YORKTON - Well Yorktonites it is now up to us to determine the direction of both our city and of the province over the next four years,
In the next few weeks it is our collective responsibility to trek to the polls to determine firstly our new MLA and then the next edition of Yorkton Council.
That we can freely do that rather simple, yet so important a thing – go to a place and mark a ballot in support of a favoured candidate without armed guards at the doors, or threat of reprisal if our ‘X; is on the wrong space is fundamentally what living in a free and democratic country is all about.
That oh so precious right to vote feeling must never be taken for granted, and we are reminded of that every year at this time. We need only look to the banners fluttering on city lamp posts celebrating this who have fought – many dying – to ensure that freedom.
There are still too many countries in the world where people only dream of that right to vote for who they believe will best represent them in determining the future of their community.
The candidates – both municipally and provincially – are to be commended for stepping forward with a willingness to serve. The arena of politics is not an easy place to be with the life of a candidate put under a microscope and the slings and arrows of social media are all too ready to let loose over just about everything.
We of course will not agree with the positions of all, but that too is part of living in a democracy. Differing political views can be shared in public and we the people will choose which ‘vision’ will best serve us over the next term. That does not mean we should condemn others for their views, only that we should chose who we feel will best represent us – hopefully after carefully reviewing positions on key issues and not just because Dad voted a certain way, or candidate Bill in on the same rec hockey team. Our collective future deserves more than such things being reason to cast a vote a certain way.
At times it does feel like our votes are lost – our chosen candidate not winning, or later straying from what was promised on the campaign trail, but by marking that ‘X’ we were part of a core principle of our democracy, and remain part of the effort to maintain what we must cherish – our right to vote. So please use that right and head to the polls.
