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| CARTOON - August 19, 2008 |
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| EDITORIAL - August 19, 2008 |
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| Let the voter pick |
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Post Staff
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Ahh, it’s election time again in Alberta. With the Metis Nation of Alberta elections just over a week away, the camps are throwing out information and accusations, trying to find media partners to espouse their plans for the future of their people.
Unfortunately, the only people really passionate about this information, or mis-information, are the players themselves. Some are fighting for re-election, others are fighting to take over a new seat. For the average voter, the in-fighting leading up to the election isn’t giving them any more passion to race to the polling stations and cast a ballot. In fact, the actions of the incumbents and new candidates run the risk of having an opposite effect.
In a province where voter turnout for the last provincial election hit an all-time low, and within a community where municipal elections have garnered waning interest, no candidate in the upcoming Metis Nation elections can afford to turn-off any members of the electorate. But it may be too late.
In-fighting, bickering and name-calling will leave a poor taste in the mouths of voters no matter what political stripe they carry.
What is happening now, with questions about financial viability of a private company within the fold of the Metis Nation’s Region One, is putting many candidates on a slippery slope. An old adage that says, "Is this the hill we are going to die on?," rings true in this instance. With all the effort being expended to prove that Metco’s finances are questionable, other issues are being ignored.
Yes, the average voter wants to know that their money is being used correctly. Of course, voters in this region of the Metis Nation want to make sure that if they are eligible for assistance or funding from the government, they will get it, but that is a matter best left for bean-counters and government officials to determine. If there is any wrong-doing, surely federal departments with ties to Metis funding will unravel the facts, chew through the speculation and come up with the answers.
What the candidates need to do is earn votes, earn trust and earn respect. By fighting with each other in a very public forum, they are not only hurting their chances for getting into office, they are also undermining the intelligence of many educated voters. Those who care, know what’s going on in their community and will vote accordingly. |
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