What we should be hearing
By Bill Jackson – The Regional
Due to some of the issues Haldimand has been coping with the past three years, it seems like we've been in lection mode for longer than just three weeks. The instability of the local economy and tearing of social fabric has caused a lot of finger pointing between politicians that has often entailed the undercurrent of party politics at both the federal and provincial levels.
However one thing that many local residents have proven during that time is that they don't care about political stripes, slamming the provincial Liberals and Dalton McGuinty as well as a lack of federal leadership from the Conservative party and local MP Diane Finley.
Between now and when our next edition arrives at your door on Oct. 8, the Haldimand community will have had the opportunity to sit in on three candidates meetings. One took place in Kohler last night. The others are slated for Dunnville on Thursday and
It's an opportunity for people who consider themselves apolitical to see what each candidate would do for Haldimand moving forward and to a lesser degree what they would have done differently the last few years.
Moreover, one would hope that these debates entail fresh ideas and meaningful solutions to pressing issues, instead of the same old tired rhetoric we've heard from opposition during the past few years. Proposed antidotes to local issues are often wishy-washy and usually based on tweaking magical bullets. Such proposals are often seen by people as bandaids that would only perpetuate problems in the long run anyway.
People already know what hasn't happened for Haldimand. They also know that development and industry is lagging due to a number of issues, not just native land claims or a perceived lack of law enforcement. The world economy is now in danger and policies relating to farming, healthcare, the environment and infrastructure are also important.
After three years of election rhetoric here in Haldimand it would be nice to hear about some solutions and some actual commitments.
While pie-in-the-sky pledges to fight contraband tobacco certainly aren't sure-fire, neither are subjective assurances such as "better communication" and "leadership."
It may be the candidate who presents the best policies and promises moving forward, not the best critiques of the past, that will win votes from the people in the audience who aren't wearing campaign buttons.