One hour, 16 questions and 3,200 participants all added up to a good investment in democracy, MP Russ Hiebert said this week, of the telephone town hall he hosted Monday night with Finance Minister Jim Flaherty.
“We were able to do by phone what would have been next to impossible” at one physical venue, Hiebert said.
“To get that number of people in one place would have been extraordinarily expensive, if it was even possible.”
Using Internet technology, Hiebert dialed 25,000 constituents at home from his South Surrey office Monday, in what he described as an effort to seek input for the upcoming federal budget. (To listen to the call, visit www.russhiebert.ca)
Flaherty dialed in from somewhere in Ontario, Hiebert said.
Over the course of the meeting, there were no angry callers or complaints, Hiebert said. The only surprise, he said, was how well it went.
“It’s amazing to think that this direct democracy is available. It was like having a dedicated radio call-in show just for our community.”
Hiebert described the 16 questions – on issues including skills creation and reducing taxes – as “really sophisticated and really intelligent,” and said the number of people who chose to participate “speaks well for the community.”
Also during the call, three survey questions were posed, inviting constituents to vote on: the success of government’s economic action plan; how government is doing in regards to spending on programs and services; and how to address current budget shortfalls.
Fifty-three per cent of those who voted agreed the economic action plan was a success and helped keep the economy moving forward; 20 per cent said not enough is being done for programs and services; and just seven per cent supported raising taxes as a means to address budget shortfalls.
Hiebert described the town hall as “really helpful… something that I’m never going to forget” – and something he will likely repeat.
He said he has yet to receive an invoice for the town hall, but was confident the cost would amount to “pennies a call.”
