Quebec Premier Jean Charest is to call a provincial election this week, and thus we begin the grand drama of a general election. This most important ceremony of our democracy will be played out with breast-beating by the contenders and with wildly optimistic predictions from the minor parties.

Elections come at us like a storm front. We hear one's coming; it arrives with noise and fury -- predictions are always for the worst -- and lasts briefly before we're back to our daily lives. We wonder if the storm was worth the preparations.

The fact that our Pontiac riding has been Liberal almost forever means who we are voting for and which party we support are of minor importance. The result in our riding is a foregone conclusion, which re-enforces the question: is it worth the bother?

The question should be put differently: how can we make elections worth our while?

We can make an election more effective by taking control of the issues, by not sitting passively while the party leaders set the campaign agenda.

They are going to pick issues which make them look good and on which they have a record on to run, or from which to attack the other parties. These issues may be irrelevant for us in our region. They may also be throw-away issues -- like the environment.

If any riding sees environmental issues as important, it is Aylmer. However, it is the concept of "the environment" that's the problem. It is too vague, too unspecific, and too warm and fuzzy -- every party is for "the environment."

It has become the new partner for motherhood and apple pie. Even Prime Minister Stephen Harper is an environmentalist. What I mean by taking control of the issues is to refuse to accept the vague blather about "the environment" and to demand commitments for action on specific environmental projects.

Although all candidates will be for "the environment," who will support increasing the Ministry of the Environment's inspectors?

Who will support provincial funding to go with the province's regulations on recycling and landfills?

Who will support more protected green spaces and sanctuaries? >[? Who will advocate restrictions on the packaging that is filling up our landfills?

Who will push for mandatory return of used or worn-out products, or restrictions on plastic bags, as in Europe?

In fact, who will push for a effective Ministry of the Environment, with real power to inspect and enforce provincial regulations (did you say the Cantley dry dump)?

To make an election worthwhile we have to know the issues, but we also must have some control over the issues of the election. For example, we have to tell our candidates we want more money in schools, health, and the environment, money with targets and not money to increase the bureaucracy.

Politicians are experts at speaking, but an election won't work unless we do the talking.

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Copyright © 2007 Fred Ryan/Log Cabin Chronicles/02.07