🚀 go-pugleaf

Anyone who has run a campaign will tell you that the most effective way of
getting someone's support is to knock on their door and ask for it. And because
the short campaign period does not give a candidate enough time to knock on all
the doors in the riding, it's best if they secure their nomination at least a
year in advance, and then take the time they need to meet the people they want
to represent.

I guess what I'm saying is all parties know the value of door-to-door
canvassing. If they're delivering flyers without knocking, it's a sign that they
either don't have the time or the resources (that is, a sufficient number of
campaign volunteers) to cover the riding. But there is no excuse for writing
"Sorry I missed you" on a flyer when you haven't even knocked on the door.

To my mind, the most objectionable Tory tactic is the argument that only
government MLAs have sufficient influence to accomplish things and help the
people of the riding. Taken to its logical conclusion, this is an argument in
favour of a one-party state. If Alberta had a stronger democratic culture, this
would be obvious. The fact that I had to explain to a Tory party worker who
phoned me last night what multi-party democracy is about (I'm sure he enjoyed
the lecture) has only increased my level of despair.

Doug Bailie