No doubt most of you had better things to do last week than pay much attention to Premier Ernie Eves’ call for the Oct. 2 provincial election, what with those frosh parties and psyching up for today’s return to classes. But amidst all the back-to-school madness this week will undoubtedly entail, spare a thought for the impending elections-both provincial and municipal (Nov. 10)-because they’re going to have a direct impact on you, whether you realize it or not.
We sympathize with those of you who don’t know Ernie Eves from Dalton McGuinty or Barbara Hall from John Tory and couldn’t care less-they’re no Arnold Schwarzenegger, that’s for sure-but whoever comes into power this fall is going to be entrusted with the exigent task of turning around a province that’s in decline due to its rapidly-fading urban powerhouse. Like it or not, the two elections are inextricably entwined-the city of Toronto is tied to Queen’s Park’s pursestrings, and under the Eves government, that connection has been more like a short leash. It’s probably no surprise that the timing of the provincial election all but wipes Toronto’s upcoming November mayoralty race off the map at a time when the city badly needs key leadership the most.
What’s all this got to do with students? Well, even those of you who are too young to vote in the two elections this fall know a thing or two about both levels of politics from being part of the double cohort-your high school experience was marked by teachers’ strikes, school board mayhem, a ‘back-to-basics’ curriculum courtesy of the Tories… and that’s just for starters. Did anyone ask you if you wanted your OAC year axed?
Those of you who have come here from other places to study at this fine university probably think you have no vested interest in who governs Ontario or Toronto, and besides, you can’t vote anyway. Think again-if you’ve lived here, or will be living here, for over a year or more, then you’re eligible to vote. Even if you’re just passing through while attending U of T, if you care about the quality of this city, both elections should matter to you.
Why? Just take a look around you-this is a great city, but it’s in obvious decline. The TTC needs funding, the pristine streets we always prided ourselves on are full of litter, no one’s been able to get the homeless of the streets-these are all problems that have been around for a while now, but there’s been a gaping void in concrete political leadership to turn these things around. The city can’t do it without funding from the province, and the province can’t succeed without a healthy city. It’s a Catch-22 that the current administrations have exacerbated, what with Mayor Mel’s whiny tirades and Eves’ 905-baiting policy that pretends Toronto doesn’t exist.
There’s a great opportunity for change here, even if none of the candidates in either election have seized on it as yet. We need a City Hall that’s willing to work with Queen’s Park, and a legislature that recognizes the cultural and economic importance of Toronto. So where do you come in? This is your city-make sure they know it. E-mail or call the candidates for MPP and city councillor in your area and tell them what’s important to you. Check out CBC Radio’s mayoralty debate tonight at 7:30 to get a sense of what the five people running for the top spot in the city (can you even name all of them?) have to say for themselves. And if you’re not satisfied with what you’re hearing, get involved.
Our generation is often easily labeled ‘apathetic’, ‘complacent,’ ‘cynical.’ It’s easy to be all of the above, especially when none of our current political choices seem especially appealing. But our city and our province hang in the balance. We’re not going to tell you who to vote for-but we are going to tell you to take note, and if you can, vote.
