Taking Personal and Community Responsibility

Just taking responsibility, that simple task in politics, let alone life, seems to be one of the most difficult things to do. But that is a task we, Shane, the rest of the campaign team and I have been given to do and break it down into areas of our own lives collectively we need it the most. From the policy research, formation and development side of the campaign, Shane and I believe these Seven Core Values towards Personal and Community Responsibility are key in this upcoming provincial election and its Bruce Grey Owen Sound campaign.

In so far as Democratic Responsibility is concerned, we must renew, reform and protect the democratic mechanisms that give voice to every citizen. We must demand genuine representation, free of party interference, and we must participate to fullest of our ability in the democratic process or risk losing our voice. On Fiscal Responsibility, we must bring respect back to the relationship between government and its taxpayers. We must understand that for every tax should come a service and expect the government to deliver it effectively, efficiently and equally amongst all citizens. On Social Responsibility, we must look to the interests of others as well as ourselves, starting with our closest neighbours. We must work together as a community to ensure the well being of our citizens. On Ecological Responsibility, we must be stewards of our local land and resources for the long term. We must manage our affairs in interest of future generations so that they can have equal or better opportunity than this generation. On Cultural Responsibility, we must return to our roots as a Canadian and Ontarian people, and as a Bruce Grey Owen Sound community. We must respect and recognize everyone's differences, as well as our similarities, in order to become more united as a people and a community. On Economic Responsibility, we must consider the impact of our purchasing decisions on both the quality and quantity of local jobs. We must return to understanding economics as mutual provision, rather than an abstract system that is outside of our control. We must look to our strengths, skills and wisdom as a caring local community to find our way forward in this time of global economic contraction. We must live within our means, personally and collectively. Finally as far as Constitutional Responsibility is concerned, we must demand greater jurisdiction over the policies that affect our unique rural economy, environment and culture. We must reorganize our regional governance to safeguard our local interests. We must not abdicate responsibility to upper levels of government for key policies affecting our future well being, particularly in the areas of planning and taxation.

From our actions come the chances and consequences of risk and reward, those choices bring the personal or collective power of change, whether positive or negative. Success is found in the most positive and rewarding ones being excerised and willed via that power, which is ultimately held deep within all of us, yet rarely ever used in the days of depression, decline and defeat. This is why all votable citizens of Bruce Grey Owen Sound needs to know that though there is always a price to pay and a demand to be decided for taking responsibility, be it time, money or effort, we gain that power of change back to make through ourselves.