Election time again. I am feeling a little old – this will be my seventh provincial election. Now I have a little different role – I will be writing three colums a week in the Telegraph-Journal on election topics – Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
It seems to me the defining issue hasn’t really surfaced yet. The various parties are trying to define one but I don’t see an “auto insurance” or a “toll busters” or a “CoR” defining issue as of yet.
The first poll of the election cycle shows 41% undecided and a relatively small spread between the Libs and the Tories.
It’s interesting to note that the NDP, People’s Alliance and the Green Party are expected to be influential. CRA’s poll shows almost 25 per cent of decided voters are planning to send their vote to one of the third parties.
The question is where will they take voters from?
It will be interesting.
I have to agree with you and in the face of no defining issue we are left with ideas, and I could be wrong but I haven’t heard any new ideas from either side.
Don’t pander to me by saying I will get everything I want, no new taxes and the deficit/debt is ok.
I want more game changing ideas like the sale of NB Power, regardless of whether you agreed with it or not, it was a game changer. I think those sorts of ideas move the status quo, not pandering to this or that segment of the population, spending $1million here, a $1million there.
Don’t promise me 20,000 jobs, deliver them, “show me the money”.
Don’t spend time chasing old widow’s pensions. People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
Lead.
The one thing that I would have thought would have been an issue is the ‘democratic deficit’. That’s really what at least half the NBPower debate was really about, and its the reason for the creation of a new party. It will depend how much media exposure the newest party gets, and how much traction. Alward has already stepped back from his referenda promises and merely talks about yet another ‘three man’ commission, who already tabled some recommendations which he ignores.
What with the NBPower thing keeping the liberals name in the news, and this new charge about paying Robichaud’s widow illegally, I’m a little suspicious of that poll. It’s at least a hopeful sign, since the liberals were stepping in it so often that there was a real fear of a Mckenna repeat-and that would be bad for everybody. Although we really don’t know much, I’d suggest a lot of that 41% are not going to end up voting at all-particularly if there is only a choice of two in their riding.
Alward has tried to make energy a ‘defining issue’, but its such a broad category. Anyway, if you recall on the complaints about a focus on local roads, public insurance and toll highways, the LAST thing you want is ONE defining issue-a government has to do a lot of work in a lot of departments.
I personally think in more realistic terms rather than looking for grandiose schemes that are going to be our saviour. For me, the defining issue in this election is trust, honesty, and integrity. Those are very simple values that are imperative for success. Flash and sizzle don’t cut it for me. I can see right through it.