The press deadline each week for the Star/Journal is 5 p.m. on Tuesdays. We try hard to meet that deadline, but sometimes it is a scramble to make it given the ever changing environment that we live and work in here in the North Thompson Valley.
We made our 5 p.m. deadline this week, but because of that deadline we will not be able to comment on which party has won the top spot in our provincial election.
However, we can tell you that the four day advance voting polls were up by 28 per cent. A considerable jump from the apathetic display we experienced from voters in the 2009 provincial election when only 51 per cent of those eligible to vote actually did so.
We can also tell you that the polling station in Barriere at the Lions Hall was a very busy place on Tuesday, it appeared that people were taking their democratic right to vote seriously, and actually did just that in order to have their voices heard.
Whichever political party has been elected to lead the province they will be with us for at least four years. If you didn’t vote for them, we’d like to suggest you don’t write them off just yet.
Let’s give the party in power an opportunity to prove themselves. Keep track of whether or not they make good on all of the promises they made during the campaign, and hold them accountable to those promises if they don’t.
Stay informed about what your MLA is doing, or not doing. Advocate for your province, your riding, and your community. If you have a concern, we suggest you not be shy about offering constructive input to your MLA or other provincial body.
Now that all the political campaigning and posturing is done, perhaps we can get back to the business of making a living, putting food on the table, and spending time with family.
But if you want to see change for the better in your community or in this province, we would suggest that if you remain sitting in the back seat, you will find yourself a long way from the steering wheel.