Dear neighbours, In light of MP Marilyn Gladu’s floor-crossing, it seems that everyone’s looking for a scapegoat. But has anyone asked how we as constituents contributed to this outcome in […]
Dear neighbours,
In light of MP Marilyn Gladu’s floor-crossing, it seems that everyone’s looking for a scapegoat. But has anyone asked how we as constituents contributed to this outcome in the first place?
It’s easy to point fingers, but if the answer is, “This person wasn’t truly one of us,” then I’m sorry to say we’ll likely get hoodwinked again.
Party candidates are there to sell a brand. They are puppets, no matter their stripes. Good puppets, who use their personal charisma and skills to sell you the brand.
And these brands, at their worst, can be dangerous. They feed on our hopes and fears to sell an illusion and consolidate power.
The real test of whether we are let down by our representatives or not is THEIR CHARACTER: Are they honest, or do they say one thing in front of one group, and another to others? Are they known to be opportunistic in their close circles? How are they in their business dealings? How do they function in rooms with those who think differently than them? Are they negotiators or do they walk away? What practical things do they do to ensure the community gets ahead?
There was a line that I heard too often during the last federal campaign: “They are the best candidate for this community, but I have to support X party at this time.”
Party politics isn’t going anywhere. Alliances naturally occur with diverse values, and it’s important to set them apart. However, it shouldn’t be the sole standard.
Picking integrity and principled-character (over their flavour) might actually get us somewhere and ensure that the decisions our representatives make are something the majority can get behind.
As we enter the municipal campaign season, we are fortunate that our candidates run as independents. But, make no mistake, the ones who use a brand to cling onto voters will wave all the bells and whistles and regurgitate rhetoric, to count on us to ignore their principles – or lack thereof.
Assess behaviour. Assess risks. Assess integrity.
Because once the vote is over, that is who we’re married to, for better – and especially- for worse.
