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Get out and vote

Next week’s federal election could see a new course charted for Canada, but Canadians need to see another important change in the Oct. 19 vote.

Next week’s federal election could see a new course charted for Canada, but Canadians need to see another important change in the Oct. 19 vote.

Voter turnout has been on a disturbing downward trend since the 1980 and ‘90s when turnout ranged at the 70 per cent levels.

In the 2011 federal election, 61.5 per cent of voters came out, up slightly from a record low of 58.8 per cent in 2008. In the 2014 Macleod byelection, turnout was an abysmal 19.9 per cent.

People need to get out to vote.

Numbers from advance polls over the long-weekend are promising. According to Elections Canada, there was a 16 per cent increase in the number of people casting a ballot ahead of time compared to 2011.

Hopefully, this bodes well for the Oct. 19 vote.

This is an important election. Whoever it is, the new government and prime minister will need to act on several critical issues. Canada has dropped into recession and the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership could have far reaching effects on the economy. The low price of oil continues to impact Alberta’s economy and building new pipelines is essential to ensure Canadian crude gets to global markets. It’s also a time of uncertainty over international security with Canadian involvement in the Syrian civil war.

Canadians have to choose which party has the best policies and plans to lead the country for the next four years and who is best suited for the prime minister’s job.

We’re not going to say who people should vote for in this editorial. Our hope is that people go out to cast a ballot.

If this spring’s provincial election in Alberta has proven anything, it’s that anything is possible in politics and nothing can be taken for granted.

Vote on Oct. 19.




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