A collection of proud Penderites at the Pride Festival in August. Photo courtesy of Matthew Coutts.
From Our President
Cooperation can be political. Collaboration can be a form of protest.
Cohesion, an act of defiance.
That is perhaps a radical statement from the president of the Pender Post Society, an organization dedicated to both fostering cooperation and avoiding divisive discourse.
Our charter has contained the phrase “promote and maintain harmonious relations” since it was written nearly 60 years ago. Yes, we publish reports from some of our government representatives — from our member of Parliament in Ottawa to our local trustees — of which Pender will elect a new roster next month. (See details on our all‑candidates forum on page 6.)
But there is a difference between governance and politics, and that difference has never been starker. Governance is about cooperating; politics about slinging the stuff found in diapers.
As the latter gets louder and more prevalent, adhering to the former gets harder and more important.
As the world winds its way through rough seas, I am happy to be in the Southern Gulf Islands, where cooperation, collaboration and cohesion are de rigueur.
Work gets done because one hand is comfortable reaching out to another. We can rely on the experience and expertise of our neighbours.
We can trust, even if we disagree, discussions will be respectful and focused on finding a positive outcome.
Last month, I sat with a group of such people considering the fate of the Old Schoolhouse, the current home of the Nu‑to‑Yu, which will soon be emptied and in search of new uses.
What should that use be? How can we use that site in the best interest of the entire community?
These questions and more are on the table. And as is often the case on Pender, the answer will almost certainly involve a collection of interested parties, a combined effort and a cohesion of interests
Shortly after that discussion, I was invited to a conversation about a potential housing solution, and another on collaborative funding for local projects and charities – both unrelated to the Schoolhouse talk, but with a similar cooperative spirit.
Teamwork is best, after all, when dodging dirty diapers.