Democracy lives everywhere

We made it that way on purpose.

We made is so that we would always get the best candidates possible—no matter what. Money wouldn’t matter, or gender, or skin colour, or who you knew, or where you went to church—or, where you lived. To let any of that matter wouldn’t be democratic. It would sell us all short. It would deny us access to all the best we had. It would limit our chances to give ourselves the best government we could get. The more we limit where a candidate lives—the more we limit getting the best people into government.  It could be the best person lives right next door.  Or it could be they live further. The current MP for Kings County lives in Hants. In Kings County we judge him by the quality of his representation of our needs—not by his locality.

When who could run where was setup—it was because we wanted the quality of the candidate to matter most. We didn’t want to limit our choices because of things that didn’t really matter when it came to getting quality representation.  We wanted to encourage rather than discourage people to engage in the democracy our veterans fought and died to defend. We wanted to open the way to people who were ready, willing, able and eager to keep our democracy alive and well. 

It is in that spirit that I became a candidate in District 3—even though I live next door to it, not in it.  I know this matters to some people. I wish it didn’t. I think it sells us all short. But I know it does matter to some. 

Nobody lives in “District 3”

I find it curious the current councillor is making such a big issue of where I live. I’d have far rather had a public debate of the truly big issues District 3 is facing, but he wouldn’t do that.  But since it is being raised as a key issue here’s what I would like to say “publicly” on my blog.

When you think about it—nobody lives in District 3—not all of it.  Everybody lives in some particular spot. My spot happens to be in Delhaven, less than 9 kilometres from where District 3 starts. The current District 3 Councillor lives in Halls Harbour. It’s one locality at the extreme end of a district that runs 18 long kilometres from the Fundy shore to North Kentville. In fact I live closer to some parts of District 3 than the current Councillor.

Halls Harbour is not all of District 3. No more than Centreville is, or Steam Mill, Foleaze Park, Gibson Woods, Aldershot, North Kentville, Huntington Point, or Lakeville. They are all very different places, all inside the borders of District 3, but not one of them is “District 3”—the whole place, every road, neighbourhood, house and apartment. That’s the GPS truth of it.

The district includes many self-defined communities and neighbourhoods; some large and some just three or four homes in a row; each locality, street and road with its own particular interests, issues and concerns; some alike, some as different as chalk from cheese. It is a real job of work for anyone to plug into all of it. But that’s what a councilor is supposed to do.

The current councillor says that living all those long kilometres away from so many of the people he represents did not stop him from doing his job. He’s right. It isn’t where he lives that makes him a good or bad representative. Anymore than where I live will.

Other things matter much, much more—beginning with a real desire to represent all parts of the district, without ever playing political games or favourites, or neglecting some folks and their concerns.  I’ll make sure democracy always lives everywhere in District 3.  I will do that as your councillor.

• I will be in touch; stay in touch; be answerable and make a constant effort. I will:
• Always remember being a councilor is a real job with a pay cheque that must be earned before it’s cashed.
• Know the who, why and wherefore of the issues and concerns that are important in every locality in District 3;
• Keep people in the know about council business and make a habit of asking people what’s most important to them;
• Always be ready, willing and able to explain to the people who elected me why I did what I did;

In short, my plan is to work hard and long to raise the quality of representation in District 3.

Quality not locality

I believe when it comes to representation quality matters more than locality. Good representation has nothing to do with where you live. It has everything to do with what you believe in and are ready to go to bat for. I will honour the trust voters give me. I have the courage to not become “another one of those politicians” that people on the doorstep are saying is makes them not vote at all.

My record shows I have never been content to go whichever way the wind blows. My record shows I work hard to make a success of whatever I endeavour to do.  That’s the truth of good representation.

Living in Delhaven doesn’t diminish that truth. Living in Halls Harbour doesn’t enhance it. I promise each and every person in District 3 the very best quality of representation I can deliver.  I am asking you, the voter, for that chance.