It’s everyone’s civic duty to become involved in elections
By Lethbridge Herald on November 15, 2024.
Editor:
As a very young boy, I heard a conversation my brothers were having, making fun of the local town Mayor who was running federally as a Liberal. Small town Manitoba meant you were likely Conservative, so it was great sport to ridicule the other.
After the conversion escalated, my father spoke up, and said, “ I’m a Conservative and I’ll always be a Conservative, but he is doing his civic duty to run in the election, and you had better respect that!.”
Having escaped southeast Ukraine in 1925, he knew firsthand what it meant to live in a country that did not respect democracy. Coming to Canada meant freedom and safety, the very freedom and safety we often take for granted.
I have often thought about my father’s words when I see the partisan politics of today
I see people who are afraid to set up a lawn sign for fear of backlash from neighbours and friends. I see families who, instead of engaging in thought provoking discussions on ideas, they fight over politics, or they don’t speak to each other at all. So, it was refreshing when a neighbour erected an NDP sign on his lawn in one election and a Conservative one in the next.
Another concept that was central, was to vote. It wasn’t’ good enough to abstain simply because one did not agree on all issues. Pick the candidate that checks off the most boxes and vote.
I would add that if one does not agree with all the issues, then get involved and work to make changes. Changes take time but they are critical, and it is, after all, our civic duty. Anything else is a copout, and an insult to our forefathers.
Ernie Engbrecht
Lethbridge
11-10
Amen, agree with your comments 100%
For those who say they will not vote, or will intentionally “spoil their ballots” I say “shame”
Please do as Mr. Engbrecht suggests,
“Pick the candidate that checks off the most boxes and vote.”
(You won’t find too many boxes to “check off” for Rob Miyashiro, but it is a good suggestion/excercise, none the less)