The long-anticipated provincial election got underway Tuesday and for the next month, a variety of sources will be telling us how to vote.
Of course there will be the usual suspects providing their opinions — unions, business leaders and special interest groups. But many voters will be surprised to learn that their municipal leaders are also out on the hustings.
And specifically, Sicamous Mayor Terry Rysz, Salmon Arm Mayor Nancy Cooper, Armstrong Mayor Chris Pieper and Enderby Mayor Greg McCune star in videos pumping up Greg Kyllo’s re-election bid for Shuswap Liberal MLA.
“It may not be politically correct, but sometimes always being politically correct bothers me a bit. This man has done a good job, he’s helped our region and he’s running for re-election, so why wouldn’t I endorse him?” said Rysz.
“At the end of the day , I feel I’m allowed to have a personal opinion on that because I am a citizen as well as the mayor, and I don’t mind speaking my mind on this.”
Now Rysz is completely right. He is a private citizen and he is able to vote the way his conscience directs him. But he and the other mayors need to remember they were elected to represent their communities and when they speak publicly, they wear that hat. When they endorse Kyllo, or any candidate for that matter, they could give the impression that their specific municipality has officially taken sides.
“I look forward to working with him for the next four years,” said Pieper in his video.
There is also the reality that not all of the mayors’ constituents favour Kyllo. They may back the NDP, the Greens or someone else and they may feel a disconnect with their own mayor that’s rallied behind the Liberals.
As for Cooper, she doesn’t consider her video appearance as an endorsement of Kyllo.
“For me, it’s a way of saying thank you to him. That’s something I believe in. I think we should give thanks to people where it’s due. All along he’s always been with us, encouraging us. He’s been on our side,” she said.
Cooper can spin it how she wants but let’s call a spade a spade. Through her comments and simply being in the video, Cooper is standing firmly behind Kyllo’s campaign. Would she or the others still have said nice things about Kyllo if they personally leaned towards the NDP?
Now Cooper goes on to defend her actions by saying that a number of mayors did the same thing for former MLA George Abbott years ago. But while that is true, Cooper neglects to point out that there was significant concerns then about civic leaders wading into the provincial election.
In the end, the mayors insist they will work with whoever is elected, no matter the politicial affiliation. And while that’s likely the case, their endorsement of anyone other than the winner could lead to an uncomfortable first meeting.