The Editor:
In recent letters to the editor of the Estevan Mercury, the integrity of Marge Young, co-chair of the Time to Twin Highway Committee, has been called into question. After reading the letter from Doreen Eagles, MLA for Estevan, in the March 20, 2013, edition and the letter from Gerald Fichtemann in the April 10, 2013, edition of the Estevan Mercury, we feel compelled to respond, without prejudice, to clarify the facts as we know them.
The facts are, that in a casual conversation with the MLA from Estevan at a public Estevan business, during regular business hours, in the fall of 2012, the MLA was asked, "So when will that highway get twinned?" She responded directly to us, "Not in my lifetime." Later, in a conversation with Marge Young related to the work of the Time to Twin Committee, we shared the comment made directly to us by the MLA. Given the public context in which the comment was made, we took it to be a public comment. Assumptions that Marge Young engaged in "gossip" are demeaning - and incorrect.
It is our understanding that in a phone call from the Estevan MLA to Marge Young, our names were provided as the "former residents of Estevan" referred to in the news article entitled "Time to Twin group contemplates future" published in the Estevan Mercury on March 13, 2013. We would have been happy to affirm the context and content of the conversation and the time and place it occurred, had we been contacted.
We understand that the workload of all MLA's is heavy, and often exhausting, as they strive to meet the needs of their constituents. We appreciate that it is not humanly possible for them to remember the details of all their conversations.
We make no assumption that the MLA from Estevan is not committed to lobbying at the provincial level for the twinning of these highways; rather, we interpret the comment as a reflection of reality. When we left Estevan in the late eighties, the need for a bypass around the city was very much on the agenda. Twenty-five years later, it still has not been built.
One of the fundamental principles of a democracy is that ordinary citizens are able to actively engage in the democratic process and to advocate for their communities. History has repeatedly shown that it is through the dedication and commitment of ordinary people, working for the betterment of their communities, that positive change occurs over time.
We have known Marge Young for over 30 years. From our perspective, she is an honest and caring person who is committed to her community. As an ordinary citizen, she works tirelessly on initiatives to benefit others and community, fuelled by her passion, not looking for accolades.
At a time when Canadians increasingly lament the apathy and lack of engagement of citizens in our democracy, we should applaud the efforts of Marge Young and the group of volunteer citizens on the Time to Twin Committee -regardless of the outcome with respect to the twinning of the highway. It takes courage, long hours and hard work to strive for community improvement.
Margaret & Clarence Delainey
Regina, Saskatchewan
