Canadians will exercise their democratic rights and privilege on Monday, Oct. 21, for election day in the 2019 federal election, to determine who will form government for Canada for the next four years.
This election campaign has had its moments of controversy, and one of the hallmarks of this election is a rather high percentage of the electorate who are undecided.
This could be good, or bad, depending on what those undecided voters end up doing.
Some may simply throw up their hands and not vote, either because they don’t like the choices they have, or they simply cannot support the parties who are running — or, worse, they just feel that because we are in the West, our votes don’t really count for anything.
There are many years when the votes of the West don’t really seem to matter, as the voters of Ontario and Quebec decide things for all of Canada, and the votes out here don’t change how the final numbers add up.
This year’s election could be a bit different, as due to the high percentage of undecided voters, the race is very tight between the top two parties, the Conservatives and Liberals, and the pundits are all talking now about a minority government coming out of all this.
The race is also very tight between the NDP and the Green Party, as their numbers seem to be very close.
This makes this election one where all of the votes count, all ballots are important, and everyone who is eligible to vote needs to do so and exercise their democratic franchise.
The right and ability to vote is taken for granted by many people — but it should never be. The right to vote was the result of years of struggles and hard work, as the system we have was developed over a long period of time.
It need not be said there are many countries that would love to have an open democratic system of choosing government like we enjoy here in Canada.
Our system isn’t perfect by any means, but it’s the one we have at this time and allows us to be as involved as we want. We have the freedom and ability to vote as we want, without undue pressure from government or military or criminal organizations as other countries have to deal with.
Don’t take our system or freedoms for granted, but take on the responsibility of helping to choose who should govern us, since the government chosen will determine many things that will directly affect your life, and that of your children, for years to come. On Oct. 21, take the time to visit a polling station and cast your vote.
