Dear editor,
The appeal by the former mayors for the provincial government to unilaterally impose a single government for the Comox Valley could very easily backfire.
There is a strong sentiment in the Valley in favour of due process and concomitant community consultation.
Just think HST.
Add the fact that many people feel that amalgamation is a cruel form of identity theft and you total up serious resistance to the idea.
(It is worthwhile to note that Black Creek, Merville and Oyster River and Royston, Union Bay, Fanny Bay and the islands all seem to have retained their sense of identity despite having been politically amalgamated into Areas C and A respectively.)
The best plan would be to engage us in a serious provincially sponsored governance study, with a serious consultative component.
Many things have changed since the last go-round.
I think the Comox Valley, right now, is ready and willing to give it another try.
Erik Eriksson,
Courtenay