Editor:
Re: Libs to run against Singh, NOW, Nov. 23
It should be common sense by now that the local riding electorate often matters little in elections. If nothing else, the current B.C. electoral system reform referendum has served to raise our collective awareness of this democratic anomaly. This problem of electoral politics shows up in another light from how the impending byelection for the federal riding of Burnaby South will be organized for early next year.
As reported, the federal Green Party has decided not to run a candidate in this byelection, “citing the so-called ‘leader's courtesy’ tradition.” In lay terms, the Green Party is basically giving NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh a break for an easier election so the NDP will be that much more likely have the leader in the house.
It is hard not to miss the troubling irony in this decision. Given that Burnaby is ground zero of the Trans Mountain pipeline issue, the “environmentalist” party will be absent in the byelection.
Furthermore, I find it disturbing that, in effect, voters’ participation in this byelection will be, in fact, voting of convenience in a collusionary moment of partisan politics.
The Burnaby South electorate has extended our “courtesy” in our acceptance and welcome of a parachuted NDP candidate. Worth noting is that this is necessarily a gesture of respect for something systemically conventional.
Now put in practice by the Greens, despite that they are particularly needed as a contestant in this riding, the institutional “leader's courtesy” is another scenario unfortunately further entrenching the concern that the local riding electorate often matters little in elections.
Eugene Ip, Burnaby
