Letter – End of the EDC, or new beginning?

I am writing because of the recent Council News that the EDC will be cancelled.

I understand the function of Town Council is to economically make decisions that benefit the community.

The EDC has a separate function. It benefits the community through direct interaction with the citizens of the community always with a social justice mandate in mind.

This is exactly how Sha Mohamed and employees of the EDC operated.

I have a lot of questions.

Why wasn’t the public consulted concerning this decision? We are the one’s directly benefitting from this entity. Shah has helped local artists (through a digital presence program), he has promoted and helped local organizations get off the ground, come up with innovative and social justice solutions (eg. housing), tried to structure Indigenous Initiative, tried to strengthen youth participation. The community has directly been the beneficiary of all of these initiatives. Shah is organized, engaged, smart, kind with an absolute open door policy.

So why weren’t we given a chance to weigh in?

Wawa has to be open to new and fresh ideas and energy. The pandemic has proven that the way forward has to be inclusive. If money is the ONLY driving force behind every decision, then the only decision-makers are those that hold the purse strings. And Business 101 dictates that “ You have to spend money to make money.”

I believe and know that there is room at the table for everyone. Wawa has to include all of us. That is the way forward.

There is a movement in this town that is crying for a new and fresh look at how we do things. But that effort is postponed when successful entities are shut down.

It is a mistake to shut down the EDC and terminate the jobs of Shah and his staff. I think this decision needs a fresh look and further study. It also needs a clear explanation to this community. Nothing is carved in stone and change is inevitable.

To say that I am disappointed is putting it mildly! I intend to engage the community in this endeavour. We deserve better.

An engaged senior citizen,

Mary Harbocian