I can understand why many citizens think voting is a waste of time. Graham Thomson picks up on this theme in his column today and chastises citizen indifference to our democracy. As my friend Stephen Murgatroyd likes to say, "It doesn't matter who you vote for, the government always get in." Regular readers know I like to say "The world is run by those who show up."
I feel very strongly that our democracy is not only in deficit, it is in danger. Our political culture has become a manipulation of misleading messages driven by aggression and adversarial anger. I am occasionally accused of feeding the culture of aggression with my comments and concerns about the decline of civility and greater purpose in out politics. I know that is true at times but the escalating verbal violence and contempt for values perpetrated by Stephen Harper is pure bullying and must be opposed.
Caring compassion and taking responsibility for something greater than self interest is seen by many activist political Libertarians as the weak actions of chumps. We see collaboration and cooperation as lesser values than the winners and losers culture of pure market place competition. It is a very dangerous and simplistic view of how we must face a globalized interdependent networked reality of the world we now live in. We have complex problems that simplistic approaches create more harm than workable solutions.
We see humility in political leadership as a weakness not a brave act of quality character. Wisdom is mocked as aggressive action is elevated as a more appropriate response to our intractable problems. We need to elect politicians and value leaders who can step out of rigid ideological positions. We need a political culture of curiosity and possibility not dogma and doctrine. We need decision maker who have respect for different perspectives and can actually see, value and adopt different inputs as appropriate.
Democracy in Alberta and especially in Canada is broken. Albertans are taken for granted by the Harper government. It is our fault. It will only be fixed if we citizens take back control of democracy in Alberta. We can't afford to defer to a power hungry politician like Stephen Harper who show consistent contempt for Canadian/Albertan democratic values. Danny Williams of Newfoundland and Labrador knew this last election when, as a Progressive Conservative, he headed his ABC (Anybody But Conservative) campaign. It is time for the rest of Canada to see that values and character count in politics. We need a government that we can respect and that respects us. This is the election to heed Danny Williams and make that change happen in Alberta this election. Don't settle for second class citizenship. Send Harper a message that he con no longer take our support for granted.
I agree that our democracy is threatened by apathy and indifference. We will get the government that we deserve as a result.
ReplyDeleteI believe we need to engage in reasoned dialogue rather than policy by sound bite. For myself I take the position that if I engage in the debate and cast my vote then I have the right to an opinion about the outcome.
It is really interesting to challenge someone who complains about the government with "Did you vote?" and when the answer is "I didn't have time." "I forgot" etc. Then I can say "You must be happy with the outcome and should not complain"
Taking back the discourse requires that we have an impact on the process. When a candidate says attack ads work, point out that shooting someone in the back is very effective, but it's regarded, pretty much universally, as the ultimate cowardice. Then ask - will cowards produce good government?
ReplyDeleteTHE ONE CANADIAN INVISIBLE CRISIS POVERTY PETITION To the Honorable the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled. The petition of the undersigned who now avail themselves of their ancient and undoubted right. Thus to present a grievance common to your petitioners in certain assurance that your honorable House will therefore provide a remedy, humbly sheweth. Benefits and supports that allow all Canadians to live with dignity is a human right. ensure that Canada complies with its Human rights obligations pursuant to the international Covenant on Economic, Social, and cultural rights
ReplyDeleteYOUR PETITIONERS URGE immediate adjustments to: low income cut offs, multi-jurisictional support services, transfers, social benefits, action programs, asset building for: Farmers, Small Business, Minimum Wage Earners, Student's Tuitions, Disability, CPP, OAS, SFI, MEP, NCTB, CDPP, Increases to even the lowest citizen beyond mere survival to a more generous market basket would provide relief being sought from a burdensome situation The cruel and unusual punishment of the invisible crisis: poverty and family security.Love thy neighbor is ours to govern.
We humbly shewth Wellness and Dignity within Reach.
THEREFORE “and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever Request ”.by majority vote today by an enactment of a measure: asset building 0% mortgages & small business loans plus an indirect initiative 100% Increase to supports and benefits for our most vulnerable citizens. Whom, today are facing the invisible crisis of poverty and family insecurity. NAME FULL ADDRESS p.o SIGNATURE print and send
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To all of those who don't vote because "nothing ever changes", I say this: nothing changes because you, and far too many others, didn't vote. If in the 2008 provincial election every one of the 60% of Albertans that didn't vote had in fact gone out and voted for someone other than the Stelmach Conservatives, the outcome would have been dramatically different than it was. The same is true at the federal level.
ReplyDeleteThe Harper Conservatives have been accused of taking Alberta for granted, but since federal voter turnouts in this province are not much better than those at the provincial level, and since the HarperCons could run a mailbox as their candidate and expect it to be elected (except maybe in parts of Edmonton), they have no reason not to do so. If the non-voters instead turned out and voted for someone else, this wouldn't happen.