Part one:
One of the greatest things lacking in the last 4 years of the current government is engaging the public into the discussions which effect them. The word I use is "Participatory Democracy" where the citizens are engaged in the discussions and this word defines us as a Province. The disenfranchised voters in our Province have lost that will because they have been taken out of the equation and need to be brought back into the democratic process. The voting public, politicians and civil servants must re-engage in meaning full discussion so they will have the input into the issues that affect their daily lives. The words of open, accountable and transparent should be words known within a governmental body not a wishful thought. If the new forming government in September learn from their past mistakes then our Province will thrive as a place to live, play and work. In the following I will go into detail where I would like to stand on issues.
Local Governing Bodies :
It is hard to see a city or municipality treated the way they have been in recent years. They have been cut out of the decision making process that affects them. The rural community or townships such as Grand Bay Westfield or smaller like the town of Gagetown in the last year have been torn down by the decisions made by Provincial Government. The ferries along the river or not engaging them into the process is best made at the level of the township. We are 60% rural and small township in our province. The forced amalgamation discussions have infuriated the people living in them. The conversations I have had with them state " We moved here for the country life and to escape the high tax levels that you have in the city". The Provincial tax rate was increased and now our house that was worth $80,000 last year is now worth $120,00 this year. So even though the per dollar rate per thousand did not increase the province found a faster way of increasing the tax payer rate through other means. We need a stable rates and a true legislation in place to address what constitutes valued increases to a property.
Governmental Transparency and Accountability:
As the choice of the people through their votes they empower us to make decisions on their behalf. Some people once are in office show arrogance and not listen to the electoral. In other cases where it is shown to the public through means of law suit and almost anarchy over not doing what is in the best interest of the people of New Brunswick as evident this year. There is only one way to bring this issue forward and make it effective that is the right to information act and adding new id em's to it, with true ability for transparency and accountability built in. A governing provincial body must be accountable to its people not only in its decision but its actions as well. It must provide top quality public service but also manage the finances of the province as well.
Provincial Relations and Civil Service:
Today as mentioned in my earlier blog I was talking about Silo's. This is a common political or bureaucratic term simply meaning to many hoops to jump through with to many different departments. The current system is complicated and frustrating to the average person. The system needs to be automated and less red tape to get the end result. Most people today find speaking state. I first have to go here and then I have to go there and then back again to get the one thing that if coordination between different governmental agencies were more precise. The old school of we are the government needs to change to a client focused approach. Today with the technology available from telecommunications to crm can effectively change from 6 stops to one.
To be continued:
