OPINION by John Borst,
There are two keys to living in a successful vibrant democracy: participation and vigilance. Dryden City Council is to be congratulated for taking a modern step forward to facilitate those principles.
Next month they will begin live streaming Council meetings, Committee-of-the-Whole meetings and Special meetings. Although Shaw Cable has been broadcasting such meetings for a number of years live streaming means that Drydenites can now watch our councilors debate as it happens just by going to their computers or phones and tune in to the broadcast on Dryden’s website. And if they have a smart TV they can see it on a large screen.
I suspect among communities the size of Dryden our city is among the pioneers in providing such a service. Ten years from now such a service will be the norm.
Personally, as a citizen who lives within Dryden’s boundaries but outside its built up area and one who has never been able to receive Shaw Cable's presentation this will be a new service to me and other such residents. Non-residents such those living on the West Arm of Lake Wabigoon, should also, since they work and shop in the community find it worthwhile to tune-in as they too have a vital stake in the City’s success.
As a former educator, I would also hope that teachers of civics and social studies courses would use such broadcasts as a resource to introduce such topics as how a meeting on governance works, the kinds of issues with which a local community has to deal and how to judge the quality of the people we elect.
Those are of course what adults should know and do too. Like most changes its use will be slow to grow until that is, a really contentious issue arises. Then we will all be thankful for what our councilors have done.