Edmonton Public School Board Trustee Sue Huff posted a list on her blog of the MLAs who did not show up for the Third Reading of Bill 44. It is an interesting grouping.
The question is why did they not show up? It was a "free vote" or was it? Was Bill 44 a matter for personal conscience or not? Was it just easier to duck out of the vote and go along to get along? How would they have voted had they been able or bothered enough to show up?
Since it was a free vote, would it be too much to ask of those MLAs who failed, refused or neglected to vote why they did not vote? Would it be too much to ask how they would have voted had they not been missing in action on this controversial Bill?
We elect people in a democracy to represent us but that will always be tempered by their own world view and personal beliefs and party discipline. I am fine, to a point. But when we have the Premier saying there is a free vote on Bill 44 and some MLAs don't show up to vote, that means we citizens can legitimately ask some questions of those MLAs. Most critical for we citizens it to know how and understand why they would have voted if they had been able or bothered to vote.
If your MLA did not vote and you are also curious about these questions, why not drop your MLA an email and ask why they didn't vote and if they were there to vote how they would have voted. I think that is vital information for progressives, especially those of us in the PC Party, to know and understand.
My conservative MLA apparently did not show up and vote. E-mailing him would probably be unproductive. He apparently has not even read my e-mail (I included a receipt request) encouraging him to vote against Bill 44. I do not expect a response.
ReplyDeleteI feel your citizenship pain Gary. How many times did you email you MLA on Bill44? Did yo every get a reply or even an acknowledgement that they received your email and were reflecting on it? Who is you MLA BTW?
ReplyDeleteMy MLA Gene Zwozdesky wasn't there and didn't respond to any of my emails or concerns. I also emailed asking why he missed the vote.
ReplyDeleteI also noted 4 Liberals on that list. If they were so opposed to it as a caucus why didn't they all show up? (as little difference as it would have made).
@Ken: I managed to talk to him - used the 310-0000 number. I think he assumed it was an internal call from someone in the government (probably appeared as such on his phone). Followed up with an e-mail a couple of days before the vote (with a receipt request) that outlined more details of the problems associated with Bill 44. Nothing, not even a read-recipt, yet. My MLA is Len Mitzel (Cypress-Medicine Hat).
ReplyDeleteGene is also my MLA. He has not responded to the two emails I sent asking him to not vote for Bill-44. In my second email I asked some very specific questions which have been ignored. It is very disappointing to know that my MLA does not care enough to even respond.
ReplyDeleteSeeing as you are an "insider" why don't you do a quick telephone poll and blog about result. I'm sure the findings would be of interest to your readership.
ReplyDeleteAnon @11:42 - good suggestion. I just think a local contact to an MLA by a constituent and/or PC Party memeber posing the questions will be more effective. I might do a very specific blog post with the key questions that citizens could fowrad a link to the MLAs - your thoughts?
ReplyDeleteHi Ken - Re: my original comment at 11:42, I agree that citizen engagement of politicians is more effective. But considering this exercise is "after the fact" I see this more as information gathering than anything else. Also I wonder about the effectiveness of a campaign where you have to write the questions for other people. I just thought for interest sake, if you had the time to do so, a straw poll of MLAs who weren't in the Leg that night may be quicker. And interesting.
ReplyDeleteIt took a few emails, but I did get a response from my MLA, Ken Allred, prior to the Bill 44 vote. I have not been able to get a response so far regarding why he did not show up for the vote.
ReplyDeleteAnon @10:01 - I think representative and responsible government means citizens, and constitents, in pa;rticular, are entitled to know how and why their elected MLA voted on a key issue.
ReplyDeleteThis is information gathering but it is also about accoutability and transparency time for MLAs too.
We know the answer as to how and why those who voted for Bill 44. In what was announced as a free vote on such a contentious and important issue as public education and discrimination, what was the motiveation for the no-shows.
If the Bill 44 fiasco was pure political pandering and the no show were all about going along to get along, I think citiznes should know that.
If they don't want to tell us anything of the sort, that too will speak volumes.
Full text of response from MLA Ken Allred:
ReplyDelete"I was not on duty that evening and at other commitments. I support Bill 44 as amended."
Thx Tim - that is all we would want from a no-show MLA. If Ken were there he would have voted for it.
ReplyDelete