When I attended the open house to see the Official Community Plan recently I was approached by a young man for whom I have great admiration. He’s bright and involved in a number of organizations, investing his time and effort into a community he loves.
He said he had heard that I might be interested in running for a seat on Town Council at some point, and encouraged me to do so.
My response? In the past I did think that after retiring as a newspaperman I would like to serve as a Councillor. It’s a great way to serve a community, and I have considerable understanding of how local government works. But I no longer have any intention of running for office, I told him. I would rather see younger candidates have an easier path, and will encourage them in any way I can.
I did just that in the last election, and was pleased when two of my choices, Jen Comer and Kevin Boehmer, won sufficient support to become members of what has turned out to be a very good Town Council. I do have mixed feelings with the result, with Coun. Boehmer having become a “meeting-only” councillor after taking a job teaching at College of the Rockies in Cranbrook. Apparently he feels that is enough to meet his obligation. I disagree, but it is his choice—by definition he meets the requirements of his position.
Coun. Comer has been an unquestioned star as a councillor, offering strong and gentle opinions, asking good questions and proving to be a great part of a team. As a young parent, she offers great balance to her older (and very effective) counterparts.
I explained much of this to my young friend in that conversation, and we went on to a discussion about the role of elders in our society. I do like the idea of moving into that sort of role, I said.
We don’t do very well in our society in acknowledging the value of the elder, but we don’t have to look far to see its value. Earlier this month I had a wonderful two-hour coffee with Chris Luke Sr., who served as Chief of the Lower Kootenay Band for more than 30 years. Our conversation was wide-ranging and I was reminded time and again why it pleases me to call Chris a friend. With his open smile and bright eyes, he moves easily between his native Ktunaxa language (he’s one of the few fluent speakers left) and English, and speaks of ancient and recent history with equal authority.
During our chat, I could easily understand how Chris has earned the right to be called an elder, someone who brings wisdom and reason and history to current events and struggles. He has no desire to be in politics any more, but he clearly values opportunities to contribute in less formal ways, often in one-to-one conversations. He speaks of the influence elders had in his own life, and the admiration and appreciation is obvious. We are only a few years apart in age, and agreed that this is a great time in our lives.
Ideally, at any government level, we want a blend of ages. Newer, younger elected representatives deserve the opportunity to sit a table that includes elders, voices of experience and bearers of wisdom. I think the election of Comer and Boehmer was a wise investment in our community’s future, and their experience will serve them, and us, well for many years to come. And I hope that in the upcoming June by-election to replace the late Joe Snopek, that voters have a choice that includes one or more younger people. My generation is extremely well represented on the current Town Council by Mayor Ron Toyota and Couns. Karen Unruh, Joanna Wilson and Jim Elford. With less than two years to go before a general election, this is a golden opportunity to put a younger person into office, knowing they will have a wonderful opportunity to get some solid experience before the next election, where it is likely that some of the elders at the table will choose not to run again.
Talk is cheap when it comes to acknowledging the value of the generations that follow us. The real question is whether they will step up and offer their time and energy, and whether we will support them when they do.