The first item on my “To Do”list tomorrow morning is to trudge down to the local polling station to do my civic duty. One of our municipal councillors got lucky in the May provincial election, and got himself elected to the provincial legislature, necessitating a by-election.
It happens, and at least we got three years service out of our councillor before he jumped ship.
Methinks however, it happens too often. Consider that former Premier Christi Clark, announcing that she was “done with public life”, has resigned, not only as leader of the liberals, but as MLA for Kelowna West, before serving a single day in the post. Consider too that the first politician to join the rush to replace her was none other than Dianne Watts, the sitting MP for South Surrey -White Rock, who is vacating her federal seat to run.
While there are many reasons why a sitting politician may honourably resign, in my opinion, naked political ambition is not one of them. Electors have a legitimate expectation that those they elect to public office will, barring the unforeseen, diligently serve out their term.
Constituents go unrepresented while an elected seat is vacant, so my heart goes out to anyone in Kelowna West or South Surrey – White rock with a beef with government bureaucracy that needs the intervention of the local MP or MLA.
Politicians won their seats initially, by defeating a number of other well qualified individuals, both at the nomination stage, as well as in the election proper, most of whom I would venture to suggest, would have done an equally satisfactory job, and might have actually served out their entire term, without succumbing to the urge to chase after other political office
By- elections are expensive, and disruptive. There should be a penalty imposed upon any politician who causes one, without proper cause. My Saturday “To Do” list is long enough already !
THE DILETTANTE 