This is the last submittal I sent to the Chronicle Journal, prior to the election. I honestly don't know if it was published (I believe the previous two were) as I really don't care for that newspaper as it regurgitates a lot of Toronto Star OpEds as well as some from the Washington Post. Neither, in my opinion, give balanced reliable commentary. Note that unfortunately in the riding I live in they did not "choose wisely" but instead re-elected Patty Hadju, the cabinet minister who right after making it to cabinet approved over a million dollars in OFFICE RENOVATIONS!

Choose Wisely

The Federal election will soon be on us and at that time you will have the ability to cast your ballot for the candidate or party of your choice. As the person elected from your riding will be representing hopefully your best interests and of everyone else in the riding one needs to choose wisely. 

 Unfortunately to get good unbiased information with which to make an informed decision can be a daunting task, helped in no part by traditional media sources doing their best to show their biases rather than exposing the strengths and weaknesses of each party and their respective candidates.

So, what can a person do to be better informed? The obvious one is to try different sources. For a national perspective read also the Globe and Mail and the National Post. On line check out the Post Millennial, Rebel Media and C2C Journal as several examples. Go to YouTube to track down videos of actual events so that you can see for yourself what actually happened. 

A powerful tool available to you is to think through what the potential consequences are. Each party and their respective candidates are trying to paint themselves in the best light possible but not all facades are true. Be critical and skeptical and evaluate policy statements. 

For example, the subject of man-made climate change/global warming. Currently most of the parties are promoting some form of “transitioning from fossil fuels”. Consider how we keep our homes warm in the cold Canadian winter; primarily with natural gas, propane and fuel oil, all fossil fuels. Also keep in mind that affordable food at the grocery store is thanks to cheap transportation from countries where growing conditions are much better than ours, all powered by fossil fuels. Think about how life as we know it would be without fossil fuels by considering how they have given us everything we hold dear; warmth, abundance of affordable food, clothing, etcetera. Now consider the impacts so far of the “green economy”. There is a reason why the “road to hell is paved with good intentions”.

Another related example is the mantra “we are for jobs”. Killing the fossil fuel industry and making every other industry that uses fossil fuels to be less competitive on the world stage is job killing. Why do we need to curtail our fossil fuel industry for environmental and ethical reasons while we import from other countries with far poorer standards than ours unimpeded, again killing local jobs? Here in Northwestern Ontario our economy is dominated by resource industries that are barely economic and are made even more marginal with every tax increase. The “green economy” is a false one and no where has it ever delivered the benefits those who promote it have said it would. Instead more and more foreign-owned companies have closed their Canadian subsidiaries and moved elsewhere.

Oh, but the rich will pay! Put yourself in their shoes. Would you stay in a country that treats you unfairly just because you have more money than others? Would you not just leave that country and go somewhere else, one where you are welcomed as any money you spend there will be in support of the local economy? You see, it really isn’t that hard to evaluate what is best for our country and ultimately ourselves. Being able to vote gives you great power but that comes with great responsibility. Choose wisely.