Voter turnout in District of North Vancouver elections has ranged between 17% and 36% since 1996. I don’t know if it was any higher prior to that. Though the problem is common across Canadian municipalities (a 2018 study showed the average to be 36%), voter turnout in the DNV appears to be low even by […]
Compensation for the Downsides of Development
There are many benefits that come with development: new shops, restaurants, and commercial services, more housing options, increased vibrancy, and a larger tax base to cover municipal costs. However, there can be downsides as well: increased traffic, lack of parking, strain on local public services and infrastructure, etc. Municipalities have a system in place that […]
Public or Private? Can’t Be Both.
When it comes to local amenities like parks, we’re used to having them be public. This means both that they are open to everyone, and that they are paid for through taxes. We’re fortunate to have many excellent parks in the District of North Vancouver, offering residents and visitors alike access to nature, open spaces, […]
Political Decentralization in Canada
Originally published Dec 26, 2021 on the BC Libertarian blog The fiscal approach currently taken by the federal and provincial governments is not sustainable. Expenditures far outstrip revenues, and the balance is funded by borrowing and money-printing. In the past, Canadian politicians have been able to reign in spending and avert disaster. However, absent a […]
The Inverted Pyramid of Governance
I’m running for Council to promote political decentralization and empower citizens at the local level. In Canada, political power is an inverted pyramid: the federal government takes the lion’s share of the country’s wealth, yet delivers precious few services that citizens need or use regularly. The province takes the next largest share; and while they […]