Politics is too important

To be left to politicians!

This article was published on Sept. 25, 2019. The election has since ended.

Politics is too important to be left to politicians! That was the closing theme of a lively federal election all-candidates’ forum in Blind Bay on Sept. 25, 2019. More than 100 people from around the South Shuswap crowded into the Shuswap Lakes Estates Community Centre in Blind Bay to hear from, and question, the five candidates in the Oct. 21, 2019 federal election. The candidates (in alphabetical order) expressed a diversity of views: Mel Arnold, Conservative Party; Kyle Delfing, People’s Party of Canada; Cindy Derkaz, Liberal Party; Marc Reinarz, Green Party; Harwinder Sandhu, New Democratic Party. Click on each of the names to go to their websites and learn more about the candidate, their party and their policies. During the debate, issues from privatization of health care to affordable housing, from Indigenous rights to hope (and hopelessness), from pharmacare to immigration, from climate change to Canada’s first-past-the-post electoral system – there were plenty of questions and lots of responses.

The two sponsoring organizations for the political forum – the South Shuswap Chamber of Commerce and the Sorrento Centre – deeply love our region and are committed to a vibrant present and a dynamic future. Both groups know that there are bound to be differences of opinion, different ideas, diverse views – that is part of a healthy community. We also know that election day is a very important day in politics, but it is not the only day for people to get involved. Here in the South Shuswap, we have plenty of community leaders, including health activists, economic and social justice advocates, faith leaders, artists and artisans, housing activists and many others. 

Make your vote an informed vote on October 21, 2019. And don’t stop there! Together, we can continue to build a splendid Shuswap!

To find out more about voting, and get information on whether you are registered to vote, click here to go to Elections Canada!