Leah HennigWe all know the names Mark Carney, Pierre Poilievre, and Jagmeet Singh. But do we know the names Heather McPherson, Miles Berry, or Ron Thiering? Well, they’re some of the candidates in the federal election for the Edmonton Strathcona riding, and they could potentially be your direct contact for federal issues.
When the election comes around, we talk about the party leaders and their decisions for Canada as a whole. But we do not talk about the community leaders who we can individually speak to and create positive change with.
Why do we focus on the federal party leaders, when our local candidates are the ones who will be our voice influencing these leaders?
When we choose our local leaders, we choose the person who represents us. They live where we live, and work where we work. They understand our needs better than leaders who visit our city once a year or less.
The federal party leaders are who we see on the news. They have flashy slogans and big promises, but it is the votes from our Members of Parliament (MPs) that decide which bills are passed.
For example, in political forums I have attended, the divisive Bill C-69 continues to be a topic for debate. This bill to enact the Impact Assessment Act and the Canadian Energy Regulator Act passed when 173 out of 323 of our MPs voted for it. It took only 12 MPs to make this vote pass, showing just how important our local representatives are.
We can directly influence these votes by speaking with them one-on-one and sending letters to them. The federal party leaders just do not have the capacity to read every letter from every citizen. Our MPs are elected to listen to us and bridge that gap.
By voting for the best voice for our riding, we can choose someone who will support us. Considering the federal party leaders is important when voting. But our MPs are the ones who will remind them what the people need to make Canada a place we can thrive.
