#ndp2019

"CANADA ISN'T A TWO PARTY SYSTEM!"

"VOTE NDP! VOTE NDP! VOTE NDP!"

Hello all you lovely people!

I know politics is super touchy and frustrating and a lot of people feel powerless or like there is no winning...

But as flawed as it can be - voting is literally how we voice what issues we care about, how we want the money we pay in taxes to be collected and redistributed, how we want the government to be serving us and our fellow Canadians, and how we want to secure the future for ourselves and the generations to come.

Do the parties fall short? Always! Do politicians get up to shit, make deals with ulterior motives, and go back on their word? Certainly!

But you know what? The parties we Canadians empower with our votes will shape the trajectory of our future whether we like it or not. Each and every vote cast weighs in on which areas and issues will be given the opportunity to get federal attention and resources.

Our individual votes add up however the equation is structured. Each vote stands for a single Canadian's agenda. Every non-vote amplifies the weight of those others who voiced an agenda. Even if we distain the system and abstain altogether our inaction matters - it has weight. Which may seem appealing - why not just let your apathy or ambivalence serve to promote the agendas of those who feel so compelled to vote? After all, they may be more willing to vote because they have a better grasp on politics - and even if they are not necessarily well informed, all together they will probably represent the general populations interests - right? Yeah, not so much as it turns out...

Now agendas can be positive or negative. Some people who care a lot vote and some people who care a lot don't. But you know who is definitely going to weigh in? People that believe that they can exploit the system to further their interests - regardless of how it will impact others or our collective future. Those people are voting. Do you believe adding weight to their votes by abstaining will result in attention and resources being directed in a way that will leave you and yours benefited in any way let alone in a way that does-no-harm?

Unfortunately, as much as we might want to wash our hands of the whole process - we all have stakes in this game. And the action or inaction of every Canadian eligible to vote will direct the outcome.

Want to avoid lending support to agendas that may hurt you or someone you care about? Looks like you gotta vote!

But how to vote responsibly? Especially when information is often misleading and manipulative or when you've relied on voting for a certain party because it aligned with your family history or self-image but you acknowledge you don't actually know their stance or track record in areas that truly effect and matter to you? You simply don't have the time and resources to become a political expert and you can't control the party or predict the future!

I know it's a lot - but you can do this. We can do this. Various people and groups are doing their best to make the particular agendas of each party more accessible and easy to digest. I found this link a useful overview to help you decide which party has the agendas that align best with your values. It also indicates areas where the party has acted against their claimed agenda or have neglected to propose how they might forward that agenda. Of course you don't need to base your vote off of one source! Delve as deep as you want / can tolerate or spare or be bothered to do. If any particular points in this resource catch your curiosity you can always investigate more from there :) But if browsing this shorter more digestible resource is all you can manage? That's okay! You are doing more good by voting on your semi-informed party than not voting at all! And it definitely does more good than voting for a party based on things like stereotypes, habit/tradition, trending topics, viral posts, vague impressions, attack ads, or mud-slinging.

TLDR: 1) VOTE

2) You are not powerless and voting matters. You have an impact on this election whether or not you are voting.

3) As unreliable as they may be, the federal parties we empower will direct where attention and federal resources are allocated.

While they may not follow through on exact plans or promises, the type of party you vote for will generally invest resources in line with their political platform.

4) Resources like this link I'm sharing can be a great tool to help you get informed on these general platforms / agendas.

5) Avoid voting blindly or falling victim to indecision paralysis. However brief or extensive your efforts toward better understanding what-the-parties-actually-support are - you'll still be making sure that your choice is informed. You'll be more likely to put your weight behind initiatives that reflect the kind of society you want to see rather than letting your vote or non-vote add further fuel to agendas that may go against the wellbeing of you, your loved ones, and your communities.

6) There is no heroic Prime Minister that will be completely unproblematic. There is no perfect party you can always depend on. But this does not make our options equivalent or "equally bad". A party's platform and demonstrable integrity will give you a glimpse into the types of choices they will make and opportunities they will take. Your vote is an endorsement towards the potential for change. Your vote is a chance to support the kinds of opportunities available to us as a society.

7) We all have stakes in this game and we all have the opportunity to nudge the wheel towards the direction we want for ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities.

So get informed and vote responsibly. :D

P.S. Your life matters. Your voice matters.

Lend your voices not towards that which you wish to be free from!