The federal budget came down last week with little fanfare, and seemingly less interest, at least from people in Western Canada.
There are several reasons for the lack of interest.
To begin with, people seem generally disenfranchised from politics in general, but more so at the federal level where we have a majority government which was elected with far less than a majority of eligible voters supporting the ruling party when those not voting, and those marking their ‘X’ for another party are added together. It is a situation that occurs in a multi-party democracy, but it is also one which tends to turn people away from the process even more.
That reality is made worse out here in the west, where we have long realized federal governments are determined long before the seats out here are decided. Power in a democracy based on an equal vote for all, resides with the largest population areas, and in Canada that means Ontario and Quebec.
While that is the way it has been for years, it does leave many here with a feeling governments do not focus attention on the west the way it should be. It was that sentiment which led to the formation of the Reform Party, which was rolled into the current Conservatives. The Reform Party may lay within the new party, but the ideals of greater western power is lost.
Next there is the reality that what the federal government is responsible for areas which seem far removed from our everyday lives. Most decisions, while they should hold our interest in a bigger way, do not have immediate impacts on our lives the way a municipal government deciding to redo a street in our city, or the way a provincial government’s investment in a trades and technology centre does.
Yes the feds did announce money for infrastructure at the municipal level, but as Mayor Bob Maloney pointed out in a Yorkton This Week interview those dollars have been slow to roll out.
And, when such funding is released it seems focused on far bigger cities, noted Maloney, which of course goes back to putting money into areas where there are more voters.
When it all gets added together what happens in Ottawa seems to be off the radar of many people, and that is unfortunate.
It may seem like what happens in Parliament is not impacting us directly, but legislation such as Bill C-51, the Anti-terrorism Act, could have far ranging implications which go beyond strengthening this country’s ability to deal with real terrorism.
With a federal election looming, it is to be hoped voters one again become engaged and start to play the important role voters have in a democracy, and that is actually voting.
