Dear Editor:
Canadians are approaching what is likely the most important federal election in a generation. While in our system, unlike the American one, we do not directly elect a leader, our individual vote for our MP is a proxy vote for a leader. With this is mind, here is my partial wish list for our next Prime Minister. The next Prime Minister should be someone who:
respects democracy, and does not use tricks like prorogation to hold onto power;
respects our court system, and does not waste taxpayer money fighting its decisions;
supports wounded vets, and does not shortchange them on their pensions;
encourages the dissemination of scientific knowledge, and does not muzzle scientists;
believes in using evidence to develop social policy, and does not attempt to thwart it by, for example, cancelling the long form census;
protects the environment, and does not gut environmental laws;
accepts refugees on their merits, not their religion;
takes a balanced approach to problems in the Middle East, and does not rabidly support Israel and condemn Muslim countries;
values knowledge of international significance, and does not close science libraries and internationally recognized long term research facilities such as the Experimental Lakes Area;
encourages us to live with hope, not fear;
works for the best interests of Canadians, not multinational oil companies;
supports the CBC, not slowly strangle it to death;
remembers that he works for us, and that he is answerable to us through the media.
I strongly encourage everyone to vote. It is our right, but more importantly, our responsibility. Please be thoughtful in your decision and dont succumb to the negative advertising so pervasive today.
Norm Funnell
Radium
