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By Fred Kirby | |
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No party has a corner on perfection or purity. No large human organization be it religious, political, unionist, or your local bridge club can make that claim. Nor do I believe all politicians are thieving devils. Many have served their communities well long before they ever entered the political arena. Many continue to do so. The political crooks, minor and major ones, are not a majority in this country though, when found out, should be dealt with far more severely then now happens. If we want to be tough on crime, we should start at the top. It is likely our own fault if we are cynical of politicians. We pay attention to politics only at election time or when scandals are revealed. We would make a more informed vote if we stop reading campaign material and watching political ads on TV throughout the campaign; better we thought more of what politicians did and said when not running in an election. There would be less chance of being disappointed with the new government and less cynicism. Leopards don’t change their spots. As humans we may mature, we may gain knowledge but, for the most part, we do not change our core values. We may stray a bit now and then; we may have doubts on occasion, but we rarely lose those core values. No amount of spin-doctors, advertising executives, or makeover specialists can change that. Wherever possible, I will avoid the designations of ‘right’ and ‘left’. They have lost the sharpness of their original meaning and carry too much baggage. During the campaign I will look at platforms and candidates in the naked light of past performance and values. Meanwhile, watch out for the spin; remember promises can change into potholes.
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A
federal election is coming. As in war, the first casualty is truth. In
deciding who to vote for we need to separate the wheat from the chaff? How
do we break down the political code words and decipher their meanings? It
is not always easy but it is necessary if we are to elect a government
that will respond to our vision of Canada.