I understand your frustration and don’t blame you for being skeptical.
During elections, I am reminded of how divided our city, province and country can be. I entered politics to serve the citizens of this great city and make a difference in their lives. What was confirmed for me is how hard that is to do. What I saw was a stark contrast. Kind and generous on the one hand and the other, a side of this city is ugly, selfish, vindictive and cliquey. Simply put, there are too many camps in our city, only interested in benefiting themselves.
In this election, what matters to me is having an authentic, outcomes-focused, hard-working, kind MP who puts constituents first takes their phone calls, and commits to doing politics differently. Our city and region are full of potential; this will only be realized when we put the majority’s interests ahead of the interests of the few.
Politics has always divided us; however, political operatives have weaponized our fears over the last several years. Information is shared based on polling, often skewed with context missing, meant to make us believe that the author cares. All parties do it, and it needs to stop. Social media has become a tool for sharing information. Some of it is true, some of it missing context or facts, and in some cases, what’s being communicated is outright lies.
Rather than leverage the strengths of the community and political leaders, we get caught up in what divides us and are motivated by personal gains. Why are citizens so frustrated? Because this can seem like an endless loop.
I understand your frustration and don’t blame you for being skeptical. It became a very personal dilemma for me in my role as Mayor. Change who I was, ignore my values, mute myself, essentially be “political” to survive in the ring. I couldn’t stomach the thought of it. Citizens elect their representatives with the fundamental belief that they will work daily to make our city and their lives a better place. We could debate if that is the case and the primary objective or not. What I know is that it’s not the perception of results that matter; it is results.
Yes, the political environment is complex. It lacks clarity of the actual goals, detailed work plans, transparency, accountability and thrives on keeping citizens confused or focused on mediocre. Talking about “What” is incomplete, we need to have political leaders that share the “Why,” “How,” “When” of the issues, and most importantly, what success looks like in the end. This level of detail is often absent or rarely achieved in the areas that matter most.
The people we elect to represent us at all levels of government have an obligation to engage with us in a proactive, meaningful and transparent manner. That means on the telephone, by email, in person, and where most conversations happen today, on social media. As citizens, we expect to hear from you in between elections, as often as we hear from you during elections.
Over the last few months, I spent a lot of time wishing that I could let go and walk away. I’m not sure how my engagement will look like, but I’ve seen too much to stay quiet. Change is challenging and especially in this city; however, we’re at a crossroads. When I arrived at city hall, we were in a mess. It didn’t happen overnight, but each of the councils before my time had an opportunity to address the core issues (low growth, high costs and tax reform) and leave the city in a better place. In my opinion, they didn’t, and much of this could have either been avoided or, at the very least, the barriers we faced could have been shared with citizens more honestly. So much of what happens in the political world is focused on symptoms and busywork instead of fixing issues at their root and moving toward a long-term vision, goals and outcomes.
This past week I was reminded of the existence of the diverging agendas around the council table. This example came from a council member who endorsed a political party and candidate in the upcoming federal election. While this was no surprise, it was inappropriate, against the code of conduct, and a reminder of how often citizens' best interests are placed on the back burner. While some might argue this is not a big deal, there is no place for party politics or special relationships at the council table. In my experience, this has been happening for years and has held our city, and most importantly, its citizens back.
Will we continue to be the region that is full of potential, that didn’t quite get there? Will we continue to struggle with the inequities between those that have and those that don’t? Will we continue to have unhealthy relationships with the province and lack the autonomy we need to chart our path? Will the leaders of this community commit to a vision and outcomes that benefit the majority, embrace transparency and accountability?
The most significant opportunity in our region is for its citizens to become engaged on the issues that matter most, take the current state of frustration, discontentment, fear, and occasional hopelessness, and demand the change needed from our elected officials. It is not the council, provincial members of the legislature or federal representatives that have the power; it is each of us. The question is, will we be the change we seek?
Ok, so if you agree and believe we need change, where do we start? 1) Become informed and engaged on the issues in our city, region and province. How can we implement policies that result in citizens thriving economically, socially and culturally? 2) Engage in face-to-face meetings and lobbying. 3) Message and meet your elected officials. 4) Contact local media, post on social media, podcast, invite friends for policy chats, etc. 5) Get involved in the political process, get to know your local candidates and campaign with someone that aligns with your values. Better yet, run yourself. 6) Most importantly, exercise your right to vote.
On September 20th or before, I urge you to vote; this is a right that we sometimes take for granted and that many around the world don’t enjoy the free right to choose. Does the party offer a balanced approach to the national and global challenges we face, and will the average citizen see their lives improved? Educate yourself on your choices, think about what matters most to you and what kind of city you want to live in, and for me, I think about the characteristics of our local MP. Will they be a kind and genuine person, who speak to constituents, regardless of who they are? Will they work hard to make our region a better place and put their aspirations behind the needs of our community and its citizens? Most of all, vote.
