So, who wants to think ‘federal election’, when summer’s just warming up – it’s the season for barbecues and suntan lotion, not hobgoblins and ghosts, isn’t it?
Well, we all should be looking hard and asking questions of the candidates who are running for office Oct. 21. Thanks to a broken promise after our last trek to the polls, we’re still focused too much on parties and party leaders, instead of real issues and opportunities. But flawed or not, our democratic process is the best option we’ve got for making a difference.
Word has it amongst the experts in such things, that it’s going to be a real down and dirty campaign, with tons of mud (to use the polite term) flung around to obscure anything resembling intelligent dialogue and debate. As is becoming increasingly usual, the objective will be to smear your opponent, rather than expose yourself to ridicule with a clearly defined and articulated platform.
Love him or hate him, there aren’t too many politicians out there who haven’t been paying close attention to what’s going on south of the border, orchestrated by the maestro of the outrageous and the controversial (to make a very short list of his virtues) Donald Trump. The populist surge is still in full-freshet, and we can be certain there will be politicians north of the 49th, who will be pulling pages out of the ‘Great Again’ manual.
There’s only so much local media can do to change the tenor and tone of a federal election; but it’s important that we do what we can to raise the profile of Mid-Island candidates, and the implications of their parties’ positions on the issues of the day. Look for increasing coverage in MiF over the coming weeks, and participate by commenting on the stories and suggesting ways MiF coverage can be improved.
Every election is important, but it’s not an overstatement to tag this as the most important a majority of Canadians have faced in their lifetimes. Eighty-two days is not a lot of time to get informed, let’s use it wisely so we’ll know who we’re voting for and why when we go to the polls Oct. 21.
Craig Spence, Editor
