To err is human; to forgive is up to the voters
To be a candidate in the provincial election you need to meet certain basic requirements: be 18 years of age, a Canadian citizen, a resident of Quebec for the previous six months; and, not be a judge, an MP, an election official, or a prisoner serving a sentence of two years or more.
One other obvious requirement goes unstated: A candidate has to be human, though no DNA test is currently necessary. To be human, of course, means being imperfect, flawed, fallible, and susceptible to being led into temptation. To twist the famous quote: To err is human; to forgive is up to the voters.
Such is the case as the usual process of public vetting and exposing the flaws, flubs and failings of each party’s candidates claims its early victims. As of this writing a few examples of those found guilty of human frailty have been candidates who: took a questionable loan from a mayor in his riding, was associated with a company that made usurious loans, made an on-line racist comment and accused someone falsely of being a pedophile.
These days, it’s hard, if not impossible, to hide whatever mischief, minor or major, one might be up to. It’s immeasurably more difficult if one is thrust into the public forum where a vast army of internet inquisitors awaits to ferret out any potentially embarrassing or incriminating detail.
Back in the good old days, prior to the invasion of the internet, politicians largely basked in a state of blessed invulnerability, where scandals and misdeeds came to light accidentally - tape on the door of the Democratic National Committee headquarters led to Richard Nixon’s resignation; or through the diligence of public officials - Auditor-general Sheila Fraser’s exposure of the sponsorship abuses through a routine audit.
It must be said, without dogged journalists to follow the leads (and the money) both of those scandals, and countless others, likely would have fizzled out.
The extreme level of public examination these days, thanks to the internet, but also laws protecting against conflict of interest and financial impropriety, serve as safeguards against patently unsuitable people ever getting close to getting their fingers on the levers of power.
As much as folks may or may not like any one of the party leaders, for example, voters know enough about them by now to be assured they are not in politics for financial gain or other nefarious reasons.
Which raises the question: why in the world do people venture into politics given the dubious rewards and frightful risks.
Reading the idealistic, hopeful, public-spirited statements from candidates on their websites almost fills you with a stirring sense of the wonder of humanity. Service, community, progress, equity, justice.
No MNA wannabe, however, would dare admit that, in running for office, they are subjecting themselves, their family, friends, work associates and pets, to unbridled scrutiny and possible harassment from media and internet trolls. For people who spent their working lives in the comfort of discreet surroundings, being thrust into the spotlight must be a living manifestation of that nightmare of being caught naked in public.
Still, for all its potential horrors, there appears to be no shortage of folks ready to collect 100 signatures from electors in their riding, fill out the forms and sign up for the adventure, or ordeal, depending on how it goes on the campaign trail and at the ballot box. It’s amazing, frankly, that despite it all, there are so still so many quality people willing to step forward.
In the last election, there were 814 candidates in total for the 125 ridings, including five from the Parti des Sans Parti and 11 independents. There were even more in 2012, 892 in total, including a whopping 46 independents and 10 for the Parti Nul.
That was a huge leap from 2008 when there were a meagre 651 candidates, a figure partly explained by the absence of fringe parties which proliferated in the two subsequent elections. Who knows how many parties will be registered for the Oct. 1 vote.
Should you, human, wish to be a candidate in the election, the deadline to register is Sept. 15.