No vision means lower turnout

In the aftermath of Brandon’s 2022 elections for mayor, city council and school board, there was a great deal of concern over the fact that voter turnout was a meagre 17.9 per cent. To put that in perspective, it means that fewer than nine out of 50 eligible voters bothered to vote in that election.

Some attributed the low percentage to the absence of a serious contest in the mayoral election, along with the fact that four of the 10 city council wards were decided by acclamation. The reality, however, is that low voter turnout — low citizen participation in our local democratic process — is becoming a chronic problem in Brandon. In the 2018 city elections for mayor, council and school trustees, for example, turnout was even lower, at just 17 per cent. Even worse, just 92 of 3,486 registered voters bothered to cast a ballot in the Meadows ward byelection in 2021 — a microscopic 2.64 per cent turnout.

Why is this happening? Some say it’s due to a poor quality of candidates, while others suggest it’s because of too few people willing to run as candidates. Still others argue the low turnout level reflects the voter apathy that has infected Brandon and many other communities. There may be some validity to each of those theories, but a fourth factor may play a greater role: the dearth of interesting, viable ideas for voters to consider.

We often hear complaints about Brandon’s politicians lacking a vision for the city’s future. Far too often, candidates run on little more than name recognition, never giving voters a clear sense of what they would do if elected. The 2022 mayoral election, in which (then) councillor Jeff Fawcett made no concrete promises, is a good example of the problem.

The same thing could occur in the election, which is now just five months away. Len Isleifson announced last year that he is running for mayor, yet hasn’t made a single campaign commitment since then. Fawcett says he is seeking re-election, but his platform appears to simply offer “more of the same.” Nobody has announced they are seeking election (or re-election) to city council yet, let alone discussed what they would do if elected. They seldom do.

How can we reasonably expect citizens to take the time to vote in an election if the candidates in that election can’t be bothered to tell voters what their plans are? That is, if they actually have a plan.

We can’t and we shouldn’t. If we don’t know what those candidates intend to do once elected, we are giving them unfettered authority to take the city in a direction we may not want. That could mean fewer services, a lower quality of life and even higher taxes, water rates and other fees — and that puts the future of the city and its residents at risk.

We can’t force candidates to tell us what they would do if elected, but nothing prevents us from beginning a community conversation about the city we want Brandon to be. In the absence of any coherent vision being advanced by any of the candidates, and the likelihood the situation won’t improve before October’s elections, here are some ideas that I would be talking about if I was running for mayor (which I’m not).

First, I would commit to work with city council to put Brandon on a path toward becoming a “net-zero” city. That could include working with Efficiency Manitoba and Manitoba Hydro toward installing solar panels on the Keystone Centre’s roof and grounds, and on city buildings and lands. Wind turbines and other “green” efficiency measures could also be an option. The plan could also include a city-wide forestation strategy, lower speed limits, expanded active transportation options and making public transit more convenient and affordable.

I would also commit to advocate for our city council to take steps aimed at ensuring the city will have an adequate and reliable supply of water well into the future. Those steps could include measures to control or limit the use of our potable water, and working with the provincial and federal governments toward the construction of a new reservoir that would serve Brandon and other Westman communities.

I would work to get rid of one-way streets in Brandon, as doing so would improve parking and traffic flow downtown, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make our streets safer.

I would also push to ensure that every ward in the city has a high-quality community centre, and would evaluate the viability of a “community build” strategy that includes neighbours working together to build such facilities in their respective wards. The centres would also be equipped to serve as gathering places during emergencies, and could also have solar panels to help reduce and/or offset GHG emissions.

Finally, I would promise to work with city council to have the recently approved pay raises for mayor and council rescinded, as the process was needlessly rushed and the decision may not have been based on accurate facts. I would instead commit to pushing council to hire an independent, expert commissioner — perhaps the same person retained by the province to set MLAs’ salaries — to determine the appropriate compensation for our mayor, deputy mayor and city councillors.

Those are just a few ideas. Will their publication in this column cause a higher percentage of citizens to vote in October’s elections? No, but they might help start a dialogue among Brandonites about our city’s future, and that could motivate candidates to articulate their own ideas and commitments. If that happens, more voters might take a greater interest in the elections, and that might nudge them toward deciding to vote — and that is never a bad thing.