“In a democracy people get the leaders they deserve.”
Misattributed to better-known commentators such as Alexis de Tocqueville and Abraham Lincoln, the quote comes courtesy 18th century philosopher, writer, lawyer and diplomat Joseph de Maistre.
It’s telling that the words of a man who’s been dead for close to two centuries carry such weight. And what we find even more interesting, and somewhat conspicuous, is that versions of the quote have been recited to us by local politicians over the past 12 months.
We could easily spend the next 250 words looking back at 2016 — wringing our hands over the missteps and gaffes, while putting them together to hail the numerous successes throughout the community. But that was yesterday. Last year.
Now is a chance to look forward with fresh eyes and renewed hope which brings us back around to Maistre.
On Monday, Oct. 16, 2017, Albertans will again head to the polls, but this time it will be to elect the men and women who govern us locally in town, the county, village and at the school board tables.
It’s been nearly four years since you last drove to the hall and picked the person to represent you.
Or did you even bother?
We’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again — municipal elections are truly the most important, specifically in regards to our day-to-day lives.
But voting is only part of what Maistre alludes to.
The other are the candidates.
It was to our astonishment that there were 16 men and women vying for six seats and the mayor’s chair in town back in 2013.
Contrast that to the fact that there were only four elections in the county’s seven divisions and no election in Clyde as only five people came forward to serve. And excluding the school boards, out of the 19 seats in Clyde, Westlock and the county, only one is occupied by a woman.
Come on Westlock, we can do better than that. Let’s get what we deserve this fall — the best and brightest whose only goal is to make this community a better place for all.
