I know of several high-profile business people in town that are incredibly passionate about the future of Victoria and would certainly run for Council if it was the same part-time position it was decades ago. They have said as much. Unfortunately, it has been turned into a full-time position without equivalent pay.
This presents a significant barrier on two fronts. First, successful business people can't take on a second full-time position if they still want to be involved in their business. Right there you lose a great deal of quality individuals who would make a big difference on Council.
Second, it prevents younger people from stepping up to take on the job, because someone in their 20s or 30s just "starting out" in the real world and trying to accrue wealth, save for a home*, and build a stable life is not likely to put their name forward for a $40K (before taxes) position. And we wonder why there's a real lack of younger leadership in this city.
*Just kidding, my generation doesn't get to own homes in Victoria. Not unless we spend the next decade or two seriously increasing supply and density.
I'm sorry but I have to take issue with ANOTHER point here.
Public "service", as an idea, comes from the thought (crazy-maybe) that we have a civic responsibility to contribute to the management and decisions that make our society work. This seems to have become public "entitlement". Ok... change happens.
But to suggest that successful business people can't contribute is not even true. There are at least two people on council, clearly described as effective, who are also doing very well in their private sector, full-time positions. Whether you agree with their points of view is not relevant. This is a city of 75,000 for goodness sake.
Your statements are particularly worrying given we have 0 effective governance in the area of council and CRD wages. For someone with a self-described (not you, some councillors) liberal, left leaning, "enlightened" perspective to suggest that other entities are corrupt in their decision-making and, without a second thought, defend the fact they decide their own salaries??? Its just embarrassing.
Smarter people know that perceptions is what you manage, and actively. There is no difference between the corruption described when a board of males congratulates themselves for being well-managed, a police review decides their own has done no wrong when the bullet went through the perp's back, when a government decides its right to use lethal force to effect change in another country for its own benefit. All of it is the same - conflict of interest.
I've never seen so much willful ignorance on the subject of conflict of interest, as here.