Link to letter on the Times Colonist website
Don’t ask questions when you have answers
Re: “Your thoughts are needed on the future of Victoria,” commentary, May 19.
At first glance, this opinion piece leaves me confused.
The title suggests Coun. Matt Dell is asking for the community’s ideas about what Victoria should look like in the future. “Your thoughts are needed…” suggests an opportunity to be heard, that listening is what he wants to do. He proposes a question about the future of our city, how it should look and feel.
Then, in the body of this piece, he gives us all the answers, all the priorities (already decided), and why.
Authentic inquiry starts with an open-ended question, without providing my own answers. Providing my own answers, especially when in a position of authority, gives the impression there are “right answers” and discourages in advance (as opposed to validating) the ideas and feelings of those asked.
To provide my answers, first, before inquiry suggests that I think mine are the most important, again invalidating an inquiry process. It may signal a lack of respect for and trust in the community.
But, after a little reflection, this piece is also consistent with the OCP survey of narrow, leading, binary questions… the survey that confirms all the decisions have been made, the survey that launched like a lead balloon (1.5% participation?).
This piece suggests a nod to the look of democracy and ignoring the substance, a checkbox instead of engagement, increasing the distance between the governors and the governed. I also think the terrible results we see all around us are a result of this behaviour.
Is it another, albeit important, example of the anti-democratic backsliding by the left and right? I think so, so leave me out of it; I’ll engage when it feels like engagement is actually wanted. I have better things to do.
—Stephen Ison, Victoria