Boycott backfire

Whether it was opening a can of worms or closing Pandora’s Box remains to be seen, but the abandoned rail line running through Paradise is barricade-free for the first time since January.

A government-facilitated process that was supposed to come up with a solution has done just that, but when consultation meetings were held for the pro-barricade residents, some boycotted the procedure out of protest.

So much for communication.

Those who stayed away boycotted any chance for their concerns to be heard and simply speeded up their self-fulfilling prophecy that the government process was a done deal in favour of re-opening the rail line. The boycott backfire can be heard up and down the trail.

Boycotts are okay when you have no other chance of having your voice heard – such as boycotting a particular coffee because it’s harvested by slave labour. But boycotting an invitation to have your say just doesn’t make any sense.

But it gets better. When asked to provide names of 20 people considered opposed to motorized use on the trail to the consulting firm conducting the process, the Paradise Active Healthy Living Society didn’t comply.

When the meeting dedicated to those opposed to motorized use was announced, the society said it would not be taking part because it questioned DNR’s authority to re-open the question of trail use. DNR owns the trail – who else would have the authority?

Talk about taking your marbles and going home.

Hence, perhaps, the re-opened trail.

Ironically, after years of debate and confrontation, 19 of 20 adjacent landowners polled during the meeting dedicated to them, said they were in favour of a re-opened, multi-use (including motorized vehicles) trail. One was undecided. Not a single person opposed. Fortunately 18 of them showed up for the meeting (two sent e-mails) and were able to tell consultants just how they felt a multi-use trail should be implemented and maintained. Their concerns were heard and are included in the 12-page report.

Now the Department of Natural Resources will work with trails groups in the area to address the concerns of adjacent landowners. With the good sense to actually attend the meeting or e-mail during the consultation process, at least 19 of them will no doubt be involved in moving the trail forward.

The problem with being entrenched in a position is that eventually the walls cave in and you’re buried by your own stubbornness. Those who boycotted (of their own volition or the advice of others) their chance to be heard would be well advised to employ different tactics as the trail is eventually developed.