Wake up

Voter turnout has been dismal of late—and there’s every indication in the early stages of Campaign ’11 that it may dip even lower when Canadians head back to the polls on May 2.
Sure, part of the problem is voter fatigue. We’re now into our fourth election in seven years and many are feeling that little will have changed once the ballots are tallied up, so why bother?
It doesn’t help, either, that the Conservatives immediately labelled it an “unnecessary election” and, by extension, a colossal waste of money, which clearly served to fuel growing voter disdain for the whole process while conveniently masking the fact the government had lost the confidence of the House of Commons over charges of contempt of Parliament.
Couple that with the incessant fear-mongering, finger-pointing, and flip-flopping over hypothetical coalitions, which so far has trumped debate on the real issues facing Canadians, and it’s no wonder more and more voters are opting to tune out completely.
That has to change—and fast. It’s time for voters to reclaim the political process; to demand the parties and candidates address what’s important to us, not the other way around, over the next four-and-a-half weeks.
It’s time for voters to care about what goes on in Ottawa; to remain vigilant against the erosion of principles we hold dear. To use our power to demand the government, whatever its political stripe, be accountable, transparent, and effective—and to not abandon its promises once elected.
Most important, it’s time for voters to take responsibility for voting for a party or particular candidate, rather than settling on the “lesser of three evils,” as has seemed to be the case of late. Simply put, that isn’t good enough. We deserve better. Our country deserves better.
The only way that will change, though, is if we make it happen. If we stand up and say, “Show us why you deserve our vote,” instead of being told why we shouldn’t vote for the other candidates. If we say no to attack ads, hollow promises, and overblown rhetoric during the campaign.
Voter apathy threatens the very future of our political institutions and democratic ideals. It’s time to wake up and defend them.