Tag: elections

Voter Turn Out: Maybe it’s Higher Than You Think! #bcpoli #canpoli #surrey #itsrasodetime

There are days when everybody feels like this, sadly they are becoming more frequent!

As I sit at meetings or walk and talk with people the discussion always seems to be the same.

It revolves around the theme of lack of involvement by either voters, younger people or volunteers.

I have friends in all walks of politics and this is a problem that is common to everybody.

Why don’t people vote they ask? Why aren’t young people getting involved?

I think people are involved, just differently than vote counters are accustomed to.

People are crying our for fiscally,socially and morally responsible politicians.

They want to know that their vote matters,that the people they elect will vote how their constituents feel. ( Not the party or the slate way)

They need to know that when politicians campaign on openness and accountability that they mean what they say.

They want to be consulted before major decisions are made. ( As do some politicians too!)

Right now that doesn’t happen.

Need an example? Time and time again all politicians refuse to show their expense receipts.

How big a deal would that really be?

They don’t want politicians to take advantage of the rules even though there are loopholes that make it okay. ( See any number of articles that reference taking a spouse on a taxpayer-funded trip).

So maybe just maybe those missing people are voting, just in a way the world is not accustomed.

Maybe (people) are voting with their feet and maybe voter turnout should be counted differently.

As in voter turnout was 100% but only 35% bothered to use a pencil.

Over the next couple of years we face elections in this country that range from municipal, provincial to federal.

We need to evaluate our choices more than ever.

We need honest, moral people willing to play leading roles in their community.

Leading roles that not only encourage young people to volunteer and vote but also to grow up and be the kind of politician we all want and need.

We also need to encourage those folks who vote with their feet rather than the traditional way in the booth.

I’ll do my part to help.

I’ll use this space to help evaluate both the good and the bad leading up to those elections no matter what the political stripe.

It’s why I’ll stand on my soap box , megaphone in hand being a shameless self promoter of those folks that represent the best interest of the voting public. ( My megaphone is very social and it can be heard on Facebook and Twitter)

It’s why I say It’s Rasode Time and you should too!

The Great Debate About All Candidate Debates!

With Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi calling out Conservative Candidate Joan Crockatt for not participating in a by-election all candidates debate, I thought today would be a great time to tell you where I stand on all candidates debates during elections.

As some one who has been fortunate to participate in politics and live in a lot of major centres in Canada I can tell you that these debates all have one thing in common.

It is this: They are a waste of time!

The first thing you would see if you went to one would be all the wanna be politicos,campaign managers, candidates and party volunteers.

What you would be hard pressed to find would be actual voters who want to learn about the issues.

The reason for this is that these debates are stacked with political volunteers who ask their candidates softball questions to make them look good. Most people know that.

The average person get their news from the internet because there is no time to give up 2 or 3 hours for a partisan debate.

If you are the frontrunner( no matter what party) it is a night of all three parties ganging up on you.

Another thing, in my experience is that everybody and their dog wants to host a debate.

In the last federal election I can recall being invited to at least 8.Most of these are devised by people or groups whose sole reason for being is one issue.

Do I ever recommend candidates participate in an all candidates debate? If it is hosted by a Chamber of Commerce or Board of Trade then yes. They are mediated properly and keep partisan bs to a minimum.

In truth and in fact, politicians and voters would be much better of engaging on the door step.

Firstly a candidate will reach more voters by door knocking.

Secondly,the discerning voter can ask the questions they want answers to and demand an answer. Most good candidates will either know the answer or if they don’t say so and promise to get back to you.

All candidates Debates? They are a big waste of time and Naheed Nenshi made my case for me.

Quebec Debates Kickoff Fall Election Season-Time for Renewal !

What would BC look like if Gordon Campbell had been limited to two terms?

Elections are always a time of renewal.

The electorate whether its National, International,Provincial,Municipal or just at the riding or board level get a chance to review and evaluate the people carrying out the jobs they were elected to do.

This fall there are by-elections in Ontario ( which could lead to a provincial election depending upon the results) a provincial election in Quebec, several Annual General meetings and of course the U.S. Presidential election.

When I hear parties that get hammered at the ballot box say it’s time to take a deep look at ourselves and commit to a renewal program I just shake my head.

If there were term limits right down to the volunteer level, renewal would be a constant process.

As a rule there isn’t and as a consequence the same people tend to get elected to the positions over an over again.

Not only does this lead to what I call empire building and other assorted sleazy BS, but it stifles growth because people who would like to get involved don’t because they think their chances of getting elected are slim.

This is one of the things I like about U.S. politics who have term limits right up to the President.

From a voters point of view if you don’t get what you were promised short of recall, it provides at least a window of relief.

I have been an EDA president Federally with the Conservative Party of Canada and I left after two years because I think, although they have 3 year terms, two years was plenty.

Provincially same thing,although there are no term limits, I announced to the board in June I was not standing for a directors position and that I would serve out my term and get involved in other areas.

People going to an Annual General Meeting have the best chance to start the renewal process. instead of simply voting for the same people over and over listen to what the new folks have to say. Ask those that run year after year what exactly they have done to make the process better. This is your chance to hold those you voted for previously accountable. It is you chance to renew and revitalize your party from the ground up!

Think about Municipal elections, the same people run over and over again. How many new ideas get stifled because there aren’t enough new faces to inject something different into the discussion.How many good people don’t bother to run? How many newspapers tell you at election time that one spot opened up.( it’s an election; all spots should be open)

As far as MLA’s and MP’s go, two terms is sufficient for the reasons mentioned above plus the associated saving with the so-called gold-plated pensions. ( remember too some of these people have been MLA s a lot longer than 3 years because they started in opposition)

Imagine if you will that Gordon Campbell had been limited to two terms. How different might the last election have been under a new BC Liberal leader.Imagine again in 2009, new people in both the NDP and the BC Liberals running to be MLAs instead of the same old.

What would the political landscape in BC look-like today if that had taken place?

What do you think, would term limits be worth looking at in Canada?