With just days to go before the provincial election, I can’t decide who to vote for.
And not for the right reasons.
It’s come down to who has insulted my intelligence the least – what party has misrepresented, obfuscated, or altered the fewest facts so far.
Maybe I’ve seen too many elections campaigns, but I’m tired of the games. I’m tired of the schoolyard name calling, the gotcha moments, the vapid proclamations, and mindless denunciations.
I’m tired of television ads that pander to our preconceptions, and feed our fears.
I’m tired of the media releases that purport to tell me what the other leader is “really” up to, what other candidates “really” mean.
And it’s not just the candidates engaged in this childish behaviour. Their supporters are equally eager to post the gossip on Facebook, or tweet the latest accusation.
Thanks, folks. But I can make up my own mind.
Campaigns have devolved into shouting matches over who not to vote for. NDP supporters are now warning people not to vote for the Green Party because they argue it would weaken the New Democrats’ chances of forming the next government.
A fine moment for democracy.
The BC Liberals paint the NDP as puppets of the United Steel Workers because of that union’s financial support. However, if that were true, doesn’t it mean the Liberals are beholden to their corporate donors for their financial support?
We have an election where the main message seems to be, “Vote for me because I’m not as bad as my opponent.”
Of course, this trajectory has been building for many years. Despite the anger it instills, negative campaigns work, experts insist. Look at the United States.
The NDP loss in the last provincial election has been (rightly or wrongly) attributed to the reluctance by then party leader Adrian Dix to go negative.
In this election none of the contenders appear willing to risk that mistake.
But my problem with this campaign is not just its negative tone. It’s the outright lying by all sides about their opponents’ position. It’s done with a sneer and a wink, a quote taken out of context, or the omission of key information. And it’s done with our complicity because it feeds our suspicions about politicians.
What impact this will have on May 9 remains to be seen. But if people are looking for a reason why voter turnout is low, this might be a place to start.
For me, however, it lessens my respect for the people seeking office in an institution that should represent the essence of integrity and honesty.
Maybe that’s naive.
And maybe that’s the real tragedy.
Greg Knill is editor of the Chilliwack Progress