Dear Editor,
It’s election time again and the rumour mill is running full steam ahead.
It is easy in a municipality like ours to start rumours. And this time, they seem to be particularly nasty.
As a chartered mediator who has been mediating contract disputes for over 10 years, I have heard a lot of interesting stories. You would be amazed at the things people say about others when they believe it would benefit them. Even more amazing is how often those stories turn out not to be true. I have seen this happen countless times.
Don’t fall victim to those who are spreading rumours by letting them take advantage of your trusting nature by simply believing what you hear. You know how the saying goes, there is always two sides to every story. And, the other side of that story is often more interesting than the initial rumour. Talk to the candidate directly about what you have heard. Ask them about their version of the story. Don’t be afraid to challenge both sides to get more information before making up your mind.
In addition to the rumours, as is typical with all elections, all kinds of promises are being made.
To protect yourself against empty promises and to keep candidates honest, ask for specifics about their electoral platform. What steps are required to get something they want approved? How will they make that happen? Who are the key players for their plan? Have key players been approached and if yes, how supportive are they? What challenges will they face? It will become evident how much thought and effort those candidates have put into those ideas and how committed they are to seeing them through. Do you like what you hear? Do they seem sincere? Do you believe they want to, and can, do good for the municipality or, are they there simply for other self-serving motives? Don’t elect someone based on a promise they won’t, don’t know how to, or worse yet, can’t, keep.
Many of the candidates have never been involved in municipal politics before. Further, most have not even attended any municipal council meetings. By asking questions, you will at least get a sense if they have any clue what they are up against and where they should start. If you plan on supporting one such candidate, at least don’t set them up to fail by making certain they know what they are getting themselves into. Otherwise, not only will it be bad for them, it will also be bad for the municipality as a whole.
So before casting your vote, I urge you to talk to the candidates about some of the rumours and get a sense of what they intend to do and how they plan on working on your behalf. Make them earn your vote. That way you will be making a more informed decision that will hopefully also benefit the rest of the people within the municipality.
Diane Mainville
Luskville, Que.
