The 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, that’s said in every election – to no avail. Last time around, in the 2009 provincial election, only about 50 per cent of voters bothered to cast a vote.
Who is to blame and will things be any different this year? It’s hard to say. Is it negative advertising that turns people off? Some politicians say so and promise a more positive campaign. Will that end indifference or will people turn away from boredom?
Is it helplessness and apathy that keep people away from the polls? Many people simply don’t connect with government.
Why?
Perhaps B.C. voters simply distrust anything politicians say.
Clearly there is a disconnect and the media may have contributed to this malaise by blowing every little incident out of proportion.
As in the story of the boy who cried wolf, many voters simply tune out after a while, yet, sadly, when there is a real issue 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 hijack the results.
The truth is that politicians will only be accountable if held accountable. The public has a right to toss any of them out if they don’t do what they promised, so voters need to pay attention to what politicians say and they need to find out who they are.
Over the next few weeks, the News Bulletin will be covering the region’s ridings with information from local candidates.
The rest is up to you.
– Black Press