Voting - your right and duty

If I could just get up on my soapbox for a little bit ...

The residents of my home province, Ontario, head to the ballot boxes Thursday to cast their votes for Ontario's new government. There has been ample opportunity, as well, to cast a ballot at the advance polls, if you can't make it out on election day.

Unfortunately, predictably, the turnout will likely be shamefully low. Municipal, provincial, federal -- doesn't seem to matter what it is, people begrudge the time and effort of voting.

"I don't know the issues."

"What's the point, when nothing will change?"

"Oh, my vote doesn't really matter."

"I'm not very political."

"I have to work, I can't get to my riding to vote." (A clanker for sure, even if you don't consider that the polling centres are open from early morning to late at night: Canadians are guaranteed the right to time off work to vote.)

I am constantly amazed by how few Canadians exercise their rights and, more importantly, do their duty in determining who will make the laws, protect Canadian values, represent their interests and run their town, their province, their nation.

Recently, the women of Saudi Arabia were granted the right to vote and stand for public office -- hurrah for King Abdullah! -- yet in other parts of the world, such a privilege is only a dream for men and women alike. Wars are fought to ensure people have a chance to control their own destinies. Even in places where citizens are supposedly allowed to vote, many defy injury and death simply by standing in line to cast their ballot. Candidates might as well draw a bulls-eye on their backs, since declaring themselves for any but the strongest party makes them a target of much worse than filibustering and mudslinging. Even then, the election process can be corrupt, tipped in favour of the ruling regime.

When people around the world are willing to die for a privilege we already have, surely we in Ontario can afford the cost of a little time.

Please vote.