Letter to candidates

The following is a letter I e-mailed to the four major-party candidates in my riding, Joe Fontana (Liberal), Stephen Maynard (NDP), John Mazzilli (Conservative), and Stuart Smith (Green).

Dear sirs,

I’m a voter in the London North Centre riding. My vote in the upcoming election will not be based solely on a leader, a party, a candidate or a particular issue, but on a considered evaluation of all of those elements. To that end, I’d like to ask several questions of each of you, the answers to which will help me make an informed vote on January 23.

First off, if you have one, what is your personal campaign website? I’ve only been able to find Mr. Mazzilli’s and Mr. Fontana’s.

Although you are running for election to the federal government, it is as a representative of your riding that you will be elected. To date I haven’t seen much discussion of what any of you believe are the most important issues facing local ridings, i.e. not just London North Centre but London-Fanshawe, London West, Kent-Middlesex-Lambton, etc. If you had to pick three issues for this area, what would they be, and what is your position on them?

Voters will be choosing you in large part to make their voice heard by the government. If elected, how will you evaluate the opinions of those you represent? When they are in conflict, what will be your process to balance those opinions with your personal beliefs and party policy?

Three of you will belong to parties that do not form the government after the upcoming election. If you are elected, how will you work with that party to see that local opinions are represented? Similarly, how will you and your party work with MPs from other parties if yours forms the government? For example, in a Conservative government where a Liberal candidate like Marc Garneau wins his riding, would you consider appointing him to a relevant advisory position, or even a position in the government (or cabinet)? If at all, how will your actions change in a minority government?

We rarely hear about the actions of MPs unless they are in cabinet or are running for election; even then we hear more about what their party has done and less about their achievements on behalf of their riding. How will you, and your party, make government and candidates more accessible, visible, and accountable to the voters in local ridings?

Recognizing that it is run at arm’s length from the government, what is your stance, and your party’s policy, on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, particularly with regard to funding, the Broadcast Act, corporate governance, and the lengthy recent lockout? Do you believe there is a need for a national public broadcaster at all? If so, what is your vision for the organization; if not, why not? Mr. Fontana, as one of the direct (albeit belated) players in the lockout, do you think the organization is being run effectively by its current management?

How would a government formed by your party alter current support for the arts and amateur sports? I’m not referring just to funding, although that’s obviously an important factor, but to other related issues like copyright and local, regional and national exposure.

Finally, I’d like to discuss your answers on my weblog. This may involve quoting or summarizing your responses to each question, in whole or in part. If you’d prefer I only do one or the other—or that I keep your responses entirely private—please let me know.

Thank you in advance for your answers. Good luck to each of you in a positive, issue-based campaign.

(signed)