Academics and those involved with politics and campaigns often express concern with the lack of citizen engagement in public issues. The feeling is that over the last few decades people have become less involved in our democratic process whether that be through voting or other means.
Over the past few weeks however I’ve been reminded that people are not only willing to become involved in important and meaningful issues, they are eager to do so. In the Manitoba Legislature for example we have seen literally hundreds of Manitobans come to make public presentations on issues that matter to them. There were hundreds who came to speak about Bill 20 (the PST tax increase bill) and there will be hundreds more who come to speak about Bill 18 and how best to deal with the problem of bullying.
There are few times, if ever, in the history of the Manitoba Legislature that so many Manitobans wanted to come and speak directly to their elected representatives about legislation.
This past week I had the opportunity to attend an event with members of the Bi-Pole III coalition which is a coalition of citizens who are dedicated to stopping the new hydro transmission line from being built on a long, wasteful and environmentally damaging route on the west side of our province. These citizens have come together from all walks of life (engineers, academics, farmers, and former Hydro executives) to try to get the NDP government to reverse a foolish decision that will harm generations of Manitobans.
This volunteer group has collectively dedicated literally thousands of hours in trying to get the NDP government to reconsider the route of Bi-Pole III. It is an incredible example of how citizens who are passionate about an important issue can come together and try to make a difference.
Citizen engagement isn’t just about active participation in issues however. It doesn’t have to take the form of a speech before a committee or the involvement in a citizen coalition. Sometimes it’s just about showing up and offering ideas or even thanks.
That form of participation was on display at A.D. Penner Park on Tuesday night when about 650 people came to say thank you and farewell to outgoing Provencher Member of Parliament Vic Toews. Residents from across Provencher and many from other parts of Manitoba were on hand to thank Mr. Toews for his years of service to the riding.
So while there are good reasons to look for ways to engage people more directly in politics there are also many signs, particularly in southeastern Manitoba, that citizens are very interested in issues and willing to be a part of a political process that impacts their lives both directly and indirectly. And that is a credit to our region and its residents.
