn out that Abbotsford’s civic government either saves $3,000,000.00 by mothballing the arena OR cuts $3,000,000.00 from other parts of its operating budget or raises taxes by $3,000,000.00.
No matter how similar the Abbotsford and Langley arenas may be in structure, when it comes to the financial realities of each building, the buildings are as different as a luxury penthouse condo and one of Abbotsford’s many [thanks council] homeless camps.
There are also significant differences between two Centres structure and infrastructure.
Langley’s arena is part of a complex that has outdoor sports field, indoor basketball courts, meeting rooms etc. Abbotsford’s arena is squeezed onto a piece of property that only has room for the arena itself..
The Langley complex is surrounded by acres of parking – free parking.
From the day the site of the Abbotsford Centre was proposed parking has been an issue, a nonexistent nightmare.
Why would any local sports team, teams that depend on parents and their participation, want to use the Abbotsford Centre and tell parents: you can park free at a mall and transport yourselves and all the hockey equipment to the arena by bus, reversing the process [bus to shopping centre parking lot] in order to leave; there is paid parking available for only $1 for every 2 hours. Of course the parking is a long or longer distance to be hauling hockey gear so you might want to consider dropping your hockey players off before looking for parking; parking times are strictly enforced and fines for violations are not cheap; there is free parking available if you can handle the 2 – 3 [or longer] kilometre walk to the arena.
Finally, importantly, there is also the fact that there was no need for another ice surface in Abbotsford. The ice surface at the Abbotsford Centre was constructed not to meet a community need or demand for more ice but to meet the needs of mayor and councillors egos.
Enticing teams to use the ice surface at the Abbotsford Centre simply reduces the use, the revenue, at other city rinks – at the cost to taxpayers of $3,000,000.00 a year.
Oh, BLEEP! An idea that will cost, waste $3,000,000.00 of taxpayers hard earned dollars? Just the types of idea Abbotsford’s mayors and councillors have shown they love.
More Banman Balderdash
In an interview with the CBC Mayor Banman stated “It comes down to financial dollars, resources and expertise. Cities are supposed to look after really exciting things like water and sewer.”
Hmm. Let us set aside questions of what rational – or irrational – words Mayor Banman would use to fit boondoggles such as the Heat, the International Garden, the Great White Elephant, roads were you cannot see the markings, traffic circles with warning signs not to get in beside a transport truck because the poor design means trucks crush any car that makes the mistake of being in the traffic circle with them, etc. into this latest Banmanism.
A well managed city looks after the well being of their citizens and the health of the city. And while water and sewer are part of looking after their citizens, the well being of citizens and the health of a city extend well beyond infrastructure.
A city is a community of diverse parts and peoples and the health and well being of a city and its citizens comes from the interaction of all the parts and peoples of a city. Including those with mental health challenges, our large East Indian community, all those who have immigrated to Canada and Abbotsford, including previous and current immigrants to established groups such as the Mennonites, the homeless, business people, the poor, commuters, students,………….
Mayors and councillors who ignore the reality of the complex nature of a city impoverish their city, not just in terms of finances but also the spirit, the soul of their city.
The City of Abbotsford, its’ mayors and councillors have repeatedly used poverty or lack of resources as an excuse for doing nothing effective or competent to address the growing issue of homelessness in Abbotsford.
And when the provincial government, the favourite target for blame and finger pointing, puts funding on the table the city, mayors and councillors simply move to favourite excuse #2 – wrong location. Or “I am allowed to make an irrational decision” or the utterly nonsensical “we need housing Now, not in two years” given that voting down the rezoning means that in two years time Abbotsford will still hot have any of the needed appropriate housing.
Yet Abbotsford, its’ mayors and councillors have all the money and resources they needed to take actions against the homeless that have proven, time after time after time, to be ineffective in achieving any beneficial outcomes.
Although just how much the bullying persecution of the homeless by the city and its’ politicians has cost is unknown because the city refuses to say what it is spending on the insanity of doing the same thing over and over hoping that the results will be different – next time.
