Democracy means choices

We are glad to see that a Liberal candidate has stepped forward in Airdrie for the upcoming provincial election.

It is important that Airdrie residents have a choice and the ability to vote for whoever best represents their views, morals and values.

Having representatives that span from the left to the right of the political spectrum is imperative to democracy.

Limited representation of just a few parties forces residents to compromise their values or, more often, not to vote at all because they feel there is no one who represents their views on local issues.

Hopefully, the wide range of political party representation will attract more voters to the polls on April 23.

Airdrie is notorious for having drastically low voter turnouts in all levels of government elections. We encourage residents to go out to the candidates forum that will be hosted by the Airdrie Chamber of Commerce and held at Bert Church Theatre on April 16.

This may be your only opportunity to ask the candidates and incumbent MLA the questions that matter to you and your family.

There is only so much research you can do online and some candidates don’t have a long political history, making information on them hard to come by.

The only way to know whether someone deserves your vote is to see them in action.

Although the candidates will try to get out to as many homes as possible, they can’t be in all places at all times.

By all means take the time to fire those complex questions at a candidate if they are on your door step, but it is also important to see how candidates react to the ideas of others.

Like Airdrie’s Liberal candidate Joel Steacy says in our page 15 story, many of the party leaders have good ideas.

Are the candidates in Airdrie willing to listen to others and take their ideas and policies under consideration if that is what is best for this community?

Or do they just put down “the other guys’” thoughts and assume they will not work or are wrong.

We are disappointed to see the leaders’ race has taken a turn towards personal slander rather than concentrating only on the issues that are important in Alberta.

Although accusations and put downs are more memorable, and unfortunately get more press time, they are not what residents should be basing their votes on.

We encourage residents to ignore the childish name calling and cheap shots we are seeing in this campaign and concentrate on the issues - health care, education, Alberta’s financial status, infrastructure and whatever else you hold dear.

It is the party policies and the candidates’ willingness to bring these issues forward in the Legislature that should be winning (or losing) votes.

Whether you are a supporter of the Liberals, NDP, Wildrose, Progressive Conservatives or a political independent, base your vote on facts, issues that are important to you and your family and your values and morals.

And appreciate the fact that we live in a free country and have the right to choose who governs our province.