We are still weeks away from Election Day in Canada.
That may be hard to believe as we have been inundated with election hyperbole for what seems a ridiculously long time. It seems that way because this is a ridiculously long election, the longest in decades in spite of being in an era of high speed dissemination of information in virtually every form of media there is.
Now the length of the election itself is just one of the issues in what is a protracted one by any evaluation.
But as we enter what is the second half of this election what are the issues voters should be focusing in on.
That is sadly hard to determine if you watch, listen, or read advertisements from the federal parties. They are long on party rhetoric and personal attacks, and low on actual substance.
Of course that is sadly the direction politics have taken.
It has been deemed better to bash at the other parties and what they might do to ruin this country should they be elected rather than offering up good reasons to vote for the party paying for the advertisements.
Such negativism in politicking may be the norm, seeping north across the 49th parallel from the United States where such an approach has been the norm for too long, and maybe it has an effect on the process.
The staunch party faithful buys into the approach because they see their respective leaders as flawless individuals with policies above reproach.
That same staunch party support creates a complete distrust of the other leaders, so ads that slam their ability to lead resonate.
Of course elections are generally won by those who are not card carrying party members, the legion of the uncommitted. They are the voters who may switch allegiances over the years, or even within the weeks of an election campaign.
They are also the voters who are likely to be turned off by the negative advertising, and lack of focus on issues, and they tune out the election.
The result is a general decline in voter turnout.
Parties should be ashamed at fostering a feeling of disenchantment with the election process, but they have.
Of course voters must take some of the responsibility too.
We, as voters, must demand more of candidates than slick ads bashing opposition parties, and lawn signs with their names in 12-inch tall letters.
We need to demand all candidate meetings, and attend to ask tough questions of policies that matter; the economy, infrastructure renewal, social programming, freedoms and Canada’s role in the world.
And only after hearing a plan we can believe in should we choose who to vote for Oct. 19.
