As we watch the enfolding scenarios, on Parliament Hill and our provincial legislature, the question of our "so called" representatives in our riding remains.
How do they know what we (the majority) want? Who do they consult (if at all) to see what we want? Do they assume many things and tell us what we want?
I know that asking the general populace about certain questions can be expensive and plebiscites are awkward, but today with the advent of the computer, we could participate in the decision making of the government quite easily and inexpensively.
For those that have no computers or the skills to use them, there are certainly public access at libraries. There are many people that could help those that wish to weigh in on decisions proposed by the government.
The point I'm trying to make, is that we the majority have only a small window of freedom; and that is the split second it takes to mark our ballot. After that we are at the mercy of the politicians and their ways of doing business. The party controls its members and the individual elected member has very little leeway to represent us.
They have to follow the party line or else they get hung out to dry and become ineffective.
I believe that every elected member must represent his/her riding regardless of the party line, and ask their electors what they want and what they think of proposed bills or decisions that are contemplated by the assembly in government. They must bring the collected result to the floor of the legislature. Then and only then are we represented in government.
The way it is now, we watch on the sidelines, as the party decides for us what we want and spends enormous amounts of our tax dollars to convince us that we need this.
What a waste of time, money, and resources to promote something the party has concocted in its diminutive collective brain. How much effort did it take to undo the HST, and how futile the majority's voice?
At the same time the government bows to special interest groups who make loud noises and rattle their swords. The majority is confined to the round file.
Alexis Maikapar
Prince George
