opinion
6 www.peacearchnews.com
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 Peace Arch News
Peace Arch News Published at South Surrey by Black Press Ltd.
editorial
Be informed, then vote
T
he 2013 provincial election will be one of the most important in a generation. At a time when the economy appears to be in slow motion, yet demands on the public purse are increasing, voters need to pay attention to who’s running. Of course, it’s the same for every election – to little avail. In the 2009 provincial election, only about 50 per cent of eligible voters bothered to cast a vote. Who is to blame and will things be any different this year? Is it helplessness and apathy that keep people away from the polls? Many people simply don’t connect with government. And many who do vote do so strategically to keep one person or party out, rather than trying to vote someone in whom they believe in. Perhaps B.C. voters simply distrust anything politicians say. When there is a real issue, such as lack of funding for health care or education or transit, many eligible voters simply don’t see the connection between their vote and government policy. Instead, they leave the field to special interest groups – business, unions, lobbyists – to influence the results. The truth is that politicians will only be accountable if we hold them accountable. We have a right to toss any of them out if they don’t do what they promised. Those who abstain from casting a ballot are also taking a big risk that those who do vote agree with their points of view. “To all the potential voters who plan not to vote: I want to thank you for your blind faith in me that I will make the right choice for you,” wrote Jerry Steinberg in a letter to the editor earlier this month. “Your confidence in my intelligence, research, priorities and wisdom is gratifying.” Over the past several weeks, Peace Arch News has covered this community’s ridings – Surrey-White Rock, Surrey-Cloverdale and Surrey-Panorama – with information on our local candidates and their political parties. You can learn their positions on issues – both local and provincial – examine their profiles, and read – in their own words – what they think is important, and what they intend to do about it if elected. It’s important information to have before heading to the polls today. Of course, more critical than who you vote for – and for whatever reasons you choose – is that you actually cast a ballot.
?
question week of the
Things you can’t say in elections
V
ICTORIA – Another election his opponents immediately portrayed it campaign has come and gone, that way, and media seized on the conflict with the ritual posturing of despite the factual inaccuracy. political parties and most news media West Vancouver-Capilano MLA Ralph searching for anything they can Sultan had a similar experience portray as a conflict. when he referred to his study Tom Fletcher Now comes the time to wonder of poverty in that affluent area. why not enough people cared, He noted that there was a high or informed themselves about correlation between single the real problems of running this parenthood and kids in poverty. $40 billion corporation called Picking on single mums, his the B.C. government. detractors exclaimed, and that’s Why would they, when the what got reported. whole thing is presented as a The BC Conservatives kicked combination of beauty contest their Boundary-Similkameen and sports event, with endless candidate out of the party discussion of polls and “attack because he wrote an article ads” and who’s ahead and what’s saying women shouldn’t choose the score? to be single mothers. Again we have seen the truth You can talk about child of former prime minister Kim Campbell’s poverty, as long as you only discuss it observation that elections are no time to based on federal statistics that do not talk about serious issues. Indeed, there measure poverty. Christy Clark started are some things you can’t speak of at all. doing this as soon as she became BC Peace River North MLA Pat Pimm Liberal leader, one of several issues where caused a stir at a candidates’ debate when she dispensed with the facts and tried to he referred to constituents’ concerns that copy a popular NDP stance instead. disabled children can cause difficulties in She was all about families, which can of classrooms. course be single people, single parents or He didn’t say classrooms should be pretty well anything you want them to be. segregated, although that’s a discussion In fact, the decline of the traditional worth having. He didn’t deny the need for family and the abdication of more support for special-needs kids. But responsibility by many parents, fathers
BC views
Rita Walters Publisher
200 - 2411 160 Street., Surrey, B.C. V3S 0C8 Phone: 604-531-1711 Circulation: 604-542-7430 Classified: 604-575-5555 Fax: 604-531-7977 Web: www.peacearchnews.com
Do you answer telephone opinion polls? Vote online at www.peacearchnews.com
Lance Peverley Editor
Marilou Pasion Circulation manager
James Chmelyk Creative Services manager
2010
Member CCNA
2010 WINNER
So far this week you’ve said…
yes 83% no 17% 102 responding
in particular, are central factors in the problem of poor and neglected children. But you can’t talk about that, at least not during elections. Whole areas of political discussion have devolved into euphemisms that are chosen because they can’t be defined. Everybody’s in favour of “affordable housing,” for instance. What they won’t admit is that this is code for subsidized housing, because then they would have to talk about how much the subsidy is, and who has to pay for it. Good grief, that might raise the question of whether the state should be taking money away from some people and giving it to others so they can live where they otherwise couldn’t afford to live. We even have rules preventing the media from reporting polls today, on election day. People might be influenced by this, you see. If you tell them Party X is far ahead, they might stay home and mow the lawn instead. If you tell them someone is making a comeback, they might change their vote because they want to be on the winning side, or the one that has “momentum.” Just like any other sport. The news media are steadily losing influence with the public. There are many factors involved, including the vast array of information sources that are available at most people’s fingertips. Another factor is treating the public like they’re idiots. Tom Fletcher is legislative reporter and columnist for Black Press. tfletcher@blackpress.ca The Peace Arch News is a member of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about the conduct of member newspapers. Directors oversee the mediation of complaints, with input from both the newspaper and the complaint holder. If talking with the editor or publisher does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the B.C. Press Council. Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent within 45 days to B.C. Press Council, 201 Selby street, Nanaimo, B.C., V9R-2R2. For information, phone 888-687-2213 or go to www. bcpresscouncil.org