Voting is Power!

In the province of Ontario we are about to embark upon a Provincial election in one week (please see website).. And this current election is meaningful to me on a few levels. This is the first election in which I can not vote for my personal favourite Jack Layton, the leader of the New Democrat Party in Canada, as he sadly died due to cancer this summer, and he is so incredibly missed.

As you may know, I had major surgery a week ago, and yet yesterday I managed to get out to an advanced polling station and exercise my democratic right to vote. And yet I am so filled with sadness at the apathy which surrounds every election in my country, and in the United States as well. I see so many people making broad generalized statements about politics and government, justifying their inactivity and apathy by saying things like "they're all liars, why vote?" or "we have to take back our power and stop voting all together". These statements are well intended I'm sure, however they are sorely ignorant.

Change is never achieved through inactivity, and when you do not vote you are clearly saying to your government "I don't care, you are in power".

You may not agree with me, however it is a simple truth; when you do not vote you are giving your power to those who do vote. And in our current state of society and economy it is no surprise that the largest percentage of electors are of a higher tax bracket than the "common" people. So when the working class refuse to vote because they think politics are "biased" or that all the parties are just the "same old same old", what essentially happens is they are voting for the thing they are trying to boycott - elitism.

Perhaps as a Canadian parent you'd be surprised to know that right now in Ontario we are facing a huge anti-gay/lesbian/transgender movement with the Toronto District School Board. I am not a parent in this school district, however the issue affects me as a parent, as a friend to many gay and lesbian and transgender people, and as a human being. It affects anyone who lives in this country, no matter if they are a parent, or straight, or not.

This issue is as important as such issues as taxation, prayer in school, universal health care, and all other issues tabled by our legislative powers that be, on any level.

So I would strongly urge you, my friends and readers, no matter where you live on this great planet of ours to please always use your power. There are people on our planet who do not have a right to a fair vote. These people are ruled by dictatorship and do not have the freedoms we in North American and most of Europe take for granted. It is an insult and tantamount to a slap in the face to all humans who do not currently have a right to democratic election, to skip your right to vote.

When you do not vote you are essentially saying "I don't care." And if that is the case, please know there are millions of people on this planet who would gladly trade places with you, and who would care tremendously to have even a small portion of the freedoms you and I have.

So when it comes time for you to vote - exercise your right. Don't know who to vote for? Read, study, ask questions. Think all parties are one and the same? Generally speaking, yes they are all the same - they are all politicians, however they all have personal stances and opinions which can differ widely from other party leaders and candidates. So ask questions.

On Facebook, our party leaders in our various ridings and electoral areas have groups, where you can ask them questions, and get to know them individually. You can also call the parties headquarters and ask questions to your hearts delight!!!

The bottom line is that it is your right and privilege to vote in this country. And I daresay it is your responsibility as a liberated individual in the "free world" to use your vote responsibly. You can vote for your favourite party, you can vote for the lesser of the evils, you can vote for the long shot to shake up the numbers for the larger parties, or you can spoil your ballot and write in your own candidate (as I have done a couple times, just to make my opinion known. I have voted for Homer Simpson and Gandhi in the past, to let the fat-cats in Ottawa know I dislike ALL the options given me). But you must vote - or your voice is not heard.

You change nothing by not voting. You exert no power, you make no waves, you do not promote any level of evolution within our society by refusing your right to vote.

So it comes down to you, and who you wish to be in this world. Whether you are Buddhist, or Christian, or "New Age" or generally Spiritualist, you live in a world which is ruled by government at this time. That will not change because you do not vote. You are not more powerful by skipping an election. And you do not make any kind of idealistic statement by avoiding the polls.

Gandhi told us to be the change we wish to see in the world; you can only do that by acting. Inaction is no different than apathy.

So get out and vote my friends. It is your right, it is your freedom, and it is your responsibility; both to yourself, and to your friends, family, and society.

Please feel free to follow this link for a full list of Ontario political parties.