The silly season is here - and no, we are not talking about the wet, rainy weather that has turned our sunshine dreams into a soggy nightmare. No, we are talking about the upcoming municipal election.
And it's not really silly - this is serious stuff. But many newsrooms dub elections as the silly season because of the many wacky topics and ideas that seem to emerge as the candidates seeking your vote come out of the woodwork.
This week we pinned down the incumbent candidates to see who would be seeking re-election. Almost everyone got back to us with an answer, but for some strange reason, it was like pulling teeth to get an answer out of some of our elected politicians. We don't know why. This is a chance for some free publicity, a chance to get out a few thoughts on their platform and why residents should vote them back in on Nov. 19. It's also a chance for the incumbents to get a leg up on the new folks entering the race, so providing us with a few comments should not have been a problem, right? Wrong.
Silly season indeed.
We'll wait and see over the coming days who will come forward to try to unseat the incumbent candidates. There are a lot of rumours flying, and it will be interesting to see what rumours become fact once the final slate comes into focus on Oct. 14.
Every election is important, but this municipal election is paramount to the future success of our communities.
There have been positive highs and lows in this term at all our government tables. Our politicians have had to deal with many contentious issues that have divided different factions in our communities. Have they all made the right decisions? No. Have they earned the right to represent the community's interests for the next three years? Well, that is up to you, the voter to decide.
During the next month and a half, we'll do our best to provide you with the most comprehensive election coverage we can. We'll be profiling the candidates and attending all the all-candidates meetings. But you have to do your part as well. Get out there and learn about each candidate, what they stand for and what they hope to bring to the job. And if you are thinking of running, then throw your hat in the ring. It was very encouraging to see more than 20 women turn out last Saturday for the women's campaign school to get some insight into municipal politics and what it takes to run as a potential candidate. Here's hoping that some who attended will be encouraged to put their name on the ballot and step up to serve.
So let the fun and games begin. Hold on, it should be an interesting ride.
