You have to wonder sometimes where people at Elections Canada get their information and how they make their decisions.
Late last week we were tipped off by a concerned reader that one of three federal election polls in Gibsons is being redirected to Roberts Creek. According to further information from Elections Canada, Gibsons poll station 073 for Elphinstone voters will now be set up at Roberts Creek Elementary School because Frank West Hall is unavailable. This is an ill-informed decision likely made by an official in West Vancouver who has no clue that Elphinstone and central Roberts Creek are miles away from each other. Why is Frank West Hall or, for that matter, Cedar Grove Elementary School not available on a federal election day? With all due respect to other community groups, we can cancel the yoga class or whatever function is at these facilities to allow Elphinstone voters the chance to vote in Gibsons and not in Roberts Creek.
Highway 101 is already dangerous and crowded enough; we don't need to be adding more cars from Elphinstone driving to Roberts Creek to vote. Bus service is not an option as buses access Roberts Creek only every two hours, plus people simply won't do this. They won't travel eight kilometres up the highway to vote. Seniors and people who don't drive and would normally walk to the polling station are denied the chance to vote because of this decision.
Every election is important, and that appears to be the case this time in this riding. Last Tuesday, almost 300 people packed the Raven's Cry Theatre to hear the four candidates at an all-candidates forum. Our newsroom has been flooded with letters to the editor about the election, who people should vote for and to simply get the message out to vote. This tells us people are passionate about this election, about the opportunity to maybe make a change and move this country in a better direction. Elections Canada should see that passion and change their decision.
