Reach out and touch your MP

– Managing editor Scott Neufeld Sept 24 Vernon Courier

A media report out of Salmon Arm last week suggests Okanagan-Shuswap MP Colin Mayes is being ignored by the electorate. “I held a meet and greet in Vernon on Wednesday, and only 12 people showed up. You wonder, is it because you’re doing a great job, or because people don’t care?” Mayes is quoted as saying in the Salmon Arm Observer. As a former Salmon Arm mayor, Mayes has little public profile in Vernon. Although he’s hosted a handful of public meetings in Vernon they’ve been spectators have been sparse. But the reason Mayes hasn’t been flooded with public input is not because he’s doing a great job nor is it because people don’t care. More likely it’s because Mayes has yet to show voters that he can resolve local issues. In his admittedly brief tenure he’s yet to make a major funding announcement in Vernon. Mayes has yet to make any measurable progress on infrastructure improvements for Highway 97 or the Trans-Canada Highway – his number one issue. The city is still waiting for definitive answers about the future of the DND grounds and the feds have yet to sign any cheques for Greater Vernon’s $100 million master water plan.

Add to that the handling of the Schubert Centre’s tax issues, seniors are still forced to pay GST to play snooker, and it doesn’t appear that talking to the MP produces results. Locally, Mayes has been dogged by backroom political scandals that have resulted in several resignations and removals from his own riding association board. His most enduring legacy continues to be his comments on jailing journalists. So while Mayes makes it to the local photo ops and does what he can to raise his public profile, citizens don’t seem to be paying much attention. It’s easy to blame Mayes for not endearing himself to local voters. But constituents are just as much to blame for not making their opinions known. In the absence of public input, MPs tend to vote along the party line. This doesn’t necessarily represent what the public wants. If you disagree with the Tories’ environmental policies, let your MP know. If you agree with the government stance on the United Nations covenant on Aboriginal Peoples, let your MP know. An important part of any democracy is communicating with elected officials. It’s not enough to show up once every four years (or now bi-annually) and drop a slip of paper into a ballot box. Do your duty as a citizen the rest of the time and contact your MP on major issues. Although the direct result may be imperceptible, such feedback shows the MP that people are paying attention, that people are passionate and that the decisions he or she makes can have a significant impact on real people.