Orléans Star
Published: Friday, April 2, 2010

Understand, then be understood

We are now less than seven months until election day (Oct. 25) and some 50 folks have already registered to run including eight candidates for mayor and another 42 vying for spots on city council. The task for first-time candidates is daunting.

When only 30 per cent to 40 per cent of voters bother to cast a municipal ballot, this appalling apathy combined with incumbency advantages such as name recognition, community organization, access to fundraising resources and knowledge of local issues conspire to make it very difficult to effect turnover on city council. Nonetheless, at least 50 brave folks, to date, across our city are willing to try.

Moreover, Fair Chance, a non-partisan organization – founded by the likes of former Ottawa Mayor Jackie Holzman, former A-News anchor Sandra Blaikie, former Liberal Cabinet Minister Jean-Jacques Blais and former Ottawa Hospital Chief of Staff Dr. Chris Carruthers – is offering monthly workshops to newcomer candidates to help them even up the odds. It was my privilege to speak at their most recent workshop on March 27 and I was happy to see aspirants for local east end council seats in attendance.

A political campaign at the best of times resembles organized chaos so I chose to encourage the wannabe politicians to focus on and excel at those parts of their campaign over which they can exercise control.

First and foremost, listen, listen and listen: seek first to understand, then to be understood. While there may be a yearning hunger for change at City Hall, voters likely don’t want candidates banging on their door every night this spring in the run-up to October’s vote. And if candidates do want to start canvassing, a simple door knock or community appearance event should be confined to 17 words or less such as, “Hi, my name is Mike (or Marie or Marwan) Candidate, I’m running for City Hall, what issues are important to you?”, should suffice.

Next up, as I’ve written before, candidates must do their research and homework; it’s a process, not a one-time task. Get out to council or committee meetings to learn the issues, surf the city website and dig up past coverage and voting records. As well, learning by observation in the community – at the graffiti tagged mailbox, the community centre or transit station – is essential.

Third, seek out places where people gather and talk local politics and services, whether it be the mall, Tim Horton’s, or your neighbour’s driveway... and listen some more.

Finally, when candidates are ready to start communicating their ideas, I encouraged them to participate in as many all candidates debates/forums as possible and to strongly encourage local business groups and community associations to provide these opportunities.

Time will now tell whether they follow this advice. As for your vote this October, I can only hope you favour those candidates who sought to understand you first before asking you to understand them. And above all else, please vote on October 25.