To Vote or Not to Vote?

To me, there is no question. Maybe it was the way I was raised, maybe my instilled values, or maybe part of my character, either way, the answer is simple: You vote.

During election time, every extended family dinner results in a heated debate about campaigning political parties and a predictable speech instilling the importance of a single vote. Perhaps also my outward attitude and frustration with everything wrong in this world compels me to vote, but I believe voting is a privilege and you have absolutely no right to complain about anything if you do not voice your opinion and vote.

History of the Vote
It is important to note that Canada was not always a truly democratic nation. In the early years of Confederation, many politicians used the current economical state to bribe voters with money, food and shelter. Furthermore, priests promised hell and employers threatened unemployment to those who did not vote in a particular way. Women were also denied the right to vote in many provinces until they were recognized as equal to men in the Federal elections beginning in 1918.

Though Canada claimed it was a democratic nation, the corrupt ways of politicians and lack of monitored election processes did not allow the majority of Canadians to have a true say in who would represent their country. Many protest groups emerged in the early 1900s and fought for decades to change the way Canadian voters were recognized. Consequently, because of these “freedom fighters”, every Canadian citizen now has the privilege to vote in fair Canadian elections. Therefore, out of respect for those who fought so hard to give me that privilege, I feel an obligation to vote.

Uninformed Voters
Some people may disagree with me that every citizen should vote because they do not want uninformed people randomly voting without knowing the issues and the consequences of their actions—I completely understand that opinion and agree with it entirely. However, I think when it comes to voting, it should not simply mean rushing to the polls, arbitrarily checking a box, and then rushing home to make dinner. Instead, individuals need to improve their overall voting process. Some may view voting as a one-day event where you select a candidate to represent your views in the House of Commons and hope he or she wins. However, that is simply one step of many in the multifaceted and compelling election process. Before you can vote, you need to make an educated decision, and in order to do that, you must gather information on important issues, political platforms, and analyze the potential impact of each party’s presence on your country if elected. You should not vote until you understand the key issues and feel confident in your decision.

Present Day Voting
Now more than ever, it is exceptionally easy to vote. You can vote at the plethora of polling stations, in advance, over the phone—there is even government-sponsored transportation so people who cannot go to a polling station own their own, now can. Even Canadian citizens not currently in the country can vote. There are no excuses.
So the next time an election is announced, start your voting process right away. Determine the important issues, pay attention to candidate/party views, listen to ad campaigns, read articles in the newspaper and just become informed. Only then will you have all the tools necessary to formulate an educated opinion…and VOTE!

Erin

Source:
Elections Canada. A History of the Vote in Canada. Ottawa, ON: Public Works & Government Services, 1997.

My First Post/Course Expectations

Hello everyone!

This is my first blog EVER so please bear with me until I get the hang of this!

I have briefly skimmed over the course outline for PSCI 260 (Introduction to Canadian Politics at the University of Waterloo) so I know that creating (and adding to) a blog is a course requirement, but I do not remember the details of what our blog is to include, touch upon etc. Though the thought of checking my course syllabus crossed my mind, I thought it would be more interesting to post my first blog about why I decided to take this course, what I hope to learn from it etc. before officially beginning a “course requirement” (why does that phrase have has such a negative connotation?)!

Why I Took This Course
I initially took this course because it was compulsory and because it fit nicely into my schedule (taking 5 classes and working over 35 hours a week doesn’t give me much of a choice though)! However, as I read the description more thoroughly, I thought to myself “hey, this seems like a neat intro course to gain a brief overview of the Canadian political system”. I strongly believe in the ‘right to vote’…some of it because of interest in politics, but a lot of it because I was raised to understand the importance of my single vote. I have always had an underlying interest in politics; I have VERY strong opinions on pretty much everything and when I see things going wrong (like a lot of the decisions our government makes *cough*), it makes me want to do something to fix it!

My Expectations of this Course
I hope to learn many things about the Canadian government, its setup, rules, policies etc. so that I can become a more informed voter and a more informed Canadian in general. I would also feel like a hypocrite if I dared voice my opinion on a subject of which I have little to no background on. I believe, as a Canadian, it is my responsibility to be the change I want to see; it is important that I am aware of current issues currently being debated in the country I live in—whether they be issues about religion, economics etc., I want to know what is happening in the world around me.

So, all in all, I want to gain a deeper insight into the Canadian political system, the past issues that have shaped our country and the current concerns facing our world right now.

One more thing I want to note, why does the word “blog” (used in any of its forms) show up as a misspelled word on Microsoft programs…I mean, it’s this whole blogging thing supposed to be “cutting edge” and “a new leading technology” type-thing? Just thought that was rather ironic!

Until next time…

Erin