The cost of the May 2 federal election, at around $300 million, is admittedly not cheap.
There are plenty of tangible initiatives which could have been launched or expenses which could have been paid with the money.
But in the bigger picture, the cost of a federal election is small.
The price tag works out to no more than $12.50 for every eligible voter in the country.
That’s less than the price of a single cup of coffee a day, Monday to Friday, for two weeks. It’s considerably less than the price of most pizzas.
If our democracy is not worth the price of a pizza or a few cups of coffee, something is horribly wrong.
And if one considers the costs people elsewhere are willing to pay for the right which many of us take for granted, the election is priceless.
Viewed in that context, apathy becomes an unacceptable response.
Voting is not a difficult or time-consuming process. It takes a few moments at the polling station.
An election gives the public the chance to select its government and to determine the direction of the country. This process must be repeated often.
At the federal election, governments may serve for no more than five years and majority governments usually go back to the polls in four years. A minority government has a much shorter lifespan, often lasting less than two years before the next election takes place.
On May 2, we have the opportunity to elect our federal government.
This is a privilege and a right, but more importantly, it is also our responsibility — a responsibility we must not shirk.
Please take the time to go to the polls and cast your ballot.
— Summerland Review