Engaged voters with values, not drama

Your Nov. 19 editorial (Drama fails to attract voters) concluded that “drama” failed to attract any more than 26 per cent of eligible voters.

Guelph, Ont. had a similar problem of low turnout. The Guelph Civic League concluded that to engage people, the emphasis during an election had to be on values, not issues. It managed to increase voter turnout from 36 to 43 per cent.

Implicit in any set of values is a vision of a preferred future. That’s where we have to start with Victoria voters.

First, engage them in articulating a shared vision that clearly describes what we collectively aspire to become as a city, three generations out.

Second, find common ground on the values and beliefs required to realize that vision.

With this backdrop of a collectively shared vision and a common ground set of values and beliefs, Victoria voters would have something that’s important to them to link the issues and candidates to.

How does candidate X’s platform help realize the vision? What values and beliefs are reflected in the voting record of incumbent candidate Y?

Is addressing issue No. 4 a distraction or an opportunity?

This would make for a much more engaging election. Indeed, one of high drama; rife with vision, values and aspirations. A similar process worked in Guelph. Why not Victoria?

John Farquharson

Victoria

Idea helps keep sex-trade workers safe

Until more funding is available so PEERS may operate the outreach programs longer than four hours a night, I would like to see a new mayor and council bring compassion back to decision making.

I would like to see the women working the streets in Rock Bay as worthy of equal consideration as any other sister, daughter and mother in our community.

A portion of the proposed increase in the number of police officers could be directed toward a new technology solution.

The technology exists to track persons in distress.

The GPS micro unit beams out a distress signal to a pre-selected recipient, if the wearer hits a certain panic button.

The GPS-equipped kicks would present the location of the violated victim to whoever is deemed that person’s ‘hero,’ and would ideally give the rescuer enough time to arrive and lay down the law or at least call the law.

This technology would be inserted within the shoe or garment in order to give customers the ability to sound their alarm (intentionally or otherwise) without making any sudden movements.

Lastly, I would like to see the new representation revisit Jody Paterson’s suggestion of an Amsterdam model as a solution.

William Perry

Victoria