Resolve to learn about your community

By Meade Helman

Every year people make resolutions to make their life better. How about some political resolutions for the New Year? Like it or not, politics touch every part of our lives. Many of us don’t seem to know much about it or care to know about it. We get upset when a bulldozer shows up in our backyard and destroys everything we treasure, but until that happens we do our best to remain blissfully unaware.

It seems especially appropriate since we will definitely have a municipal election and possible a provincial election in the coming year. Knowing what is going on in our community can lead to better voting, too many people don’t vote or they vote for the person with the most signs. We need to be more aware of what is going on. It does take a little time but how much time do we spend with Facebook or television? So take some time and resolve to do some of the following:

• Read the local paper, if nothing else the front page articles and the letters to the editor. This will give you information about what is going on and maybe raise some questions.
• Find out who your local councilperson is and send them some questions about how they vote on things and why. Facebook is one way to do this and maybe get to know your MPP as well.
• Watch the news, not just for sports but the headlines.
• Talk to people you know who are politically active and see what they are concerned about.
• Above all, THINK! Does that make sense? Why are they doing that? Is there a better way of doing that?

If all this new-found information makes you concerned, join a group like AWARE Simcoe and help make thing change!