Peter T. Smith

The legislative session is over. The NB Power deal is over, and with it any discontent in the premier's cabinet. The path is clear for the parties to focus on getting your vote on Sept. 27. 

This election is still months away, and hard campaigning won't begin until voters enjoy a couple of months of barbeques, sunburns, and vacations. But by setting a fixed election date and then sticking to that decision, Premier Shawn Graham has dismissed the traditional speculation about when New Brunswickers would go to the polls.

Shawn Graham is either a visionary or the worst premier in Canada, depending on whom you ask. If you're the type of voter who wants a caretaker premier who won't rock the boat, then maybe he's a bit of both. The challenge for the premier over the coming months will be to push that first image.

The problem with the visionary image is that his visions have been pretty hit-and-miss, both with their successes and with public popularity. These are easy to list, but the NB Power deal sums them all up. Like Coleridge's ancient mariner shooting the albatross, Premier Graham took aim at something sacred, and now its dead body is tied around his neck. For many voters, there is no atonement that will make it fall off and sink like lead into the sea. Regardless of what other accomplishments the Graham government can boast, this is going to influence where the X gets marked on the ballot.

If one considers Mr. Graham's attempt to solve the massive debt of the corporation, the uncertainty of future generating capacity, and the increasing user rates prompted action in one stroke of a pen as hubris, then Progressive Conservative Leader David Alward is to be his nemesis.

David Alward is either the only hope for the province or just another in a long line of nagging Tory leaders who won't ever be premiers.

The Tories have to capture the imaginations of New Brunswickers. To date, their practice has been to simply criticize the government at every turn. Yes, this is their role in the legislature. Their other role, however, is to convince us they are an alternative to the existing government. If New Brunswickers are to have a legitimate democratic choice, we need to start seeing more specifics of what a Progressive Conservative government would do over the next four years. It's in the party's best interest, though, to keep things vague for a few more months.

The status quo - attacking the governing Liberals - keeps the attention off their own agenda, whatever that might be. The Liberals know this, and spent much of the five months of the NB Power debate challenging the opposition to bring out an alternative. This would have taken some heat of the Liberals, and the few times the opposition members did make some comment on what they might do, media scrutiny and criticism did shift immediately to them. Although the original dream plan of criticizing the NB Power deal right up to the opening of the polls is gone, the basic approach will remain the same for a time. It just won't be as effective.

Regardless, the PCs have demonstrated a remarkable inability to capitalize on the Liberals' political missteps. With the smell of Liberal blood in the water, they should have no trouble bringing out a full slate of top-notch candidates. The best candidates, unfortunately, don't always present themselves when there's little hope of taking office. The qualities that make them good candidates, after all, give them plenty of opportunities outside of politics.

Without inspiring leadership at the top, it's entirely possible that the election will be fought at the grassroots level, riding by riding.

Otherwise, it seems voters are just sitting back waiting for something else to happen, something that will help us make up our minds.

The work for the politicians seems to be set out for them. What about the job for the rest of us? Probably the first step is to get over the cynicism.

Let's say the worst of the criticisms are true. Maybe Shawn Graham is the worst premier in the country. Maybe David Alward isn't premier material. Maybe Mr. Graham's ideas are bad. Maybe Mr. Alward doesn't have any ideas. If this is true, then none of it is going to change without voter engagement, and engagement doesn't have to be limited to the polling booth in September.

One of the Elections Canada ads used to ask "Why not speak up when everyone is listening?" A clear path to the election means they are listening now.

Peter Smith is a teacher and writer. His column appears on Tuesday.

Comments (1)

Good editorial! Now is the time for involvement in what will happen in the future.