People in NL and I suspect everywhere in Canada have a strong distrust of politicians and the system they operate in.
Democracy at its best is supposed to be a system of governing where the wishes of the people are given expression through the parliamentary voting of their elected representatives.
When these elected representatives make voting decisions which are clearly detrimental to its constituents and thereby vote against the people who elected them then democracy ceases to exist. Voting which is not representative of the people is not democracy.
If voting is always governed by towing the 'party line' then people have lost their voice and only get to use it at election time. However, at election time most of those seeking votes will pretty well say or do anything to gain support and then can break their promise in short order after arriving in Ottawa.
In NL we have seen time and time again where we elected MPs who asked for our trust to represent the best interests of the people who elected them and then, when put in a position of choosing the 'party line' or their constituents interests, vote the 'party line' when this vote is CLEARLY detrimental to their personal constituents... AND... interestingly, many of the nominated candidates currently seeking to become our representative in the government of Canada have, in the past, already voted along their 'party line' in stead of letting the best wishes of their constituents govern their vote.
Since verbal promises seem to hold little means of accountability with politicians, clearly stated written promises may be more effective. We see this evidenced by the leader of the Bloc publicly displaying a signed letter of intent from Stephen Harper regarding 'coalitions' which, made Harper change his tone and verbage the very next day in the election campaign.
Maybe it is time that we get something in writing from our federal candidates revealing their intentions at the beginning of this election so that the people can make a more informed vote.
As we can see by such websites as the CBC and others during this election, it is fairly easy to gather information regarding the viewpoints of the electorate very quickly. After all, politicians do solicit opinions of the electorate all the time to guage the timing of calling elections. Therefore, pleading ignorance regarding the genuine wishes of one's constituents is shameful at any time but with all the electronic and other polling options which are available there really is no excuse.
Therefore, I suggest that a simple and clear document with specific conditions be drafted where the candidate is given the opportunity to sign their agreement to those conditions. If this document is signed by the candidate then it can be placed on a website or even published in a newspaper, where people can see their candidate's stated intentions for themselves.
HERE IS A SUGGESTED DRAFT:
Candidate Statement of Accountability to Constituents
I (candidate) am offering myself for election in the federal district of (district) as the nominated canditdate from the (political party).
I agree always and without exception:
1. to vote in parliament and other settings (ie. committees) placing the best interests of my constituents as my primary rationale for my voting choice.
2. to vote according to the best interests of my constituents even when taking such a position goes against the stated position of my party or my leader.
3. to consult with my constituents, using all reasonable means available, to gain clarity on the position of my constituents on specific issues.
4. to personally state, when requested, in writing, the rationale for my parliamentary voting decisions, and publish this in a public media such as a newspaper or accessible websites.
5. to represent my constituency with integrity and honesty obeying the guidelines, rules, and statutes which govern my office.
6. to resign immediately and not seek re-election if I breach the commitments outlined in this document.
By signing below, I am stating that I fully understand the spirit and the intent of the statements/conditions previously listed, and I commit, without reservation , to let these statements govern my parliamentary voting choices and all my words or actions whether in a public or private setting.
_________________
candidate
_________________
witness
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date of signing
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