In the wake of the U.S. Election on Tuesday, I’ve been seeing a lot of posts and comments about our own political circumstances here in Canada. Both situations have had me thinking a lot about what it really means to support a government.
It is unquestionably true that Canada was divided throughout our 2015 Federal Election. Many voters had one goal in mind; remove Stephen Harper from the position of Prime Minister. Now, I will be the first to admit that my understanding of Canadian law is limited. That said, I have to believe that there is a recourse for people who want to retain a specific party in Parliament and their riding while not caring for the actions of the party leader. This will require some research on my part. In any case, many people saw only one valid course of action during our election, and that was to vote for whichever party had the best chance of defeating Mr. Harper. That led to a very strong and early lead for the newly chosen Liberal party leader, Justin Trudeau.
Many have questioned his qualifications as the leader of a government. In the year since he was elected, he’s taken a number of actions that, like the election itself, left the country divided. With the majority of his first term still left to play out, there are many people who attack him personally on the grounds that he’s not doing what they want. There is a better way.
If you don’t like the actions of the Liberal Party, or of Justin Trudeau specifically, write to your Member of Parliament. I don’t care if that MP isn’t the one you voted for. The one I voted for died this year, and the bi-election to choose his successor in our riding hasn’t happened yet. This doesn’t prevent me from writing a letter or email to someone who’s taken his place in the interim. People seem so convinced that the election is the only chance they have to make their voices heard, and it simply isn’t true.
We, as Canadian citizens, have a responsibility. We can have different opinions without being divided. We must stand together, even as we look in different directions.
Two strong Harper supporters who shall remain nameless told me something interesting after Trudeau won last year. They told me that they would let him lead for the duration of his term, because that’s who the country voted for. They might not like his leadership style, or the choices he makes, but they would stand by him and his government for now. They would give him the benefit of the doubt and hope that when the next election comes up, their opinion on him would be that he did right by us.
We are over thirty million voices, represented by fewer than four hundred. They can not possibly know everything they need to make all the right decisions. Mistakes will be made. You will not like everything they do. That doesn’t mean you should hate them for it, nor does it give you cause to hate their supporters. Take a step back. Educate yourself on what’s happening, and why, and if you still have concerns, make your voice heard. You won’t be the only one doing so. Often times a quiet word will be better understood than a scream.
P.S.
America, this can work for you, too. Write to your Senators and your House representatives. Three hundred million voices can not be silenced except by themselves.