LETTER: The risks of strategic voting
By Letters to the editor
Editor:
This federal election is the most significant in decades. The outcome could determine our sovereignty, our path forward to mitigating climate change and strengthening democratic public institutions. Right now it seems that we have the pro-Conservative camp that focuses on the past and others who look toward a sustainable future that transitions away from fossil fuel and American dependency, and protects public interests.
In our riding, the contenders have traditionally been Conservative and NDP candidates, and we benefited from excellent representation by Alex Atamanenko and Richard Cannings, who made sure our voices were heard for over a decade in the Parliament dominated by red and blue. Our current NDP candidate is Linda Sankey, an articulate accomplished woman who would continue advancing our issues should we elect her on April 28. People either want the Conservatives to form government or adamantly oppose that prospect. But with our system of electoral ridings – you aren’t voting for the leader as some mistakenly believe, you are voting for the local representative. National polls don’t reflect the reality in each riding. The federal Liberals don’t anticipate a win here. If the NDP base is weakened, we can expect this riding to go Blue.
Since January, I have watched in horror as Americans, under the Conservative Republicans, have seen their democratic institutions and civil rights get shredded by authoritarian oligarchs, and the Trump administration’s threats against us. The angry US rhetoric has found a home among some influential Conservatives, which becomes a threat to many of us.
We have to decide what our Canadian entity looks like moving forward domestically and globally. If compassion, justice and inclusion are important, then electing Linda Sankey to share our vision is the right thing to do.
Cindy McCallum Miller
Castlegar, B.C.
Comments