It should be accepted that civic politicians are the most accountable to their constituents.
They are responsible for our municipal taxes, and snow removal, and street cleaning and basically most things that we encounter in our lives as we go about our business.
Not to mention that they walk and drive the same roads as we do on a daily basis and are often accosted on those same streets by the question of the day: “Why isn’t city hall doing more on ––––––? (insert concern here).”
Meanwhile our political representatives in Victoria and Ottawa are often far from reach, both physically and figuratively, and seemingly have little to do with our everyday lives in the North Okanagan.
Yet who makes the most money and who has the most comfortable pension plan to fall back on if they get elected more than once?
We’ll give you a clue. It ain’t the mayor or councillor who lives down the street and is the one you turn to if the light on that same street goes off for some reason.
We applaud all the candidates who had the nerve, guts and community spirit to put their name forward. You are to be congratulated whether you win or lose Saturday as you have provided a vital cog in the democratic process for an election that can be truly called the most important of all.
Now all the rest of us have to do is take 15 minutes out of our Saturday and ensure we have our say in the future of our respective communities’ future.
In this most important of elections, that often gets the least amount of prestige, we have to be accountable as well.
