Asking why

Sometimes even after the questions of who, what, when and how are answered, the why remains.

We now know who offered themselves for nomination to municipal councils along the southwest coast. We know the what, when and how.

But many people are still curious about the why - why some towns didn't get enough people to hold an election or even form a full council.

Rose Blanche, Burnt Islands and Isle aux Morts will all hold elections. It hasn't always been that way in those communities in recent years. Some have had trouble at certain times even getting enough people to form or maintain a full council.

Which is exactly where Burgeo finds itself now - with three people coming forward to fill seven seats, and hope that more interest is shown when it holds another nomination.

Port aux Basques and Ramea each got just the right number of candidates to form councils without the need for elections.

Why wasn't there more interest?

Do people feel they are too busy with work or family? Are they uninterested? Do they feel unqualified or intimidated? Are they cynical about the work of their council or the impact it can have? Do they think there's too much sacrifice or that it's more trouble than it's worth? Are there other reasons?

The towns and residents that depend on these volunteers to keep things running - from water supplies to paving to applying for provincial and federal funding - need to look at why more candidates didn't come forward.

So does the province, which also depends on municipalities to deliver frontline services to large numbers of people, while handing over less money with which to provide those services.

Asking why there wasn't more interest in some councils, especially when others will have ballots with an abundance of names, is worthwhile.

That doesn't detract in any way from the people who did step forward and offer to serve their towns. Everyone has something to offer a council, such as knowledge, experience, time and dedication.

As Port aux Basques Mayor Brian Button said last week, a "council is only as good as the members around the table." When people stop being willing to sit around a table, it's time to ask why and take steps to change it.

editor@gulfnews.ca