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In the 2008 provincial election, only 40 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot. What happened to the 60 per cent of people who were eligible to vote but chose not to? Often, people cite cynicism, apathy or a lack of good candidates as reasons to not vote. All of those reasons will disappear for the next election.
As a teacher who cares about the learning and working conditions in your school, you need to become involved in Alberta politics over the next year. The outcome of multiple political processes over the next few months will affect class sizes, supports for special needs students and the future direction of education.
Furthermore, if you care about whether an ambulance will be available when you need one, how long you have to wait for medical attention or whether medicare will cover certain procedures, then you need to care about Alberta politics. If you care about the environment, the cost of university tuition, the price of gas, the state of highways, how our seniors are cared for, what our parks look like, whether we have clean drinking water, where electrical lines will run, what happens to children from abusive homes, whether we are selling our oil at a reasonable rate, what might happen to your job or how much tax you pay, then Alberta politics affects you. Heck, if you are concerned about having your streets ploughed in the winter, an element of provincial governance affects that, too.
Many decisions that affect your everyday life are determined by the people who sit in the Alberta legislature, and by getting involved, you can affect their decisions. Uncertainty in Alberta politics has never been more pronounced than it is today.
Alberta currently has five political parties represented in the legislature (the Alberta Party, the Liberal Party, the New Democratic Party, the Progressive Conservative Party and the Wildrose Alliance Party), two of which (the Alberta Party and the Wildrose Alliance Party) were not represented in the first session after the 2008 election. Three parties (the Alberta, Liberal and PC parties) are currently engaged in selecting new party leaders.
All five of the parties represent a diverse set of values, and there is no doubt that at least one of them would reflect yours. Perhaps it is the Alberta New Democratic Party (NDP) or the Wildrose Alliance Party (WAP). Visit their websites and examine their policies. Their leaders, Brian Mason, of the NDP, and Danielle Smith, of the WAP, are both effective advocates for their party members.
If you decide that neither of those parties is for you, then you have a range of choices for both party and leader. The Alberta Party, the Alberta Liberal Party and the Progressive Conservative Party sit somewhere between the NDP and the WAP on the political spectrum. A number of candidates will come forward in the spring and summer to lead these parties and at least one of them should appeal to you.
At this point, you don’t have to commit to one party. The state of politics in Alberta at the moment is fluid, and policy positions and priorities will shift as the leadership questions are resolved. Different candidates will emphasize different priorities, and shifting membership numbers will influence party direction. You can be part of that change. Memberships cost between $5 and $10 for the year. Belonging to a party will keep you up to date, provide you with a chance to vote for the leader and become further involved.
The Liberals, the Alberta Party and the Progressive Conservatives are all engaging in a leadership campaign over the next year, so we can expect that at least a dozen committed and courageous people will put their names forward to lead their party and, perhaps, our province. The leader exerts considerable influence on the party’s policies and priorities. You can support your favourite candidate by volunteering to work on a campaign, making a donation, voting or even just talking about the candidate with your neighbours.
There is no doubt that we are heading for a general election. You have time, though, to reassess which leader/party/candidate combination works best for you in your riding. When the time comes, get involved in that campaign. At the very least, vote.
With such a wide range of choice and opportunity, no one should be left without a voice—cynicism is no excuse, lack of candidates is not a reality and apathy will not be accepted. Get off the sidelines and get in the game—it is your responsibility as a citizen. This level of opportunity only comes to Alberta once every century.
Here are the websites of the five parties referred to above.
www.albertandp.ca
www.wildrosealliance.ca
www.albertaparty.ca
www.albertaliberal.com
www.albertapc.ab.ca
