DEAR EDITOR:
As an educator and community member I’m very concerned about the direction our island culture is going. In recent years there’s been a steady increase of public shaming, vindictive verbal attacks both online and in person (often in the ferry lineup), and general resentment and suspicion of one another. I know this is to be expected with the enormous increase in population we’ve experienced over the past couple of years, but I assume these people came for the friendly, neighbourly, and supportive lifestyle we were known for on this island, and we’re beginning to lean away from that, now.
Before we were a municipality, the public lands were enjoyed by the public. And in the absence of people restricting our activities and remedying possible future problems with punitive bylaws, we took responsibility for our own actions, our own community; our own public spaces. It was during that time that many of the educating and stewarding groups of this island were formed, through volunteerism and a commitment to look after ourselves. Groups like the Nature Club, BIHORA, the Historians, library, community school, etc. etc. etc. Today, (as long as bylaw 537/538 doesn’t pass) many of these groups and also individuals like myself take very small groups of adults or children to the woods, marshes, creeks and beaches to learn about and engage with our own ecosystem and history. We still gather for events both large and small, like birthday parties, holiday gatherings or memorials at beaches or parks, graduation parades, beach cleanups and ecological stewardship, informal sports like disc golf, jogging, swimming, and hiking, and many other things. These gatherings are what bring and hold us together. They’re where we see each other’s faces, get to know and help one another. They are the antidote and prevention for the vitriol that has been growing, lately. They are a big part of what Bylaw and Amendment 537 and 538 will disallow, along with acceptance of the homeless in our community, and anything deemed “unsightly.”
A community that is governed by a long list of bylaws that few people are aware of and nobody can truly fathom (because it’s become so complex) is unsustainable. It’s a community that has lost agency and engagement, and then we act (or don’t) out of fear of punishment or shame from each other and our bylaw officers. In lieu of taking responsibility for our community, we complain that nobody’s cleaning up for us. Since we can no longer gather or offer tours and group meetings that bring us together and engage us with our ecology, we lose that engagement. Or we leave the island. There now appears to be a slowly-growing exodus of old-timers and lower-income families from the island. This is how we lose all of our tradespeople, our teachers, our artists and craftspeople, our community leaders and volunteers, and those who keep the memory of how we lived in the time before the bylaws.
I cannot wait for the day when we realize what a folly it was to incorporate. I cannot wait for the day we collectively decide to unshackle ourselves from the ever-growing list of bylaws and municipal requirements. Disincorporation is a viable option, and thankfully there are still quite a few of us here who remember how things worked before this, and could help others see the benefits. Yes, stewarding ourselves without a central government requires work, but I have faith in us. Our huge influx of new residents includes many creative open minds, and I feel hopeful that, together, we can rebuild a responsible, engaged community.
Emily van Lidth de Jeude
