If you are a faithful reader of this column, you may recall that I have spoken of the need for Canadians to get more involved in nomination races, "the election before the election". Well my friends, the time has come: as of last Thursday, the nomination opened for Dick Harris's seat, Cariboo-Prince George, and there are already several contenders. I will leave the profiling of various nominee hopefuls to the reporters. My concern is you, the voters, specifically that you exercise your rights as a voter: buy a membership, demand a debate, and choose the next Member of Parliament for Cariboo-Prince George.
I'm not going to sugar coat this folks: the next member for this riding will be a Conservative, as that is the way the riding has swung for a generation. The only question that remains is who will it be, and in that matter you actually have quite a bit of say.
Before the election in 2015, there will be a nomination race, currently scheduled for December 2014. But to have any voice at that meeting, you must fill out a membership form and pay lip service to "Harper and friends" with a fee of 15 dollars before November 20th, 2014. You can do all of this at https://donate.conservative.ca/membership or call 1-866-808-8407. Once you have mortgaged your political soul for less than twenty dollars, you have the right to attend the nomination meeting and mark an x next to your favorite candidate.
This is where your rights as a voter multiply. This nominee, barring a tragic accident or insurmountable scandal, will sit as your Member of Parliament for as long as twenty years. Where a particular nominee stands on everything from resource development to daycare to taxation to senate appointments is relevant and worth investigating vigorously. That is why there needs to be a debate before the November 20th deadline, so people can be more informed about the candidates before they become members or pick a favorite. Also, this is only fair to the wider public of Cariboo-Prince George, as it forces each nominee to state their position on various issues before they can excuse their words as "intended for party members only". They will be everyone's Member of Parliament next year, so they ought to sound and act like it right now, with policies and promises that benefit a majority of voters. Full stop.
Don't forget that you can add weight to your ballot by signing up your friends and family, as long as their 14 years old and a permanent resident of Canada, as well as Cariboo-Prince George. Tell them how important this vote is and make a plan to drive to the debate and the nomination meeting together. Also, the more people you sign up in your household the more you'll get back in taxes, as federal political memberships are tax deductible.
And just in case I haven't made myself clear, let me state one last time without caveat that this vote is more important than the election in a year's time. The fact is that many people are fixed in their ways at the voting booth, and elections have become about motivating "the base" not reaching out to new voters. Furthermore it's hard to get excited about parties and leaders who all live and work far from our own neighbourhoods, churches, and jobsites; it doesn't often feel like what they do affects us here at home.
But the person who represents you is much more local, and their attitude and past experience are paramount to your well-being. There are already several contenders in this race, some of whom you will find attractive and others you won't like at all. Make your voice heard and take advantage of the privileges of party membership. This is the new reality of Canadian politics, and the sooner we understand that, the sooner we can have a more effective say in Ottawa.
