If no one knows, no one cares. During our last elections, voter turnout in the St. Albert municipal election was 43 per cent; provincially it was 70 per cent; and federally it was 67 per cent.
I am a big believer in free enterprise and a true democratic system. I also believe a vital partner to free enterprise in a democracy is a free press.
As we enter a period with both federal and municipal elections, and provincial referenda thrown in, there is significant focus on all parts of our democratic system. I find myself frustrated with much of the process. As one person commented about our current prime minister, “Well, it is called ‘Question Period’ not ‘Answer Period!’”
I was reading a piece out of England from a media defence organization which was informative. It suggested that if you don’t know all the facts, how do you know who to vote for?
To vote for the candidate who best represents your own views, you need to have accurate information. Elections give huge amounts of power to individuals, parties, and institutions, so it’s crucial that the media is able to provide reports which are fair, accurate, and balanced, as they critique the work of people who hold public office.
Knowledge is power. In print, online, or on TV or radio, without a free exchange of information, people can’t be fully aware of what’s going on around them, hence they can’t meaningfully participate in their communities or democracies.
There is a hierarchy to democracy. The interests of the people are the primary raison d'être.
People hire, through election, a group of people to go into public service to serve the people. The elected officials then hire the administration to implement the plan set out by the officials, representing the interest of the people. Citizens are ultimately the bosses and the shareholders. So how are they kept informed? Through a strong, independent media that ensures transparency and helps reduce maladministration.
Freedom of expression protects the rights of reporters, bloggers, and news outlets — and the general public — to speak critically.
It is crucial to quality journalism to be able to ask difficult questions, follow stories, point out inconsistencies, and report accurately on the issues. An effective media also depends on the legal basis that freedom of expression gives the right to function and report freely, sometimes critically, without threat or fear of reprisal.
If our elected representatives say, "No," to the press, they are saying, "No," to the public. It’s important that people, both directly and through the press, can ask tough questions of those they elected and find out about decisions which affect them and their fellow citizens. This is an obligation that comes with choosing to run for a public office. Through the media and through public debate — on and offline — freedom of expression supports the development of informed citizens and voters.
Thank you to those who step forward to serve in public office. It can be incredibly rewarding, and yet the accountability to a community or country must weigh heavily.
As we enter into a critical time in our city, province, and country, we as the ratepayers of the whole system must do everything we can to ask questions and search out the facts.
Again, if you don’t know all the facts, how do you know who to vote for? Because if no one knows, no one cares, and that leads to low turnout. That, in turn, reflects cultural values of disenchantment or indifference, and thus the election may not be an accurate reflection of the will of the people.
John Liston is the vice president of Alberta Enterprise Group, and is a St. Albert resident active in our business and charity communities.
