Dear Editor,
As elections loom provincially and federally, be prepared for the games of political parties that go beyond the lies, rumours and innuendo that have become a part of party politics.
We’ve already seen the Santa visits to town and county councils by MLA hopefuls: “Vote for me and you’ll be the first to hear of the government’s latest handouts”.
The pioneers who settled this province would be very disappointed in our system of “grants” which encourages the spending of money we don’t have and allows mismanagement by middlemen and political insiders.
Another political game is the Kamikaze.
Three or more candidates will be vying for a nomination.
Party insiders determine that one candidate is not of the ‘correct’ gender, race, and/or age.
One candidate will agree to suddenly drop out and throw his support to the preferred candidate – for reasons ‘unknown’.
The preferred candidate wins – democracy has been staged.
As a result of political party games, there appears the Ruler Syndrome.
Party backroom boys collect party insiders from previous governments.
Gradually a party leader, who appeared to be listening to grassroots concerns, evolves into a Ruler, who surrounds himself with his court of lords and ladies ready to rule the serfs who foolishly believed that this was a leader who would govern for the good of all.
Small wonder that governments are corrupt when political parties are corrupt!
Political parties are now composed of people looking for power, quite willing to make empty promises, instead of serving and representing constituents.
Rather than being hamstrung by party politics, we need representatives that respect and plan to actually serve their constituents.
Pat Holloway
Castor, Ab.
