All-candidates debates provide voterswith the chance to see, scrutinize and assess politicians and their policies in the flesh. But there has been an unfortunate tendency of late for candidates to refuse to attend these meetings.
This is particularly true of Conservatives candidates. In the spring federal election, few Conservatives, for one reason or another, showed up for these meetings. The Tory strategy seems to gamble that getting elected is as easy as not going to public debates.
Ottawa Centre Progressive Conservative candidate Robert Dekker is a sad case in point. He hasn’t attended at least four all-candidates forums, where topics ranged from education to social assistance.
It’s a curious strategy. In Dekker’s absence, the other candidates have a fine old time, fielding questions, trading barbs and slagging Tory proposals and policies. In other words, they debate. Meanwhile, we don’t know what Dekker has to say, because he isn’t there to say anything.
And maybe that’s the idea: if the Conservatives don’t say anything, they can’t say anything wrong. And if they don’t say anything wrong, they won’t offend voters.But here’s the problem: it’s cheap politics.
Debates provide arenas where candidates face the serious, tough questions. For the public record, the contenders square off – and people can come to their ballot-box decision, having had the opportunity to compare candidates.
In Ottawa Centre, a riding never held by a Conservative, voters are being cheated of the opportunity to see and hear their potential representative in action. And just because a Conservative hasn’t been elected in Ottawa Centre before doesn’t mean Dekker should be afraid to show his face at these meetings.
Seeking public office means being exposed to public scrutiny. It means getting out there and promoting the party. Most important, it means convincing people that you deserve their vote.
Taking part in public debates promotes accountability. If the successful candidate doesn’t do what he or she promised during the campaign, the electorate might choose someone else the next time.
Voters should demand that all candidates show up to these debates so that informed, intelligent decisions can be made about who will represent Ottawa Centre.
At the same time, the candidates have a responsibility – not the option, the responsibility – to show up and participate. Yes, sometimes the audience is hostile, but fielding the hard questions shows what the candidates are made of.
Door-to-door campaigning is one thing, and some Tories argue it’s a better use of time than going to public meetings; some say it’s only the hard-core partisans who show up at the debates anyway, and their minds are already made up. But that's not the point. The point is to meet with voters, regardless of their political leanings.
The strategy, whatever it may be, shows contempt for the very constituents the Conservatives want to represent. It is no way for a government-in-waiting to act. Candidates who don’t show up for debates without good reason don’t deserve your vote. It’s as simple as that.