Dear Minister Chong and Premier Campbell:

Subject: Proposal to Split the Comox Strathcona Regional District - Anti-democratic and Costly

I was shocked to read that an independent auditor’s report has suggested that splitting the Comox Strathcona Regional District as you have dictated will cost us taxpayers a minimum of $6.6 million! Apparently we have five years to pay the price but most of the $6.6 million and more will be expected from us in the first year.

Your ministry has described a number of benefits that you say will result from splitting the Regional District. These include: more effective governance, inter-jurisdictional collaboration, economic development, regional growth management, regional water supply, rural water and sewage, development cost harmonization, First Nations, and services. What you dramatically fail to do is explain exactly how all these benefits magically result by simply splitting the Regional District in two. You also fail to give a break down of the costs. Please tell me how you can possibly justify this split as being fiscally responsible.

Finally and most importantly tell me if you still believe in democracy and public debate. Because if you do then you better change your timetable for imposing this decision on the electorate and you had better set up a transparent process for public input. And it has to be transparent and independent because your government has lost all trust and credibility with this dictatorial decision. Either that or withdraw your decision and apologize to the people for violating fundamentals of democracy and fiscal responsibility.

Yours truly,
Chris Hilliar