The political battle for mayor, councillors and regional director is on. Not long ago, we watched Jack Layton run a campaign of optimism. His optimism was contagious and made us all think Canada could be better.
While Layton made people believe they could do more and be more for their country, his counterpart made Canada believe it was a mess. Gilles Duceppe ran a campaign that seemed always in the gutter. Everything was wrong and nothing was right.
The rumours have started. There are stories being spun. People are being told things that were never said. This seems to be the nature of modern day politics. It is a trend, I hope will soon end.
I was reminded of the simplicity of life while writing up some of the biographies for our local candidates. Many of the candidates have already been involved in politics for some time. Others are new to the game. One of the candidates quoted John F. Kennedy “Children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.” Kennedy made this statement in 1963...it still holds true today.
If I could have one wish, it would be that all our candidates think about John F. Kennedy’s wisdom as they move forward with their campaigns. Politics is not about egos. The reason governments are formed is too protect communities, provinces and countries.
David Suzuki’s daughter Severn knows that and so does her dad. Dr. Suzuki has spent his entire life trying to make government protect the world’s most valuable resource against overwhelming odds and often times greed.
Severn Suzuki made the world stop for just a little while when, at the age of 13, she addressed the U.N. leaders in Rio. Her speech has been aptly named “The girl who silenced the world.”
When I hear about Scouts hiding records of pedophiles or Catholic churches doing the same, I get so angry. How can we let kids be harmed? While destroying the planet, cutting back education funding, slashing hospital budgets, cancelling social programs, allowing poverty in a rich country and ignoring the needs of young families is less obviously cruel, it is still criminal.
We have seen politicians over the years hide environmental disasters and ignore what is the best for personal gain. If politicians stop and think about what is real as they move ahead and I know some truly do, they can make our community better . Kids are right in front of us everyday...playing in our communities, learning in our schools, sometimes fighting for their lives in our hospitals. It is those who recognize that the examples they set will become our future who should win. Sincerity has no ego, only heart.