Editorial: It Is Not Only What We Do, but Also What We Do Not Do, for Which We Are Accountable

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This past election was again marred by divisive politics, misinformation, and disappointing comments by prospective voters on social media. 

For citizens, it can be difficult to determine who is telling the truth, a portion of the truth, or their own version of it. Voters had opportunities to meet the mayoral candidates at several events, to hear them speak, and to ask them questions.

The mayoral candidates should be commended for their exhausting work, attempting to canvas our whole city on foot, and for having a strong online presence. With social media becoming an integral part of political communications, clear rules about accessibility for pages of political figures are long overdue.

Finding information in a mayoral race, with established and experienced individuals, is often easier than it is in a race for district councillor. There are so many new faces who are looking to improve their neighbourhood and beloved city, some with extensive community involvement and others who just feel a sense of purpose.

Unfortunately, voter apathy towards municipal politics and limited awareness of issues are tall hurdles to overcome. Traditional media helps by covering local news stories, and some elected officials try to keep constituents up-to-date through newsletters, emails, town halls, or their own social media pages. Barring all that, we are privileged to be able to have our city council meetings available to us online.

We all want to believe that our views and opinions are the right ones – that is human nature. But some of the issues in Pointe-Claire, like development, water issues, and green spaces, should be researched to determine the facts. We often hear, “Oh, you can’t trust politicians, anyway.” Why can’t we hold them accountable for what they say during an election or once in office? Are we just willing to vote for the least bad option? Shouldn’t we tell candidates not only what we want, but what we expect?

It is problematic that, once elected, a politician is essentially untouchable for four years, and their performance is only assessed by the 30-40% of the population who bother to vote. Year after year, regardless of the level of government, we face broken promises and untruths, unresponsive representation, and major decisions never mentioned during campaigns. 

There must be a better way to hold people accountable for what they say and do between elections. 

The inability to remind politicians of their promises and responsibilities is partly why there is apathy towards municipal politics — because citizens feel powerless. It doesn’t help when elected officials, who are just like you or me, talk down to residents as if they alone know what’s best. Of course, we should respect the hours spent in meetings and studying complex documents. But most politicians win with a plurality of votes, not a majority, and they still must listen to all voices, not just those who voted for them.

Should we consider performance reviews, or at least hold a poll at the municipal level? An online suggestion box for those too shy to speak up at a council meeting? Maybe some sort of mediator who can help residents feel heard?

While citizens often decry a lack of transparency, it often comes down to effort and accessibility, and this is from both sides. Residents need to inform themselves about the basics: find out the district you're in, watch a council meeting, or just email your councillor and introduce yourself. Council members, for their part, should reach out, meet with their constituents, and provide updates, not just in an election year, but throughout their mandate.

We are all neighbours, sharing a community, sharing a province, sharing a country. We should strive to make it better.