Democracy can be-maybe should be-at least a little messy.

Disagreement and debate are integral parts of our political system be they at the municipal, provincial or federal level.

But decency is important too. Recently a swearing incident in the House of Commons led Conservative House Leader Peter Van Loan to apologize. He wants NDP leader Thomas Mulcair to do the same.

Swearing? Pshaw. That's nothing. Check out Ukraine where Parliamentarians broke out in a brawl on Dec. 12.

More locally, the growing rift on the Chilliwack school board might be getting unhealthy. Trustees used words like "clandenstine," "unethical," and "dysfunctional" at their latest meeting.

The board has agreed to mediation by an education consultant but not all trustees thought this was a good idea. One wonders if this will further entrench the two sides who seem to vote with faction-like consistency.

The Cultus Lake Park Board isn't much better. When the most recent board took office, a filibuster-like incident took place when the three new commissioners who really wanted their guy in the chair's position forced a repeated and inevitable three-three vote for board chair, knowing that once the missing seventh board member was back, they would lose.

The nastiness at Cultus continued but now, despite some tension, board members seem to be trudging along and business is getting done. The incivility and attacks have been relinquished to the realm of email newsletters.

Chilliwack city council is, at the other end of the spectrum: downright boring with ever-polite exchanges, unanimous votes and back patting all around.

Not that there is anything wrong with that but the love-in on Young Road could use some dissension once in a while.

Agree when things are agreeable, sure, but debate, dissent and keep it decent.

Maybe that's too much to ask.