When Democracy works, change is in the air
TORONTO – Haughtiness is the most reviled of presentations. There is little that is more detestable than the statement “I am right because of who I am; you cannot be because you are not me”. That is a principle that felled Ontario Premier David Peterson in 1990 when he was enjoying a huge majority in the Legislature. British Columbia’s David Eby tested that theory on October 24, 2026. He did not win a prize for proving that electorate is unforgiving to the arrogant.
Today, in Ontario, countless Municipal candidates aspiring to represent their fellow citizens with whom they share local civic interests, educational affiliation. Their biggest adversary is voter apathy. How sad.
The apathetic pave the way for democracy’s opportunists, scoundrels who conflate personal interests with society’s needs. That said, there are some excellent candidates vying for the right to represent us in the public forum.
The Corriere Canadese continues to give exposure to candidates of Italian background, and, all things being equal, will lean towards them – but not exclusively. We want candidates who understand and promote the issues and matters that attracted our parents here and allowed us to grow in an evolving society values the ethos that nurture cultural and economic growth in harmony with others.
If there has been one disturbing issue creeping in the background it is the increasing allegations of electoral impropriety designed to snatch the rights of others by subterfuge rather than by argument or by law. That usually happens when “electoral officials” are less than exacting in the application of the eligibility of candidates and voters in the exercise of their claim.
Please insist on your rights and on the proof of eligibility. If you live in Barrie, you should not run for office in Toronto, and vice versa. If you are Buddhist you cannot bemoan the fact that Catholics have denominational rights in the Constitution. If you are Catholic respect the rights of Muslims Sikhs and others to education in the public district school boards, and so on.
We operate on the principle that if you do your job well, you make it easier for us to do ours equally well. Make the right choice for the right reason. We will not get another chance for another four years.