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By Mel Rothenburger

Armchair Mayor

ROTHENBURGER: Let’s put an end to opportunistic snap elections

Aug 16, 2021 | 4:20 AM

FOR A COUNTRY so committed to democracy, we aren’t real crazy about federal elections.

It’s not that we don’t like voting — though low turnouts sometimes make you wonder — but we don’t like voting any more than we have to.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau might be the only person in Canada who’s happy about his decision to call an election for September 20.

Certainly, here in B.C., the timing couldn’t be worse. The province is on fire and we’re choking in smoke. There are two kinds of British Columbians right now — those who have lost their homes and those who are worried they might.

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But Trudeau is focused on other things, namely an opportunity to parlay the COVID-19 pandemic into a majority government.

As we enter the fourth wave, logic suggests this is a time for strong leadership, for the ruling party to stand tall and say, “We’re here, we’ve got this and, with the co-operation of the other parties, we’ll get the job done.”

But that’s not how politics work. B.C. has been through this before. Less than a year ago, Premier John Horgan called a provincial election and got a majority. He, too, contended that voters needed to go to the polls to decide who should lead through the pandemic.

Ten months after the vote, few would say the election has made things any better.

There’s a way to stop this nonsense, and that’s to make fixed election dates real. Supposedly, we have fixed dates now but letting a prime minister or premier call snap elections makes it all a bit of a sham.

So let’s set provincial and federal elections for every four or five years and stick to it; the only exception being if a minority government is defeated on a confidence vote or if there are extraordinary circumstances determined by the Gov-Gen within tight restrictions.

This election will be a 36-day distraction from more important things.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.