Broadcasting the Salt Spring Island "Incorporation Debates" - Alcyonenews

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Posted August 25, 2017

Broadcasting the Salt Spring Island “Incorporation Debates”

Having heard nothing about broacasting the Incorporation Debates scheduled for August 30, 2017, a couple of weeks before they would happen, on August 17, I addressed an open letter to the three Elected Officials (3EOs) raising the issue of broadcasting the debates. I submitted it to the Driftwood community newspaper an effort to prevent surreptitious suppression of my communication by the 3EOs.

On August 22, the Driftwood indicated to me that they would run it. But two days later, the paper came out without my contribution. I emailed the Driftwood inquiring about that and on August 24, they informed me as follows:

“Tom – we had a story about the [debate] panels, etc, in which it is confirmed that a video of the debates will be available on line afterwards.”

I had written the open letter for more than one reason. Of course I wanted to twist the arm of the 3EOs to broadcast the debates. But I also wanted to lift a bit more the cover hiding the regimentation and other aspects of the debate scheme that strip fairness out of the procedure.

It is inconceivable that the 3EOs are as thorough as to secure a Moderator and a Fact Defender, and do that a year before the debates, but it did not occur to them to broadcast the debates. Not is it is plaussible that the “impartial” Moderator and the Fact Defender, were unaware of the merit in broadcating debates. But they all kept quiet on it, expecting, I presume, the people to be satisfied by the “coverage” of having one debate in Ganges, and another in Fulford.

In other words, I wanted to inform society about that, because it speaks to the credibility of the debates scheme. For indeed, the debates are, let’s say, “over managed” in favour of the YES side.

On August 22 the Minister Celina Robinson wrote the 3EOs about the road aspect of incorporation. In the Driftwood article reporting the conference announcing the Minister’s Roads letter, the following excerpt got into the Driftwood reporter’s rendition.

“A live-stream of the debate and later access to video footage for those who can’t attend is also in the works said [Trustee Peter] Grove.”

I checked out the 3EOs website on Incorporation again on August 24, 2017 and found unbroken the silence about broadcasting the debates on line or otherwise. I wonder whether Grove said it in answer to an unanticipated question from the Driftwood reporter.

Damage control? For the 3EOs? The “Debate Moderator? The Fact Defender? The Driftwood ...

In any event, here is my August 17 Open Letter to 3 EOs:

“Dear EO Trio,

Re: Video-broadcasting the Debates

Since you have been for over a year, at least since May 2016, organizing the Incorporation Debates; and since you have been as prudent as to have tied down for the event two “impartial consultants” who will ensure “indisputable” fairness to the appearance of the Debate Games; and given that only a small percentage of the populace may attend the debate games live, but many more would take them in at home, the road, or at other times if available; it is therefore reasonable to assume that you have secured simultaneous and continuously available video broadcasting of the debates.

But we are approaching the end of the road to debates and I have not found mention of broadcasting, nor seen omens that it will happen, and I worry. I must say that I am partial to that, for I have poised myself to critically analyze the debates for the benefit of those who may lack the time or otherwise forego doing so personally.

Would you please alleviate my fears?

Tom Varzeliotis, Fairness Aficionado Funatico”

Likely, “they” would now arrange the broadcasting of the debates all for the better. Virtue is meritorious, even when imposed.

Tom Varzeliotis