I think it is a fabulous idea to write your own personal political manifesto. Am I the only one that gets annoyed when leaders speak ”on behalf of all Canadians or Ontarians”? How is that even possible? What I learned through the US election is that the mass media is tilting society towards ‘crazy town’ and trying to throw us into separate camps. The best way to avoid group polarization is to march to the beat of your own drum, have your own set of values and a political manifesto to adhere to. Now I can focus on the issues I care about without getting lost in the weeds.
I can lay all my cards on the table because I am irrelevant. I am an ordinary, unseen member of society with the right to cast my vote and voice my quibbles. I have nothing to gain and nothing to lose. I cannot get cancelled. Just a regular schmo. I am not going to get elected or hired or fired. I will not lose my job or position. I have no coworkers to posture around. I have no power or authority. I have no group or following I am beholden to or reputation to protect. I have the right to change my mind. My real friends do not care what my political views are, and my family is stuck with me.
1. What Ontario Health is doing to address the opioid and mental health crisis among teenagers.
2. Protecting free healthcare available to all Canadians and promoting Ontario Hospitals and the amazing care my loved ones have received from our doctors and nurses.
3. I care that Health Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Health continue to allow the tobacco industry to manufacture an addictive poison sold on every street 24 hours a day 7 days a week killing 45,000 Canadians every year, without an activist approach to stop it. They are placing a tremendous burden on our healthcare system that spends $6.5 billion a year fighting the disease of tobacco addiction and impoverishing our country and families.
4. I care about Indigenous rights and racism in Canada and holding police to higher standards including, and especially, the RCMP.
5. I have not forgotten that Justin Trudeau demoted the former Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould to Veterans affairs due to her lack of cooperation after attempting to pressure her about SNC Lavalin.
6. We must protect freedom of expression and censorship is a slippery slope.
7. I care that the mass media and social media are tilting society towards crazy town and think ‘an eyes wide open campaign’ would be a great benefit.
8. I care that tuition rates are climbing at universities in the middle of a pandemic when school is 100% online.
9. I care about wasteful public spending on a myriad of under-utilized, over-funded and ineffective programs such as labor and social services.
10. I care that there are 76 Public School board offices in Ontario when all that money could be spent on healthcare.
11. All ministers provincially and federally should be held accountable to their high paying positions, inactions, and screw ups, including the Minister of long-term care, Merrilee Fullerton.
12. I care what the Department of Fisheries and Oceans does to address the dispute between First Nations and private fisheries on the east coast and why it was not done sooner.
13. I am waiting for Justin Trudeau to handle the issue with the Governor General of Canada, the over-spender and workplace bully.
14. I care that billionaires and corporations are offshoring their wealth to avoid paying taxes.
15. I care about stiffer penalties for people who perpetuate crimes of violence against children and animals.
16. I care about climate change and I think a price on carbon makes total sense.
17. Incentivizing capitalism to come up with green solutions is the right approach.
18. I care what happens to our trade relations with China and the US. I believe that Canada’s foreign policy is important to our country and its economic survival.
Am I the Only One?
Column by Carrie Wynne
