What a dismal result of the current provincial election, marking that there are more than 450,000 or 50% of the total voting population failed to cast their votes?
And after not exercising their rights to vote, these Canadian citizens must not complain for whatever shortcomings received from the system? And they do not have the right to complain.
While campaigning for the election, these are some negative vibes you would hear while door-knocking: “No, I do not vote. It’s a waste of my time.” “Oh, I’m too busy. I do not have time to vote. I am working.” “What, election day today?” “I never voted in my life, these candidates are the same, waste of money.” So on and so forth.
I met someone who came from a country with so much political turmoil: “I do not vote because I know that the government is corrupt.” I said, “You are in Canada and you are a citizen and you have the chance to exercise your rights to vote.” I got a flat NO.
While other countries where people have been fighting for an election, wanting to exercise their rights to vote, here we are in Manitoba where democracy is fully engaged and yet, the people who are qualified to vote fail to exercise their right. Simply not interested, simply ignoring their role in the society, simply work, work, work and work!
Are these people considered as non-political entities who have no participation in selecting those who will govern the province or just considered voting as a waste of time?
Canada is a country with too much freedom. A country where so many people do not participate to exercise one of the most important roles as a Canadian Citizen. People who do not care about the quality of governance, and people who claim that voting is a waste of time.
Would the government impose such law to have a mandatory voting rights, and those who will not vote, given a fine or a prison term. And for the repeated offense, to de-franchise his or her Canadian citizenship. And let them go back to their country of origin. These are too drastic, but given such dismal result of non-voting, these actions must be the reminders that you have come to this country or born in this country to exercise your responsibility, not only to receive your government benefits and dole outs.
We know that Canada is a country that’s best to raise a family; a rich country envied by many; a country of refuge; a country hungrily being sought by those who want to escape poverty, to get out from a corrupt country.
Or they just wanted to work hard and earn money, and receive free medical care, and other benefits without participating actively in the exercise to select the best candidates to help govern the province or the country?
Be a part of the democratic process and this is your right. You have come or you are born in this country and must continue to preserve this kind of freedom.
In the September 10 provincial election, it is a hard reality that in this free world, many Canadians do not want to be involved. And I do hope that in the October 21 Federal election, one must consider to contribute in selecting those who will govern us, and then, we have the rights to receive the blessings of democracy.
