Not even four months into 2025 and we are well into a second election. What has been missing in both the provincial and federal elections, in our opinion, is local all-candidate meetings.

Less debates and more Q&As, all-candidate events used to be a staple of the election period at all three levels of government. Often hosted by media, Chambers of Commerce, Federations of Agriculture, environmental groups, or other advocates, the meetings could be broad or focussed on specific topics.

There were two national leader debates this week, one in French and one in English. While voters get a lot of of hearing from party leaders, we also benefit from opportunities to see the local candidates interact with the public and their opponents. After all, when we step up to vote, we don’t have the opportunity to mark an X beside the leaders’ names. It is the local representative that is asking for our support – our trust that they will represent us well at Queen’s Park or Parliament Hill.

In Canada and Ontario we have been long sufferers of party-brand politics but it feels like the symptoms are becoming more severe. At both levels, political parties are following a leader-centric model.

In Canada, a campaign period must be at least 37 days and no more than 51 days. This election was called on March 24 and will end on April 28.

Our position is that snap elections with tight timelines don’t afford anyone enough time to properly plan, participate in and promote the democratic process. This could be contributing to disengagement, apathy and frustration on the part of voters, local riding associations, and (not to make this all about us) small weekly newspapers with small staffs.

Municipal politics is our bread and butter but there is a lot at stake when talking about federal and provincial elections – especially when it comes to healthcare and education (which are both provincial portfolios) as well as tariffs, jobs, energy and all that is associated with the economy (at the federal level).

What is most at stake is voter confidence in the democratic process; if we believe all power lies with one guy in a suit who gets all the airtime in a shrinking media, then what does it matter how we vote, or if we vote?

Our first-past-the-post voting system hasn’t changed since 1867 but the tone has changed. In Canada, the prime minister is just one member of parliament and gets one vote. Although the prime minister has additional powers in the appointments of cabinet, the position is not constitutionally protected. Therefore, we shouldn’t place all our attention on the prime minister. In parliament, all are equal in the democratic process, but obviously not in influence.

Let’s be weary of American style leader-centric politics and let’s focus on local representation.

In the absence of electoral reform, our version of the Westminster system is the political process we have to work with so let’s make it work for us.