How engaged are you in social and political matters?
In a recent municipal election where I live, only 35% of eligible voters cast a ballot compared with 29% in Toronto.
Why is this when our Mayors, councilors, and school board trustees have the most direct effect on our everyday lives?
It is my belief that we all have something important to add to the discussions shaping how our services are delivered and how we are supported by our systems like health care, education, and law enforcement.
I became a politician in an attempt to save schools for special needs children becuase students, parents, educators, and professionals each had something vital to say regarding the benefits of these alternative schools.
There are many factors as to why I was not successful in my pleas, but one major reason is parent and educator involvement. Teachers are afraid to speak out and at under 50% engagement in our elections, that number is likely under 10% when it comes to post-election involvement by citizens.
When you are a politician, your life is committee work, reading reports, meetings, community engagements, and kissing babies. There is likely an issue or two that they champion daily, but the more support they have both in numbers and helping inform our elected officials on matters dear to us, the better odds we have to convince our colleagues to reconsider decisions affecting important public services.
This advocacy can just be a simple phone call or tweet in support, or it can include research that you have done relevant to the conversation. Otherwise, our complacency leads to a system of decisions void of critical research and public input.
What can you add to a local discussion? Our elected officials need us beyond election campaigns.