Election 2006

I emailed each of the four eligible constituents in my local riding with a series of questions. I'll admit, I stole the questions (slightly modified & shortened) from Matthew Good's website. But they were excellent questions. And I don't think he'd be offended. Matt, if you are - email me. Hell, if you're reading this... stop wasting your time!

(For those of you interested... I've placed the questions I asked below)

Surprisingly, two of them have already responded (in less than 24 hours!). The quickest response was from the Green Party candidate (Tim Rudkins), and I must admit, the answers were well thought out. The second response was from the NDP candidate's office (Wess Dowsett), which asked me for my postal code. I sent it back... hopefully I'll hear back in the near future.

Of course, it automatically made me think about beaurocratic red tape. Hell, I just asked a few questions, and now I'm required to provide my postal code. Is this to ensure that I am in fact a constituent of this particular riding? If that were the case, I could simply provide any postal code within that riding, couldn't I? If I were a constituent in a different riding, how interested would I truly be in their standpoint?

In any case, I think I'm voting based on the constituent in my riding - not for any particular political party.

Here's the questions I emailed out:

As a constituent of the riding you are seeking to represent, I would like to know your position on the following.

1) Do you believe that an increase in defense spending is warranted?

2) Do you support Canadian inclusion in the ballistic missile defense program?

3) Would you support a serious reform of the Heath Ministry aimed at reducing the number of federal employees in Ottawa and increasing local representatives with medical backgrounds?
Do you support the privatization of healthcare?

4) Do you support the right for same sex couples to marry?
Were the current law to be challenged under a new government, would you vote to repeal it?
Do you consider personal sexuality a human rights issue?

5) Do you support an increase in the corporate tax rate?
What is your position on the belief that an increase in corporate tax rates adversely affects growth in the business community despite the fact that standard wages remain radically disproportionate to employer profit?

Lastly, and only if you feel comfortable doing do, could you please list those environmental, human rights, or animal rights groups of which you are currently a member?

Thank you very much for your time,

Pete