By D. E. Degenstien, Editor
Last Mountain Times
Nokomis / Strasbourg
(Reprinted with permission)
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 With nomination day having passed, those seeking election to village, town, and RM councils now face a difficult challenge 鈥� one they perhaps did not fully consider prior to submitting their nomination papers. Let me try to explain.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 You see, at the federal, provincial, and major urban municipal level, it鈥檚 acceptable and common, even expected practice, once nominated, to actually 鈥榗ampaign鈥� to get elected. In the rural areas of Saskatchewan (and perhaps other provinces) it鈥檚 not quite so clear cut. I think it has something to do with the size of the voting population in a particular area, but I don鈥檛 think the exact parameters have ever really been defined.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 It seems to start with the nomination process. It鈥檚 not really considered 鈥榗ool鈥� to actually go out and 鈥榞et yourself鈥� nominated 鈥� you 鈥榢ind-of-have-to-be-talked-into-it鈥櫬� ...and then reluctantly agree. You can鈥檛 appear to be too anxious to become a candidate, because that could be the 鈥榢iss of death鈥� for your candidacy 鈥� people might think you are 鈥榓mbitious鈥�, have a 鈥榩ersonal agenda,鈥� or have a 鈥榣eadership鈥� or 鈥榩ower鈥� complex. So that鈥檚 the first hurdle: you have to cautiously, reluctantly agree to be 鈥榙rafted鈥� as a candidate (鈥淲ell, I guess I could let my name stand聽 ...if no one minds, and if no one else is going to let his or her name stand聽 ...after all, someone has to be on council...鈥�).
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Once nominated, the process is still delicate: again, you don鈥檛 want to appear too anxious to get yourself elected. There is a 鈥榞rey area鈥� at this point: if there has been some sort of controversy leading up to the election (perhaps a contentious tax issue, or property development issue, etc.) it might be acceptable to campaign on resolving that issue; to perhaps set yourself up as the person who can be trusted to resolve that issue. But, again, this is a slippery slope - get too aggressive or publicly outspoken, and you risk starting that 鈥榓mbition鈥� accusation. Best to do your campaigning in one-on-one, and perhaps local coffee shop settings. Advertising, or putting up yard signs seems to be 鈥榗rossing the line鈥� in most instances (鈥�...look at all the money he (she) is spending to get elected聽 ...I wonder what鈥檚 behind all that聽 ...and where is the money coming from...?鈥�).
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 The 鈥榰nspoken rules鈥� seem to shift a bit if you are an incumbent. 鈥楲etting your name stand鈥� for a second, third, or fourth term seems to be acceptable behaviour, and if you鈥檝e been keeping your nose clean and doing a reasonable job on council, you may have the upper hand over your opponent(s). It鈥檚 a delicate process, but it shouldn鈥檛 be too difficult to garner a bit of a 鈥榮ympathy鈥� vote, and if you鈥檙e lucky, your opponents might get caught 小蓝视频 鈥榯oo ambitious鈥櫬犅� ...more votes for you.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 With these murky waters to navigate, it really is a wonder that anyone sticks his or her head up and runs for a village, town, or RM council position. It is, after all, thankless work. You set yourself up to be a target of your community鈥檚 ratepayers鈥� wrath聽 ...damned if you do, and damned if you don鈥檛. Get complaint calls at all hours of the day and night if the water or sewer system shuts down; and get the collective scorn of the entire coffee shop population if you vote to raise the water and sewer rates so repairs or upgrades can be made. Yes ...thankless work.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 So, in the end, we do indeed have to admire and support those who 鈥榣et their names stand鈥� to represent us on our local community councils.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Now ...those provincial and federal politicians 鈥� that鈥檚 a whole 鈥榥other editorial!
