Would Somebody Please Define "Election" ???

I grew up in Canada - and I grew up with the idea that an Election was when the existing government officially dissolved, and the various parties went to the public looking for a mandate to govern.

I haven't been impressed with Ralph Klein's "Conservatives" for a long time - in fact I don't think I could be any less impressed. This morning, a picture appears in the Globe and Mail that shows the candidates present at an 'All Candidates Forum' on Health Care. Notably, it appears that every party of note sent a candidate - except for Ralph's Conservatives. Even more appalling, is to find in the Calgary Sun this morning, an article in which Ralph is complaining because his opponents are critical of his parties notable absence from public debates.

I scratched my head for a moment, and thought to myself "what is this?" Campaigning by absence?

Apparently the Conservatives view this election as a "show election". They feel that there is absolutely no danger to them from any of the opposition parties. On the whole, I'd have to agree - there isn't much that resembles a significant opposition party bubbling around right now. The Liberals appear to have been caught flat-footed in Calgary (I haven't seen any signs in my riding, yet I know there's a candidate out there); the NDP is a bit better organized, but there is an irrational fear of the NDP in this province; the Alberta Alliance is making themselves seen and heard - but I don't think they'll do much more than split the vote in a few ridings.

I think the Progressive Conservatives are being horribly disrespectful to the electorate of Alberta. Their whole campaign seems to be focused on "keep your mouths shut, and we get re-elected". Sadly, they're right - short of a miracle occuring.

Ralph's said it on numerous occasions "Re-elect me, and then I'll "consult" with Albertans". What the heck? So an election is not a consultation? If that's the case, then our democracy in this province has a serious problem. Certainly, at the moment, the question is not whether Ralph will be re-elected, but rather the size of the majority which he will have.

I don't like the notion that elections in this province are all but a foregone conclusion. It bothers me for a number of reasons. First, if you talk to people on the street, you quickly discover that there is a plethora of ideas in this province - it is not the political monolith that the 'first-past-the-post' system makes it look like. There are other issues that emerge as well - ideas that should be discussed in the public forum are not; opposition parties become targets of derision rather than respected colleagues.

This is not healthy. 'What can I do?' you may ask yourself. The best you can do is prepare to vote next Monday. Make it an informed vote. Review the record of Ralph Klein the past 10 years or so - both the good and bad bits; examine the policies and proposals of all parties and ask yourself what do you want Alberta to be in 10 years? Is another four years or so of dictatorship going to be "good" for this province, or are we better served by a different government? Is it enough to send a serious opposition back to Edmonton?

My pet rant on this subject is that voting is a right in this land. However, with rights come responsibilities. Alberta's electorate has been remiss in taking its responsibilities to itself seriously.

Inform Yourself:

Party Platforms:

Progressive Conservative
Liberal
NDP
Alberta Alliance
Green Party

For a good backgrounder on Ralph's tenure in power:

Alberta Politics Uncovered - Mark Lisac

* Granted - Lisac appears not to be Mr. Klein's best friend, but there are few people that I have seen undertake a critical review of the policies and approaches of the Klein Tories over their tenure in office.

*[Credit]: WikiPedia.org provided much of the 'informational' background material referenced in this entry. Although not perfect, it is a very useful "quick reference" for a lot of subjects. Kudos to the Wikipedia people for creating a successful, online collaborative effort to gather knowledge.