Dear Editor of the Coast;
Last week’s article on Gregor Ash’s bid for the Halifax West riding in the next Federal Election was a good one in that it highlighted some of Mr. Ash’s interests and strengths. That being said, it also had too narrow of a focus and left the reader with the feeling that Mr. Ash is running simply to forward his own, somewhat narrow, Arts agenda.
I think a truly balanced article should have shed a little light on the other side of Mr. Ash, and let us know the real reason he’s running in Halifax West: because he’s tired of the old-style politics, indifference and infighting of many of those currently in office; because he cares about people; because he wants a better future for his kids and yours; and because he feels it’s time he stopped talking about serving his community and his country, and did something. Yes, he’s obviously a supporter of the Arts, but a good interviewer would have asked about his position on some truly pressing issues. Issues such as climate change, our challenged healthcare system, the economy, childcare, eldercare, aging infrastructure, etc. The list goes on. It’s because he has very strong opinions as well as a strong understanding of these issues, that the NDP approached him about running in the Halifax West riding in the first place. He’s an informed, involved, caring person, who’s passionate about his community and his country, and that somehow got left out.
Sincerely,
Nathaniel Smith
President, Halifax West NDP
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Gregor Ash’s passion
This article appears in Dec 10-16, 2009.
Mr. Smith,
I agree with you entirely that Ash’s interests extend beyond the arts. I never implied Ash had a narrow agenda, nor did I fail to discuss Ash’s other interests with him during our interview. In fact, I specifically mentioned that Ash’s interests weren’t limited to the arts and included reducing child poverty and investing in green energy. However, the piece was done for the film section of the paper, which is why I focused on his unique arts background and his admirable commitment to the arts. I believe that supporting the arts and nourishing local creative talent invigorates our communities and belongs on the list of “truly pressing issues” worth interviewing Ash about. I am disappointed to find that so many readers feel focusing on the arts is a negative thing, especially in a city like Halifax where we have such a wealth of creative talent.
Lizzy Hill