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Hello again!
What a fun and exciting time to be Canadian! Not a great time to be a Conservative, however – provincial or federal. Both levels of government were sent clear messages from the electorate that the policies and practices of the ruling Conservative parties were no longer going to be accepted by the citizens. First in Alberta in May, when the NDP swept into power and then last week, when the Liberals took away the keys to power from Stephen Harper and his Conservatives.
Whatever your political stripe, whether you lean left, right or other, the fact that so many people got out and voted is remarkable and inspiring. Often, ruling parties take low voter turnout as consent, so it was clear that consent was not forthcoming in the latest federal election – 68.49% of the electorate turned out to vote. That score isn’t remarkable in itself, as Canadians have historically voted within about 10% of that rate, but it is the highest turnout in over 20 years and bucks the trend of declining turnout which has been taking place since 1972.
This also highlights something important: democracy only works if the people affected participate. As we posted on Facebook on the 23rd of October, noted political commentator (among many other things) Noam Chomsky said that “Labour Unions are the leading force for democratization and progress.”
Did you vote in the federal election? How do you participate in your union? The more involved you get, the greater the influence you can have and the stronger your union becomes – just like electing a new Prime Minister, but right here, having direct effect on you and your family.
So remember, it is your level of involvement in your union that determines how much it is able to accomplish – act in the manner that you want to from your local.
As always, feel free to leave comments or to visit us on Facebook and Twitter. We look forward to building a strong, united community with you.
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