It is the nature of bureaucracy to say that there are 'no simple answers' whereas simple answers are all we really have.
Take for example the debate over farmlands in the District of Maple Ridge. The simple answer is for staff to recommend to council that no further applications be accepted for exclusion from the Agricultural Land Reserve.
Another answer is for staff to recommend that all applications for exclusion from the Agricultural Land Reserve be submitted to the Agricultural Land Commission for consideration.
This is just too simple for any government to accept.
Without the presence of disagreement the role of government is severely lessened. The essence, therefore, of government sustainability is for government to perpetuate argument at every turn in the sure knowledge that disagreement is the lifeblood of government. For its part government will be quick to note that the genesis of all argument is located firmly in the community. It would be hard to disagree with that. Who then, is the bigger fool?
