True leadership shown by one city councillor

By Letter to the Editor on January 17, 2018.

During the final city council meeting of 2017, rookie councilor Kris Samraj during his first council meeting raised a concern in regards to an established city program, Hat Smart. Not only did he raise his concerns but had the fortitude to vote against continuing the program in its current format, displaying the courage of his convictions. It passed 8-1. Having watched the debate, and listened to seasoned councillors completely miss Samraj’s point and in my opinion try to educate him, I applaud his stance to vote against.

Samraj then took the time to write and distribute his reasons and rationale as to why he was against the current format and providing these reasons to the taxpayers of this city.

If you are for or against Hat Smart in its current format it matters not. What we have seen here is a complete act of transparency unprecedented by any member of council past or present I can recall.

Samraj has indicated he intends to treat his term of office as a full-time job, and already taken steps to show his sincerity, by resigning his full-time paid position. This next step to vote against the rest of council. And then to make public his reasons and rationale which in turn has educated the majority of us to the actual flaws of the program. Flaws that might be said, should not and would not be present if there were measurable goals.

I think Samraj has shown true leadership, by explaining his actions to those he is accountable to (the taxpayers). And I also believe these actions will make many reconsider their own view regarding the Hat Smart program in its present format.

Kudos to Samraj. He has set a very high standard for himself, a standard I truly believe he is capable of maintaining.

The rest of council should take note of his actions.

Wayne Smith

Medicine Hat

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