Dear editor,
Re: Resident unhappy with recent editorial (July 18 letter)
I read your editorial about the Canada Day Parade (Take the politicking out of parades, July 8) and agree with the content. We have lived here for 10 years and what was a charming, entertaining, just-the right-length parade degraded to the point where we, and some of our friends, stopped attending. There was almost no live music, the RCMP and Air Base presence in the parade seemed to be down to one person from each, most of the floats showed minimal effort, the number of people participating was fewer and it became a boring exercise of an excuse for a parade.
While it has been traditional to have elected officials ride in classic cars, most with a sign on the door identifying the officials, it certainly should not be used as a venue for candidates up for election. Most people don’t go to a parade to put up with political campaigning displays. This is not the occasion for ‘political engagement’ but for a good time in the summer sun, celebrating our country’s history.
And we were always mystified by the growing number of commercial vehicles in the parade that weren’t even decorated. Why are they there - cheap advertising being the only reason that came to mind?
It’s barely a celebration of Canada Day - someone is doing a poor job of overseeing the organizing of the parade using very low standards.
At the same time, thanks to those participants who honestly do take the time and effort to put on an entertaining display.
We hope that City Hall gets the message and pulls up their socks.
Cathy Storey,
Courtenay