Orleans Weekly Journal
Published: Friday, October 3, 2008 Have candidates really covered all the issues If the local candidates in our riding haven’t been to your door yet, it’s only a matter of time. Both the Liberal and Conservative campaigns are now engaged in an all-out, Olympic-paced sprint for your votes. And while I compliment the NDP (Amy O’Dell) and Green candidates (Paul Maillet), they simply don’t have the organizations in place to run full-riding campaigns. That being said, I think both of these candidates offer different perspectives and will likely attract respectable vote totals, which is a testament to our democratic process. With the major local debates concluded along with the Rogers Cable TV debate, it is clear that Royal Galipeau and Marc Godbout are following two different campaign strategies. Conservative candidate Galipeau (our present MP) is employing a classic incumbent approach, running on the party’s record – since it’s hard not to – while finding opportunities to inject and balance issues of local concern and potential. As well, his role as Deputy Speaker (which was supported by all parties) in the House of Commons, which he takes seriously, has also affected his campaign. He eschews rabid partisanship and over-the-top rhetoric which understandably upsets some of his own diehard Conservative backers at times, but to his credit, it is the right approach given his role in the House of Commons. Meanwhile his main opponent, Liberal Marc Godbout, is doing what many Liberals across the country have done given the less-than-stellar performance of his leader, Stéphane Dion. He is focusing on his own ideas, his local platform and distancing himself from the main party effort. Given national numbers, this is a sensible strategy. But regardless of who you will vote for, the most important thing is to vote. Advance polls are open Oct. 3, 4 and 6 or you can go to the local returning office and vote during regular business hours. This is especially convenient if you will be out of town for an extended Thanksgiving weekend. But this election is not about the candidates, it is about you, your aspirations and your concerns. I encourage you to send me your thoughts before next week’s column and I will publish the top five questions which you believe have not been addressed by any of the local candidates vying to be your MP. Have they failed to discuss economic development fully? Maybe you have fundamental concerns about our justice system which you think have disappeared from the radar? Or is local transportation – roads and mass transit – your biggest issue of concern? Then again maybe the global economic situation concerns your ability to access household credit and you want our candidates to explain what each of them will do to help further insulate Canada from troubles beyond our borders. Whatever the issue, I look forward to your comments, and together we can hold our candidates to account. Get typing…
= = = = = Comments can be sent to Walter Robinson at orleansouttakes@transcontinental.ca. |