Smart Link of the Day: Getting Election Smart
Elections are expected in seven Canadian provinces and territories this fall, including Ontario, where our Crime Prevention Council is located. Election periods always gain a great deal of media attention – the campaign stops, the announcements, the debates, the photo-ops….. But how do you know what a candidate really thinks on a particular issue? And how do you get engaged to ask the questions that are relevant to you? How do you know what questions to ask? What do you do when an issue important to you is not reflected in a candidate’s agenda?
Several community based agencies and provincial organizations are already steps ahead on this election thing and encourage people to take action using a variety of guides and kits created for just this purpose. Since everything we write about in this blog is related to crime prevention and smart on crime approaches to reducing crime, we’ve put together a list of election guides from organizations that work on root cause issues of crime.
- the John Howard Society of Ontario created their Election Guide 2011 which covers issues related to poverty, mental health, addiction, prisons, alternative measures, crime prevention, parole, the Ontario Sex Offender Registry… and more
- Step It Up – End Violence Against Women is a provincial campaign and provides free resources designed to taking during this election
- The Ontario Mental Health and Addictions Alliance encourages people to use their Election Kit to ask questions of candidates and your local media
- Poverty Free Ontario and the Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition urges people to advocate that candidates make a commitment to ending poverty
- a campaign and election kit from the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association includes fact sheets and posters to guide people in asking the candidates to support stable affordable housing
- the Election Kit from Ontario Literacy Coalition equips people with the tools to help facilitate a dialogue with candidates at meetings, at the door and in writing
If you’re passionate about an issue in your community, contact the associated organization or agency to find out if they have any prepared information that you can use to inform yourself AND inform others.
Elections are just one of our civic opportunities to engage and influence the decision makers of the day. What will you do to make your voice heard?