MLA Report June 1

Hello Chestermere!
I would like to start this article by speaking about the upcoming municipal election on October 16th. It is wonderful to see some new faces running for council in Chestermere, and I wish all who have put their names forward the very best of luck.
I remember when I was campaigning that there were a few pervasive issues that I noticed as we went door to door. The number 1 issue of course was the notorious and heart-breaking floor crossing. This was the first topic of conversation, and all of us at the doors spent many hours discussing that issue.
Second on that list was people who had no desire to vote. I was truly mortified that people were not exercising their democratic rights in this province, and we see that even more so at the municipal level. The results from the 2013 Chestermere election showed an extremely poor showing of only 26%!
YIKES! That means that with todays population of around 19,000, approximately 13,600 are eligible to vote. That means a mere 3537 people could be determining the future of our little city.
This sends shivers up my spine. It really does. You need only to look at other countries where democracy is a dream. There are countries under totalitarian regimes, where people are not respected and are not allowed to vote, countries that are ruled by tyranny. Have you ever wondered why democracies tend to have the highest standard of living? Voting is about accountability and having a say and with accountability comes prosperity for all. The petition brought forward by the citizens of Chestermere had over 5000 names attached to it. Lets hope that this kind of passion comes out in the next election and that we see even more people running for city council and Rocky View council as well. It is truly a privilege and the people who work at the municipal level are some of the finest, hardest working people I know. Democracy is supported by the votes of the people. Democracy is where the power is with citizens through free elections. I think about how many people died for us to have a free, democratic society. Please make sure your children and grandchildren read this article, especially if they are around voting age this fall.
Originally only landowners could vote in the United States, and then that privilege was then passed on to men. Women only got the vote 101 years ago in Canada. Voting is how you make your thoughts and opinions matter, and you can bring forward change, and strengthen democracy. I realize that we get angry with government, or the candidate does not resonate with you. I know that it seems hopeless sometimes, but that is when your vote and your voice matters even more.
One of the most concerning issues is youth and their feeling that somehow their vote does not matter. This year many 18 year olds will have the privilege of casting their first vote in our municipal elections. I have had the opportunity to go into many schools and one of the main topics we speak about is about voting and the responsibility of the electorate. This is about researching and knowing your candidates, and the ability to take that knowledge and then make an educated decision about your future. We need to reach our youth, and impress upon them the weight and the privilege of that responsibility. I explained to them that they need to know the issues that will impact them. Voting is the heart of democracy. Please promote and encourage people to run for public office. It is difficult, and exhausting and daunting and extremely fulfilling. I can honestly say that I love representing you.
The vote to merge or not to merge Alberta’s conservative parties is coming up fast. Please make sure you register yourself and your children to vote. You can have a membership in Wildrose, PC or both to vote with respect to the merger. Children as young as 14 are eligible to vote on the merger, and we will continue to post the information on our Facebook page with the link so that you can get registered right away. You need to have your memberships by July 8th at the latest, or you will not be eligible to vote. This is another amazing opportunity to have your voice heard. There are approximately 40,000 memberships between the Wildrose and the PC’s and we need to keep adding to that so that a few people do not determine the future of Conservatives in this province. Please email us at CA.Chestermere.Rockyview@wildrose.ca if you have any questions. We have posted the agreed upon by-laws and the agreement that will be put forward for ratification on July 22. These are exciting times. Democracy is beautiful and we take it for granted just like the mountains, and our amazing blue skies. Let’s get excited about exercising our democratic rights, rights that you would fight for tomorrow if they were taken away from you. It is important to support those you have faith in, and give them your time and energy and help to get them elected. This makes the process even more meaningful. As always, we love to hear from you!