ESTEVAN - The federal election campaign is underway. The party leaders have been out, trying to generate support in an effort to become Canada’s next prime minister.
We’re finding out the names of the candidates in Souris-Moose Mountain, and we’ll be seeing election campaign signs popping up.
A simple request for the candidates in Souris-Moose Mountain: put in the necessary amount of time. We deserve your best.
It can be easy for candidates in Souris-Moose Mountain to take a lackadaisical attitude towards the election. This riding is a Conservative Party stronghold. It’s been held by a right-of-centre party since 1997. And it would be a pretty significant upset if the Tories’ Robert Kitchen wasn’t re-elected.
But that doesn’t mean that this gives the other candidates a free pass to do nothing.
And besides, we all know that upsets happen in elections. We saw that in Nova Scotia’s provincial election last week. Not many thought the Progressive Conservatives would walk away with a majority.
The people of Souris-Moose Mountain deserve a candidate that cares as much as any other riding.
The trend towards parachute candidates has been growing in recent elections. In the 2011 federal election, all four candidates were residents of Souris-Moose Mountain. In 2015, we had a couple of parachutes, although they at least put in some measure of effort.
In 2019, three of the six candidates were from the riding, although two of the parachutes at least showed up for the debates.
It should also be noted that if you’re not from Souris-Moose Mountain, it’s tough to grasp the issues facing the different areas of the riding, and that the issues facing one area will be completely different from those in another area.
You’re not running for a big-city seat. You can walk from one end of a Toronto riding to the other in less time that it takes to drive from the northeast end to the southwest end of Souris-Moose Mountain.
This is one of the most vast, non-northern constituencies in the country.
The issues facing Rocanville in the northeast corner are completely different than those facing Coronach in the southwest. The issues facing Estevan are completely different than those facing Weyburn, even though the two cities are separated by 84 kilometres.
But still, if you choose to be a candidate in this election, if you want to be a representative of your party, then you need to put in a candidate’s amount of work.
Get out there. Talk to people. Articulate your platforms. Attend the debates.
It’s very difficult to get to all of the communities in the riding during the election, especially during a pandemic. But the candidates should at least try.
As for the residents of the riding, remember to be classy. If a candidate comes to your door, show respect. Don’t insult or ridicule that person, no matter how much you disagree with their politics. Talk to them. Listen to them. Ask them questions.
You don’t have to promise to vote for each person, but there is a right way to go about things.
This is a great constituency with some wonderful people and some terrific communities. It’s also a riding going through a tough transition time, as communities look at a future without conventional coal power, farmers have to endure drought and other weather-related issues, and oil and gas sector workers feel like they don’t have the support of the government. The carbon tax is having negative consequences for many.
And we’re still dealing with the consequences of a pandemic.
Real candidates need to be talking to people about these issues.
The parties that they are representing deserve the absolute best of their candidates. If a candidate can’t provide their best to a party, then it’s a disservice to the party.
And even worse, it’s a disservice to the people of Souris-Moose Mountain.
