Editor: I鈥檓 a retired elementary school teacher, and I鈥檝e been told on occasion that I am a presentable, non-threatening kind of person. I am also deeply concerned about BC Hydro鈥檚 blanket rollout of wireless smart meters in this province.

Last Thursday (Sept. 29), the day before the UBCM鈥檚 moratorium vote, I had the questionable pleasure of sitting beside legislative reporter Tom Fletcher, on a sunny bench outside the Vancouver Convention Centre. I was one of the 鈥渢iny group of protesters鈥� he mentions in his 鈥榙umb leaders鈥� column (The Times, Oct. 6), and I twice attempted to engage him, briefly, in polite conversation.

Predictably perhaps, I was met with a dismissive nod, no eye contact whatsoever and silence. His interaction with me, or lack of it, was memorable because it underscored the fact that Mr. Fletcher was, for a full 15 minutes, singularly unwilling to look around to see anything except what was directly in front of his face: a newspaper, his aromatic cigarettes and his iPhone.

In light of his article 鈥� penned after the vote and re-printed in local papers province-wide 鈥� and the defensive tone of  鈥淚鈥檓 done arguing with people who make up their own facts. I鈥檒l just address those who haven鈥檛 bought into this nonsense,鈥� it seems that he is making a huge mistake.

Essentially, he is eliminating balanced perspective. His one-sided, self-serving, caustic commentary, like his closed approach to dialogue, doesn鈥檛 help to raise awareness about the issue. It simply negates intelligent input and ultimately disrespects new voices, ethical viewpoints and the democratic process.

From his statement online that he is more interested in the 鈥渞eal world,鈥� which for him now seems to be iClouds, apps and wireless devices, more鈥檚 the pity.  Another chance to be an unbiased reporter goes up in smoke.

Linda Ewart,

White Rock