Talking the talk and walking the walk
Ian's Rural Ramblings
October 16, 2017 is a day of days. Well, for some anyway. It’s the Alberta Municipal Election folks and time to choose your local representatives for the next four years. How many times have I heard and read people griping about town and county councils, councillors and mayors? More times than I care to remember. However, as they say, there’s a remedy for that. It’s called voting. In 2013 many municipalities struggled with getting high 30 per cent voter turnout. It’s high time that changed. The right to vote has been fought for and hard won over the years.
Could we make voting easier? Yes, we can. We have the technology although the cynic in me nags that there are some in the higher echelons of power in most if not all the major parties that would feel very uncomfortable if voter turnout was a lot closer to 100 per cent than it is now. In Australia voting is the law. I can’t see much wrong with that.
So, over the next month or so we can expect lots of signs, leaflets, emails, social media engagement and maybe even a knock at the door from election hopefuls and incumbents. Some members of administrations, for their own reasons will not run, others won’t want to run and others, sadly have passed away while in office. Former rising political stars will have peaked, some without recognising it, others, declined and achievements or not will be judged over time. And, refreshingly, there always seems to be someone willing to enter the political arena with fresh enthusiasm and ideas. Long may it remain so
During the campaign there will be much, “talk the talk.” How much, “walk the walk,” will be delivered is debatable. Municipality political veterans will know that there is a gulf of difference between wanting something done and actually getting it done. The journey to the,” get her done,” goal is a lot more involved than the concept. Sometimes, as a gentleman south of the border is finding, even with the power, getting what you want, when you want it or at all is very difficult indeed.
For the community if there is ever a time to lobby your councillor, mayor or candidates it is now. They’re likely to listen. Once they’re in and decide that maybe that’s not a good idea or maybe that’s a good idea but is not practically possible is another matter. Will they or can they, “walk the walk,”for you?