Many people are raised not to rock boats and not to stir pots. Even though many of us are taught to be obedient and quiet, we tend to look up to people who speak up against things. We value people who swim upstream when it results in monumental changes. People are not always admired while they are doing the swimming. It often comes after.
Conflict is hard and uncomfortable. I admire those who don’t shy away from conflict because they are the people who make changes. Metchosin Mayor John Ranns is someone who doesn’t shy away from speaking his mind, and when he does, he always offers a solution.
It’s important to not just criticize and expect someone else to solve the problem.
“Metchosin is a remarkable example of how to run a municipality. We have no debt, we pay cash for everything, and we have cash reserves to pay for everything for years,” said Ranns. “But when I question something about the Capital Regional District, the media wants to talk to me.”
When I was a young community reporter, I covered Metchosin council and sat through many hours of meetings in Metchosin council chambers. Over the years, I watched Ranns listen intently to every community member who chose to speak at both the public participation and question period portions of the agenda. Sometimes there would be a dozen people speaking at each end of the meeting, and Ranns would then say: “Does Charla have anything to add?”, joking that I was the only person who hadn’t taken the microphone. But I was the reporter, just there to observe.
Recently, I attended a finance committee meeting at the district. Organizations were making presentations regarding their grant-in-aid applications. A gentleman spoke of his grant application regarding excavating work their organization needed. Ranns said he had the equipment and would volunteer his time and equipment to make it happen. It was remarkable to see the kindness and community spirit he demonstrated.
This is a side of Ranns that not everyone gets to see. His voice is heard and his quotes printed when he’s challenging things. Ranns has been a politician for decades. With all his experience, he’s an expert in navigating conflict and finding solutions.
“Politics is problem-solving. When you are facing your problems, you want to be able to find a solution that’s better than the problem,” said Ranns. “It’s important to know there’s always more than one solution, and sometimes the best solution results in both parties not being happy, but they leave undamaged.”
This is profound advice. It makes me think of the times I’ve been on the receiving end of a decision where I wasn’t happy. There have been a number of occasions where happiness might not be the solution, but mitigating damage is.
“I’ve always been a big-picture thinker,” said Ranns. He added that Langford Mayor Stew Young and Beecher Bay Chief Russ Chipps are also big-picture thinkers, and that’s why the three leaders were successful in the boundary adjustment between the communities a few years ago. “We can talk about anything and think about anything. We know that there is always more than one solution.”
Upon reflection, I realize that I do stop at the first solution quite often. Ranns reflects the wisdom and insight of a longtime politician.
“You need to overcome the desire to feel good, there can’t be automatic acceptance. You need to find the answer that benefits not just the majority, but everyone in the system and that isn’t an easy thing to do,” Ranns said.
During the interview, I admitted that I often fall into the “trying to feel good” category when making decisions, and he assured me I am not the only one.
“As politicians, we are not infused with a divine sense of wisdom, you are the same person you were before you got the job,” said Ranns. “You have to know you are serving the public and trying to find the best solutions for the people.”
Charla Huber is director of communications and Indigenous relations for M’akola Housing Society.
