Calgary Civic Election Poll #3: The race heats up

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Which to me is silly, voting takes less then an hour of your life, and its the one right that your guaranteed in this society, the right to select your government.

I've always said the same thing, if you can't make time to vote then shut the hell up about your taxes, or laws, or the way your city is designed, or your country is run. You gave up your right to complain when you couldn't be bothered to take place in the process.

I've voted in every election I could. I just know thats the common sentiment I recieve from my less than engaged friends.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

I've voted in every election I could. I just know thats the common sentiment I recieve from my less than engaged friends.

To me its such a lame excuse, the whole I don't have time to vote doesn't wash with me.

Or no one engages me in my ideas doesn't wash with me either.

I think that there should be a rule where if you don't vote the government should be able to do anything they want to you.


Mr Smith, we noticed that you didn't vote in the last municiple election, and thats why this here road is going through your house.

Mr Smith we noticed that you didn't vote in the last election, and we need to refill the governments coffers and we don't want to do that on the backs of the voters.

Mr Smith we didn't see your vote in the last federal inspection, and Jack Layton needs a place to stay for 2 months, and well your it.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

It's a bit of a catch-22. There's no denying that younger people vote in proportionally lower numbers than older citizens, but why is that? Is it because young people are more interested in alcohol, drugs, rock music, video games, etc. than civic engagement? Or is it because most political candidates don't speak to issues important to their demographic because they're too busy trying to win support from the statistically-more-likely-to-vote older citizens?

It could just be that they don't see politics impact their lives for a variety of reasons and defer to people who would bother to vote. Ultimately not voting is an act of agreement with the outcome. I also would agree that most candidates issues would trend towards an older demographic just based on sheer numbers. 0-17 year olds don't get to vote and 18-34 is just simply much smaller a demographic in our country than 35 and up.

It's funny though that typically those that blame voter turnout on election results (seemingly always someone who supported a losing candidate or party) somehow believe that all those people who didn't bother to vote automatically share their preference for candidates and would have changed the election results had they voted. In more extreme nutbar cases those same people might take a swipe at the winning side by claiming dirty tricks prevented all those imaginary supporters from voting.

[Ashartus]

Since uninformed voters would probably just vote for the most familiar name (i.e. McIvor or Higgins), I'm fine with them not voting so those of us who actually care about the issues and research the candidates can make our votes count for more. I would rather see more young people take an interest and get informed though - the results of the election could affect them for a long time (unless they're planning on skipping town as soon as they finish school).

[Byrns]

Originally Posted by fotze

Who is the candidate to most likely lower taxes? Is that Mcivor?

The communist lady.

http://bonniedevine.com/

"People Before Profit"

- Reduction of all public transit fares by 50% for one year. The following year, elimination of all public transit fares. Public transit, as a necessity for people to travel to work, shop, etc. should be a right. - Immediate return to free transit parking at C-Train stations.

- Creation of Low-income housing. Homelessness is not a crime. The lack of affordable housing is. This should be the focus of capital projects in Calgary, not un-needed and expensive bridges or tunnels.

- New residential construction must include a percentage set aside for subsidized housing.

- Portion of the City Budget set aside for creation of new low-mortgage housing construction program.

- Greater funding, transparency, and public input into the running of the Calgary Housing Company.

- Greater funding for education in Calgary. Specifically the Calgary Board of Education and our post-secondary institutions.

- Elimination of all public school fees and fees for lunch programs. Education, as a duty and right, should not penalize those with less.

- More investment and initiatives in order to increase the number of teachers in the CBE. 1 teacher for 35 students should not be considered acceptable.

- More investment and initiatives in order to increase the number of nurses and doctors in Calgary. Lack of staff is a major obstacle to improving health care delivery in Calgary.

- Greater funding for Calgary's food banks. The problem of access to food for those in poverty will not be solved by perennial food drives, but by placing the question of food banks in an important and permanent position in the City Budget.

- All projects and jobs to be staffed by local labour pool. Any temporary foreign workers hired to be paid same union wages and benefits, with same protections.

- More positive approach to public/civic trade unions.

- End to union busting and undercutting, especially via outsourcing. End to privatization.

- Childcare space. Increase access and spaces.

- Greater leadership from City Hall in the fight against racism, homophobia, prejudice, and bigotry.

- Reduction of property taxes on all homeowners and increase those of corporations that do business in Calgary. Specifically, ending special property tax exemptions for corporations. As of 2008 and earlier, Calgary continues to host more corporate headquarters than any other city in the west. If corporations want to do business in Calgary, they should be obligated to pay property taxes.

- Rent control and more rights for renters.

- Work with the provincial government to improve and extend renters' rights within the Residential Tenancies Act.

- Schedule of maximum and minimum rents to be established.

