I agree with Tuesday’s editorial commentary on elections.
We need “to demand more honesty” from politicians and government. We also need to demand responsible behaviour and our right to know what is going on without the need to file numerous Freedom of Information requests.
Downloading costs to lower levels of government or avoiding dealing with the problems is not the actions of a responsible government.
Politicians need to be reminded that the dollars they spend on big raises or building public monuments to themselves and their egos are not monopoly money but dollars earned by taxpayers through hard work.
We need to remind our local MPs and MLAs that they are not there to serve the best interests of the political parties they belong to, but to serve the best interests of the people who elected them to look after their (the citizen’s) best interests.
No federal Conservative in BC should be re-elected, because of their failure to stand up for their constituents and tell Stephen Harper “NO!” on calling an election that is distracting and so interfering with “November’s municipal campaign, loaded with close-to-home issues that really matter this time.”
Citizens need to join in the (particularly local municipal) debates on issues; priorities; fiscal responsibility; thinking problems, proposed actions and the effects of the actions through; integrity and the fact politicians are there as our representatives and to act in citizens best interests – not their own or a political party’s interests/agenda.
Perhaps it is also time for citizens to remember that we are not limited to voting for the poor and limited choices offered by political parties or politicians.
We have the right to encourage people we think would make good city councillors, mayors, MLAs or MPs to put their names forward for office, to work to elect them and to vote for them. It is not nearly as easy as just going with whatever is offered. But it will/would ensure we get people who represent us, send a loud message to all public officials and “…reclaim the power at the polls.”
“enough is enough.”