Imagine tuning into TSN Sportscentre to get up to speed on your favourite team's latest moves, and you're greeted by this,
"Welcome to Sportscentre! Tonight, we've got all the highlights, but do you know who doesn't? Sportsnet. Did you know Sportsnet hates your team? Did you know if you watch Sportsnet you'll never see the highlights you want? Sportsnet only wants to show highlights of all the other sports, and nothing that you like. Sportsnet has a plan that will hurt everyone. We, at Sportscentre have a plan that will give you all the sports you love. Watch Sportscentre."
And you sit thru it, hoping to actually see some highlights, news, and information on what Sportscentre is touting, but what you get is more of how awful Sportsnet is.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 2014 Provincial Election.
I like to think I have a political mind. I was a Political Science major in university, my father has been a part of local politics for over a decade, and I've voted in every election since my eighteenth birthday.
But this time, it feels...Different.
As the attack ads & special interest groups bombard the electorate with as much hate and venom as possible directed to their opponents, it has become increasingly difficult to find out what a party's election platform truly consists of. You can of course check out each party's website for details, but how much research does the 'average' voter invest in prior to election day? I'd wager most have made up their minds based on the information (or in some cases misinformation) from TV, radio, newspaper, and internet ads.
Well, I decided to dig a little deeper.
I sent the following letter to the local NDP (Sheila Wood), Conservative (Scott Stewart), and Liberal (MPP Jeff Leal) candidates on June 5th:
I know you're fully engrossed in the provincial election campaign, but I was hoping I could ask you for some help.
I'm from a family of political enthusiasts; I've voted in every election for twenty years, my father has been involved in local politics for well over a decade, and many dinner conversations during my formative years were about what was happening at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels of government. I feel I'm informed on the issues facing the province as well as our city, but this election season has left me exhausted as I attempt to wade through the, "attack ads" that are flooding every media outlet. Instead of explaining any details of what a party plans to do if elected, every ad I've seen, heard, and read seems to be all about how evil the opposing party is and how badly they'll damage the province for generations if they're voted in to power. This has resulted in this election feeling less like a privilege and more like a chore.
I was hoping you could help this disenfranchised lifetime voter by explaining what you will do for the Peterborough area if elected, without vague buzzwords and without mentioning any of the shortfalls of your opponents.
I received only one response prior to the June 12th election. Candidate Sheila Wood replied in less than 24 hours:
Hi Bill,
Thanks for the email. I understand the difficulty in making a decision on June 12. There is lot of information our there but sometimes it needs a personal touch to be explained.
The New Democratics have had 3 key main points through out the campaign. 1. Create jobs with our job creation tax credit plan. Which really means as a small to medium size business if you create a job you get a tax credit if not you don't. I believe this is a good plan as it makes the business part of the solution and gives both the employer and employee stability. 2. Make life affordable for all. This really means put money back in the pockets of the people of Ontario by reducing hydro costs, auto insurance and cutting at the top by a very modest roll back of 1%. Involved in this cut back is streamlining many of the positions at the "pink palace" and in a nutshell sharing the wealth..everyone I believe deserves to have a fair wage but I also understand the plight of small business - it is not easy to make a living out there these days. So a reduction in the business tax over the next two years to bring it down to 3% is a balance between wages and bottom line for business. 3. Stop the waste and protect the tax dollars. We will establish a Financial Accountability Office which will review all initiatives and make sure they work for the people of Ontario before they are implemented.
My riding of Peterborough as you know, is very dear to me. As the former General Manager of the DBIA I worked hard to make sure we were given a fair shake and as - your Dad will tell you - I have no fear. I want to see the City and County of Peterborough be prosperous and continue to grow. Having the health unit in the downtown is a priority for me, making sure we have conference center, building up not out, sharing the wealth, keeping schools open not closing, diversity = creativity and making sure our community's voice is heard. As I have said to many people at the door - your office is my office ( backyard, business, farm on the street) it is a privilege to run in the election and to know that we can make a difference by working together. I would have Town Hall meetings with Councillors of the wards ( which I will fund) so that I know what is going on and we are communicating. Just because you are elected doesn't mean you stop knocking on doors.
Please drop by my office at 157 Charlotte Street for our full plan or if you wish give me a shout at
705-741-3244 if you want to chat.
Again thank you for the email and I do hope this helps with your decision on June 12.
Cheers,
Sheila Wood
Candidate, NDP Peterborough Provincial Riding
Why did I not receive responses from the other candidates? Well, I see three scenarios...
1. A computer error did not allow the email to be received.
2. The email was opened and they intended to reply, but got caught up in other campaigning.
3. The email was opened and ignored.
Situation 1 is pretty unlikely, as the internet is how candidates can get their message out and find volunteers to help spread their message. Situation 2 has happened to all of us and an honest mistake, but seems like a reach. In my opinion, Situation 3 is the most likely scenario.
So, what can we conclude from this exercise? Since they were the only party that responded, is the NDP the only party that cares about individual voters? Have the Grits & Tories become so bloated with arrogance that they don't acknowledge the influence of a single voter? Does this represent the futility of the common voter trying to connect with a political party? Or, does this result mean that the campaign machine that is the Liberals and Conservatives is pushing candidates out to press palms in person and they were unavailable to reply to emails due to obligations of getting their message out to more people?
That's the amazing/frustrating thing about politics: You can spin any news any way you want to tell any story you need.
Wanna be part of the story? Make sure you vote on June 12.
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