As this marathon of an election finally comes to a close we can’t help but ponder what this next chapter in Canadian history will look like.
Early predictions warned of voter fatigue and burnout but we saw the opposite during town hall meetings and all-candidate forums.
This tight political race, both on the national stage and in our own two West Shore ridings, among others on the Island and in the province, seemed to captivate the attention of voters. It inspires comment and dialogue, two things that often get overlooked in the political process. We hope this trend will continue.
West Shore residents voiced their concerns on the issues closest to their hearts. We heard many healthily narratives about the environment, economy, child care and climate change, among others. We know how much these issues matter to our readers and moving forward we hope that will inspire movement on the national stage.
And residents will soon get their chance to let their member of parliament know what issues they want addressed in Ottawa. They will have their chance to help shape national policy before it effect the West Shore and its residents in more ways than one.
At least we hope West Shore residents will get their say.
Residents have indicated on many different levels that they want change in the way our federal government operates. They no longer want the adversarial framework that the government has historically fashioned.
Voters want to see collaboration among the parties to make Canada the best it can be. What has fatigued voters’ interest in this election is attack ads, bickering, bullying and name calling. Parliament isn’t a playground and these aren’t the values we want taught to our children or broadcast around the world.
Our politicians are supposed to be leaders. And Canadians have asked them to stand up to that role.
But only time will tell us if Ottawa is ready to change. If not, we may be back at the polls sooner than we all believe.