Immediate future of alarming uncertainty

Why is this election so very important? After decades of warning, denial and pretension the climate crisis is upon us.

And as if that was not enough, the COVID pandemic has overrun our political ineptitude, continuing to take lives and to wreak social and economic havoc, abetted by antivaxers and anti-maskers.

These paramount issues of global importance are accompanied by a host of pernicious domestic issues that have eluded resolution by previous Federal governments, notably affordable housing, quality long term care, mental health and drug addiction, and pharmacare to name only a few.

Considered together, all of these issues present an immediate future of alarming uncertainty to Canada’s social and economic fabric, our quality of life and, as we look downstream, to our life expectancy and to the possibility of a frightful new reality that we can’t even imagine.

Now 85 years young, and a recovering conservative, I have been interested in politics most of my adult life. I can’t recall an election ever as important is this one. So much is at stake and we are running out of time.

I believe we have failed on so many issues largely because we have elected too many politicians whose only goal was to be a career politician. We must now expect better of our members of Parliament.

We have had enough of entitled Liberals and free market Conservatives. They are cut from the same cloth of cronyism and kickbacks. We need to elect members of Parliament who reject this tired old game. The need is desperate.

Specifically, we voters must seek candidates who will provide courageous leadership on these daunting issues.

Leadership that emerges from a successful career experience. Experience that becomes a wellspring of knowledge that informs our parliamentary debates with science and critical thinking. The kind of leadership that seeks elected office not as an end, but as a means for achieving real and desperately needed social and economic change.

With these truths, I challenge us, the electors of South Okanagan-West Kootenay to take a look at the backgrounds of the two front-running candidates in our district and ask which one has the credentials that best meet the urgent needs we have for courageous and skilled leadership that we so desperately need in our Parliament.

The answer should be crystal clear. The need is urgent. I implore you to cast your vote for Richard Cannings as our next Member of Parliament.

Gerry Karr Penticton