You could hear a collective groan from Canadians last week when opposition parties toppled the Conservatives in Ottawa. The fourth election since 2004 has very few average folks jumping for joy about going to the polls on May 2.
It might be different if major change was afoot. If we knew there was a real chance of a Tory majority or a Liberal upset, voters might get fired up. If we knew there was a possibility that our daily lives were going to be significantly impacted by decisions made by the federal government, passion might be spurred. Unfortunately, come May 3 life might not be vastly different.
Closer to home in the Southern Interior, there’s even less to get excited about. There might be some sparks between solidly rooted NDP incumbent Alex Atamanenko and scrappy Tory challenger Stephen Hill over the next few weeks. But a pair of parachute candidates for the Liberals and Greens make the race much less inspiring.
Add to the mix the cost. This exercise will cost taxpayers in the range of $300 million. Though a pretty decent job creation strategy, that’s a heavy bag of coin that could be dispersed elsewhere.
Plenty to be cynical about, but that’s not our approach. The Nelson Star is heading into the next five weeks with our glass half full. After all, elections are one of the great opportunities for newspapers to prove their mettle. We do our best to assist voters in getting as much information as possible to help mark that X on decision day.
Having an opportunity to partake in democracy is sacred and should never be taken for granted. Over the next few weeks we will get a chance to listen to the people who will make decisions on our behalf — however far removed it may seem — in Ottawa. It’s vital we take the time to see what they have to offer.
You may not be jumping for joy, but you should be prepared to make your mark on Canada’s political landscape come May 2.
—Nelson Star