Thursday, October 3, 2019 ~ West Shore Voice News
EDITORIAL: by Mary P Brooke, Editor, West Shore Voice News
It’s not a new civic discussion — especially federally — as to whether your vote at the ballot box is for the party or for the candidate in your local riding.
For the federal election coming up October 21, there is also the dramatic consideration of party leader as well. Not just for representation of their party’s policies and interests (and your expectations of that party), but their representation of Canada on the world stage. A prime minister does more than photo ops; there is also the background leadership that filters into management of the cabinet and team, trade negotiations, and international diplomatic relations.
As well, this time around: which party would you like to see as the ‘balancing act’ in a much-predicted Liberal or Conservative minority government? Choices there are considered to be either the NDP (taking the broad strokes on social justice) or the Greens (which would inject the climate crisis consideration into many a debate and possibly hold up or defeat votes in the House of Commons).
Despite all the media events, community gatherings, all candidates meetings, signage, ads and more that are directed at swaying voters, how much of the voting pool is really undecided? A voter’s allegiance to a party (whether card-carrying or not) is based on core values and beliefs. Those sorts of things don’t often change too dramatically. So if you usually vote Conservative because you believe in free market forces but you want a softer social edge, you might swing red if the Liberals offer enough business strength. And if you’re NDP but you like what the Liberals have done socioculturally the last four years, you might swing red. If you’ve been NDP and you feel the Greens have a stronger environmental platform, you might swing away from orange this time around.
If you’re a new voter (hey there, Z-Genners!) which party will get you the desired socioeconomic shift? Powerful subterranean changes in society began with the Millennials but the match that lights the fire of that groundswell is yours… there’s no turning back for society and the planet, and your generation (ages around 18 to 25 nowadays) embodies the understanding of that: you live it, you are the change itself embodied. For you the brave new climate-saving world is not a choice, it’s in your fibre. The Z-Generation is looking to match up their inner understanding and the connected space they’ve built through social media with the physical world in which we breathe air, have jobs, and raise families.
You might decide about all of that but then wonder if your local party candidate the best fit for your riding. To help you decide: consider their knowledge of the region, their particular career skill set, the areas of community in which they have already demonstrated leadership, and the way they express the key issues through their own filters.
Being a responsible voter is hard work! Part of finalizing your voting choice can be assisted by attending as many of the all candidates debates or community gatherings as possible as a way to meet your local candidates in person. That’s where eye contact, how questions are answered, and your own sense of the candidate as a person will be easier to determine. Watching livestreamed events is a next-best option for getting a fuller sense of candidates.
And the power of ads, flyers and websites is not to be underestimated. What’s presented (or not) is indicative of many things.
And if you doubt whether lawn signs work to tip your favour… well, they may not change your vote but they’re a powerful means of boosting the morale of supporters during a campaign.
=========== NOTES:
- This Editorial was first published in the September 27 to 29, 2019 weekend print-PDF digest edition of West Shore Voice News.
- Regional issues as discussed by the candidates in Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke at the ‘west of Sooke’ all candidates meeting on September 29, 2019.
========== CANDIDATES in the west shore (Vancouver Island):
- Cowichan-Malahat-Langford – candidate links, all candidates meetings
- Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke – candidate links, all candidates meetings