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Readers encouraged to speak out about their own community

For all intents and purposes it looks like Rimbey may receive some dollars for a new seniors’ facility.

For all intents and purposes it looks like Rimbey may receive some dollars for a new seniors’ facility.

Leaking the news ahead of time was a grave error in judgment, and not a stepping-stone to instant popularity, but the deed has been done. As every politician, every leader, indeed, every person in any position of power knows, there is a process to follow, a protocol, so to speak, before any issue, particularly one that has a monetary figure attached to it, can happen!

However, in this instance, for whatever reason, that process was disrupted, causing instant dissention in the ranks.

Of course, not only politicians have been known to break the chain of command, speak out of turn, and upset the apple cart by leaking information. In some instances, this is not a bad thing, but necessary in the face of evil and discord.

Years ago, it was a meek and mild reporter who worked for a little newspaper in Eckville, Alberta who dared to check out in-camera talks about a school teacher named Jim Keegstra.

The information he uncovered was staggering, and, not only did it put Eckville on the map, it brought to light that the discrimination against Jews, was in fact, being taught at the public high school.

In that particular instance, following the proper channels was not a good thing and the reporter unearthed a practice that was tainting the minds of our school children.

It goes without saying, the practice needed to be stopped and the teacher fired.

It was, and, no doubt, the young reporter went on to bigger and better things, all because he dared to break the rules of process and protocol.

However, leaking information about funding for a new lodge, while far less dramatic than breaking a story about a teacher who taught young people to hate Jews, simply did not have a positive effect.

It did, in fact, have the complete opposite effect.

It pitted politician against politician. It caused the Rimoka Housing Board to defend themselves when they were only following the rules of respecting confidentiality and protocol.

And, once again, it caused a lot of mudslinging and people bashing that has been referred to by a somewhat disgusted reader as schoolyard politics played out by junior high students.

As a newspaper, the Rimbey Review has a responsibility to allow its readers to express their opinion through letters to the editor. But, people don’t want to read any more crap, or, in the words of one esteemed reader, schoolyard politics.

And that is fair!

And so, as residents of a community which has been said time and time again to have ‘lots of potential’ I urge you, the residents and readers of the Rimbey Review, to speak out. Tell us about it. What is good about Rimbey?

Help the Rimbey Review make a difference in a positive way!

What about the new Agriplex? Looking good, isn’t it! What about the walking trails? Kudos to the last council for making that happen!

What about the new coffee shop that opened on Main Street?

Kudos to the owners for taking a little bit of Rimbey’s past and bringing it back for us all to enjoy in a positive and unique way!

And, there is the Christian School who held an amazing fundraiser complete with a free barbecue! And the Outreach School who took a group of students to California to give them a taste of education complete with plenty of fun, excitement and the steadying influence of adult chaperones who took it upon themselves to make it happen.

And, the Rimoka Housing Board!

Congratulations to the board, headed by Paul McLauchlin for keeping a low profile, while working diligently to make a vision shared by a few, become a reality for many!

Good job!

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