By Pepper Parr
May 3rd, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
There has been a lot of talk recently at City Council meetings about democracy.
The look we got at the democratic process yesterday has to make one wonder.
The turnout was less than 25% – closer to 20%
Zee Hamid will be the MP for Milton once he is sworn in.
In Milton the Progressive Conservatives held the seat by a respectable margin.
Earlier in the day the New Democrats said in the Legislature that there was a report of email in the Premier’s office was being deleted from computers.
The email was related to the Greenbelt mess that the RCMP is still looking into.
By-elections are often seen as referendums on the government.
There were two by-elections in Ontario yesterday.
Both were won by the Progressive Conservatives. A part of the Milton riding includes the northern section of Burlington.
That is the clearest message the Premier could ask for – the public is Ok with us, we can keep doing what we have been doing.
And we do know what they have been doing.
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
“Voter apathy is a civic abdication.”
– Charles M. Blow
When did corruption, incompetence and lying become acceptable? Why don’t people think we and future generations deserve better?
I can understand the PC’s winning the Lambton-Kent-Middlesex by-election but not Milton.
Three things may be at play: 1) a well-organized and well-funded PC campaign, likely financed by development monies; 2) weak and ineffective Liberal and NDP candidates; 3) a profoundly apathetic and disengaged electorate, many of whom have lived in the riding for only a short time.
One thing is really clear though. If the LIberals and NDP expect to make solid gains in the GTA they had better start running candidates with a higher profile and stronger work experience. These “community organizers”, environmentalists, one issue candidates and aides to politicians just don’t cut it anymore. They have no gravitas and they lack depth. Being an MPP is serious stuff, and it requires a credible pedigree and real-life experience.