Orleans Weekly Journal
Published: Friday, September 26, 2008

Dancing on a razor's edge 

We are now in the homestretch of the federal election campaign. The leaders’ debates take place next week and locally, campaigns are in full swing with multiple canvasses, phone banks and sign crews out and about.

As I noted a few weeks back, various issues affect how we vote, from party and national leader preference to single issue interests to who we think can best represent us in Parliament. It’s a complex choice and we all weigh these factors differently.

In perusing our candidates’ websites and literature, some key local issues have emerged: leadership style, economic development, transportation and community safety.

Incumbent Conservative MP Royal Galipeau views himself as a servant-leader. In other words, serving constituents (passport needs, immigration and EI issues, etc) and being their ombudsman and navigator to address their issues with the federal government.

Meanwhile, his Liberal challenger Marc Godbout is countering with the ‘Elect a Real Leader’ slogan on his signs. While you may view this as partisan, in my world, real leaders don’t boast like this about themselves; they simply get the job done. But I’m just one vote.

Local economic development is also a key issue. Who is best positioned to use their seat as a federal MP to stimulate local investment, diversification and job growth in our community? And it has to be more than government or para-public sector jobs over the long run.

Next up is the transportation file. And while it is largely a municipal issue, funding and even suasion from the federal government level is necessary, especially as it concerns mass transit. Which of the candidates do you believe is best positioned to work with our local councillors? And which one actually understands what council has decided about light rail?

Finally, we have the issue of everyday public safety. If I had a dime for every voter in 2004 that told me about graffiti in the community, punks – as opposed to harmless teens – hanging out at the mall or convenience store and the smirks on their faces or just their general feeling of unease when walking their dog at dusk, my mortgage would be paid. Candidates ignore this issue of local safety at their own peril.

As for local election fictions, the most common misconception about our riding is in the cross-town and national media belief that most, if not all, local francophones vote Liberal. The national scribes tell me this is what beat me, and the lack of a French surname, in 2004. This is hogwash and insulting in the extreme to our French-speaking neighbours and friends to lump them in a pre-determined voting block is offensive.

What is likely the most underestimated factor in our riding is the impact of the public service vote. These voters do delve into the platforms of the major parties to determine which party will best utilize their talents and strengths in their various departments and agencies.