Free speech on important issues? Not in Abbotsford with this staff and council. The right to disagree; to ask questions; to ask for real plans not just whish lists and pretty, but imaginary, pictures; to ask for hard numbers behind their claims and the methods used to arrive at these numbers; equal access to city owned facilities to present the opposing views and answer the publics questions on the No side? DENIED by senior city staff and council.
Only propaganda in support of Plan A is allowed in or on city property. Only those in support of Plan can use city facilities for public meetings on this important matter. If you put up any anything that raises any of the important questions or facts the city and council choose to ignore – down it comes and into the garbage. If you bring a display to the obviously misnamed “public information” session that asks questions they cannot or do not wish to answer – NO, not in “their” building, not in front of “their” building, not on the property of “their” building – you are directed to the nearest public sidewalk or roadway. While they get not only to spread vast amounts of taxpayers money on their sales campaign but also the free use of all city facilities to power sell their position, if you as an ordinary citizen disagree with their claims and wish to share your concerns with your fellow citizens, you must rent the same facilities they get to use for free.

While taking away and/or denying the rights of ordinary citizens to ask for explanations, just what special rights or favours are they selling to those who place ads in support of council and senior staff’s position? Just what will the returns on investment will all these special interest groups get or expect to get, on their investments in advertisements in favour of the “official city’s” position? I have no idea. What I do know is that other lower mainland municipalities faced with similar circumstances refused such support. Not just on the grounds that it was a situation with the potential for “special” favours or debts repayment, but because it could be seen as selling special favours to the supporting organizations or companies. I suppose it is naïve of me to expect ethical behaviour in a city widely noted for “business as usual” and its’ ‘old boy network.”

The behaviour and attitudes of Council and City Staff have turned what was a referendum on what facilities Abbotsford needs, into questions on a citizen’s right to disagree, to ask questions and expect answers; does Council and city Staff have any sense of ethics and what exactly is the City afraid of that it seeks to deny opposition and engage in a high-pressure sales campaign that one expects from telemarketers or hucksters but not your city government?

I will be voting NO to Plan A, not just for all the unanswered (and ignored) questions about the project but also NO for the behaviour, policies and practices of Council and City Staff. Abbotsford deserves better Plans, Council and Senior Staff.