One of the many realities that Abbotsford and its’ politicians choose to ignore is that even from a narrow dollars and cents view, it is in the self-interest of citizens to deal with homelessness, substance use, mental illness, hunger, poverty. In truth, from strictly a dollar and cents point of view, the city’s behaviour towards the homeless makes less sense – and is as harmful to the taxpayers pocketbook’s – as the $20 million Heat boondoggle.
Any realistic look at the costs incurred in how we deal [more accurately fail to deal] with homelessness at the municipal, provincial and federal levels will show we are wasting $100s of millions, the odd $billion$ or two, adhering to the establish practice of recycling people through various aspects of homeless/mental health issues/substance use.
The true poverty, the resource the city lacks, that prevents Abbotsford from effectively addressing homelessness is not $$$$ but leadership.
Over more than a decade people, organizations, officials from other cities who had experience with the practices that have been demonstrated to be effective in reducing homelessness have come to Abbotsford to share their knowledge, experience and expertise.
And Abbotsford, its’ mayors and councillors have ignored them….or taken actions that were the opposite of those advised.
Studies, knowledge, experience, outcomes of best practices designed around the reality of homelessness, mental health and substance use – as opposed actions based on what we have been doing for decades or what the public ‘knows’………
We know what needs to be done. We know what actions and practices are effective in achieving the results we need to achieve. We know that those communities that have chosen to use the knowledge from research and the outcomes experienced with best practices to address homelessness and its related issues have achieved, and continue to achieve significant reductions in homelessness.
This is not rocket science.
The ‘expertise’ needed is how to Listen.
Not listen as mayors and councillors in Abbotsford do, in one ear and out the other, there being – demonstrably – nothing in between for the information to adhere to.
But Listen, to hear what we don’t want to hear, or would rather not hear, or that is not what we believe or want to believe. Hear the Reality – which does not care what your ideology says is true, what you believe is true or what you want to be true; Reality that does not care what we think, that exists separately from us and simply is what it is.
It ain’t what you know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so. Mark Twain
The Void – Wasted Lives
It isn’t the 8 years of ASDAC work disappearing into the Void of city hall, mayor and council.
It isn’t the 2+ years prior to the creation of ASDAC where the mayor and council “couldn’t do anything until they had a committee to advise them on social issues.”
It isn’t the years prior to this when Abbotsford “didn’t have a homeless problem/issue.”
It is the LIVES wasted by mayors and councils who refused and ignored their responsibilities and Duty of Care due the citizens of Abbotsford.
It is not just the lives of those who have died or are dying or committed suicide or are incarcerated or incapacitated.
It is the lives of those who remain homeless, on the streets, still using substances as a crutch to deal with life, mentally ill, capacity challenged, etc.
If – such a little word for a word that holds so much promise, potential, recovery, wellness……..OR……Pain [mental and physical], waste and damnation.
If mayors and councils had – or citizens had demanded and changed mayors and councils that didn’t – Abbotsford would have made the switch from recycling to recovery more than a decade ago. If….. then today Abbotsford would have the housing, supports and services in place – or at least a solid foundation to build on – to provide what is needed on the journey to recovery and wellness.
“All they have to do is decide….” It is not that easy to overcome all the barriers you face in: 1) achieving even minimal recovery and wellness; 2) getting everything in line that is required to get into housing; 3) managing to overcome/avoid all the pitfalls and traps that will dump you back on the street.
I have watched people struggle and fall, pick themselves up, struggle and fall…….until they finally made it into housing and/or treatment.
Only to emerge from treatment to find themselves effectively abandoned, left to fall back into self-medication, to fall from housing and into homelessness.
I have watched the hope and life die in their eyes as they sink back into self-medication, mental illness, homelessness and hopelessness.
Knowing that we as a society have the knowledge and understanding of what is needed to provide the supports and services necessary for people to achieve recovery and wellness. Knowing that that best practices exist elsewhere that provide the help that allows those with access to those best practice supports and services to recover and become well.
Watching the struggles, the pain, the waste of lives…..Because we as a city, a province, a society choose not to provide the help that we know – that experience has shown – will help our most vulnerable find recovery, wellness and reclaim their lives.