- Pay cut as Mayor. The role of Mayor is no more important than the people who take away the trash, fight fires, pack our groceries, stock our shelves, or pump our gas. All these roles together, and more, make Calgary what it is. With this view in mind a pay reduction of 50% is necessary, because you cannot represent people unless you understand their conditions of their lives. These funds can be better allocated to serve the Calgary Food Bank, as food should be a basic right.

These are the kinds of measures that Calgarians need to make our city happier, healthier, and more productive.

[burn_this_city]

I thought it was funny 2 people voted for her on this poll..

[ben voyonsdonc]

Bonnie Devine has absolutely no clue which issues the municipal government has a say in....and she is a communist...yet she still a better candidate than Barb, Alnoor and Jon Lord.

[Ducay]

Oh god, theres a mayoral "Twitter Debate" going on right now (#yycTB)

Its basically chaos with every candidate and person with an opinion talking at once.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Oh god, theres a mayoral "Twitter Debate" going on right now (#yycTB)

Its basically chaos with every candidate and person with an opinion talking at once.

Good idea, but bad platform.

I wrote a paper on how the Israeli government's use of Twitter to explain their offensive against Gaza in 2008-2009 was a poor choice. You can't explain politics in 140 characters, and it has to be moderated.

Twiter is a free-for-all.

[troutman]

Don't you remember?
We built this city on rock and roll.

[welshboy2008]

Maybe voting should be compulsary. It works in Australia where they are fined for not voting.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Oh god, theres a mayoral "Twitter Debate" going on right now (#yycTB)

Its basically chaos with every candidate and person with an opinion talking at once.

The #yycvote talk on twitter is getting borderline stupid enough, I made sure to avoid this "twibate" like the plague.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

It's a bit of a catch-22. There's no denying that younger people vote in proportionally lower numbers than older citizens, but why is that? Is it because young people are more interested in alcohol, drugs, rock music, video games, etc. than civic engagement? Or is it because most political candidates don't speak to issues important to their demographic because they're too busy trying to win support from the statistically-more-likely-to-vote older citizens?

Most young people are likely still living off their parents dime and so things like taxes dont affect them. "Real world" issues dont affect those who live in the mommy and daddy funded dreamworld. When young people start paying things like income tax, property tax, cell phone bills, car payments, etc etc is when young people turn from legal adults into actual adults.

Why a politician wouldnt speak to those who dont contribute financially to society shouldnt be that difficult to comprehend imo.

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Most young people are likely still living off their parents dime and so things like taxes dont affect them. "Real world" issues dont affect those who live in the mommy and daddy funded dreamworld. When young people start paying things like income tax, property tax, cell phone bills, car payments, etc etc is when young people turn from legal adults into actual adults.

Why a politician wouldnt speak to those who dont contribute financially to society shouldnt be that difficult to comprehend imo.

I bet you love yelling at those whippersnappers who walk across your lawn. Little hooligans don't respect their elders or value what you went through so they could be free.


Oh Mike, your old crotchety man style of trolling never fails to make me smile.

[Muta]

A good strategy WOULD be to cater to the younger generation; that way, you're more set up to attract their vote in a longer term capacity.

And while I do agree that the 'younger' adult voting population is apathetic in general, it's not nearly the plague it's made out to be. Everyone I pretty much know in their 20's votes.

[MarchHare]

Everyone I pretty much know in their 20's votes.

That's only a personal anecdote that isn't supported by voting data, though.

Like your social circle, my friends (aged ~25-35) also tend to be politically engaged and informed voters, but that's an example of self-selection bias since most people tend to choose friends with similar interests and education levels.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

That's only a personal anecdotae that isn't supported by voting data, though.

Like your social circle, my friends (aged ~25-35) also tend to be politically engaged and informed voters, but that's an example of self-selection bias since most people tend to choose friends with similar interests and education levels.

I'm aware of this. What I'm saying that not all young people are lazy and disinterested in voting. I think that's a general misconception.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Why a politician wouldnt speak to those who dont contribute financially to society shouldnt be that difficult to comprehend imo.

Maybe we should allocate votes by the amount of property taxes a person pays. I'd actually be fine with that, since I pay well over the average in taxes. If we're going to do that, then the seniors who get rebates on a portion of their property taxes shouldn't get the extra votes, as they're not paying their full share compared to us young whippersnappers.

Michael

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by Muta

I'm aware of this. What I'm saying that not all young people are lazy and disinterested in voting. I think that's a general misconception.

Its tough because you're both correct. No, not all young people are apathetic in voting, but results do show they are indeed a whole lot less inclined to vote than the old fogies.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

Maybe we should allocate votes by the amount of property taxes a person pays.

Like the wealthy don't have enough control over government already.