One of the things that bugs me about New Brunswick politicians is just how many of them will tell me “they aren’t interested in their legacy”. “I’m not worried about that.” is the common answer when I ask the question. If you don’t care about your legacy you risk not having one.
I’m not saying politicians should be obsessed with how they will be viewed in history. I’m not talking about Winston Churchill level clarity. But mayors, MLAs, Premiers, MPs, council members – should get into politics looking to make a difference – looking to address some of the big issues of the day.
In your mind think about a few politicians that you know. What will they be known for? Did they fight for some big need in the town? Did they work tirelessly to address a problem? Public housing? Immigration? Economic development?
By the way I’d say the same for business and other community leaders. We want college presidents, university presidents, business leaders, to all think about how what kind of province, city or town they want to leave behind and what their role might be in making it happen.
This is the stuff that strong communities are built on. If we just let things play out without any direction or interference – then we are just blowing in the wind.