Often we make well intended and thoughtful decisions only to find that we were missing a small portion of information that was crucial to the decision - information that would have changed the decision.
As example, a couple months ago while riding the subway in Paris, I spotted an older man board the train, hunched over, using a walker. Within four seconds, the well-intended Canadian that I am, decided to stand up to offer my seat.
In that fifth second, while getting up, I felt my more-in-tune wife pull at me to remain sitting and in that same time I spotted a tin can in the old man's hand. He was there to pan handle and didn't wish to sit. My good intentions and his objectives were not aligned. I had made a valid decision based on 80 per cent of the information. It was the little tin can I hadn't spotted.
So often this is the case for many of us which I refer to as the 80/20 syndrome. That brings me to the recent debate about the Marriott Hotel. People are justifiably questioning the mayor and city council but I suspect mayor and council have more detailed info than the rest of us.
I vaguely remember the Cadillac Fairview proposal brought up but it seems to me it involved a decision made by the electorate to not support a development of the Prince George downtown. The electorate voted down the proposal and all the councils since have been trying to correct that decision.
The Citizen staff have better access to the information and might choose to do a review and comparison to today's Marriott. Most believe that Prince George would be a better city today with a thriving downtown area.
It is honourable to be aware of events and decisions made by our governments and to challenge and support when you feel so inclined. Through the process you should remain open minded. Sometimes in the big picture you miss the little "tin cup."
For myself, when issues are vague I tend to support a government that will make a decision to do something rather than do nothing. Council inherited a mess to deal with and have done their best to resolve actively and positively.
Gerry Lundquist
Prince George
