Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

SHANNON AINSLIE: I have opinions, like everyone else, but hesitate to throw my hat in the ring with those savvy folks who have been politically engaged for decades

IMAGE CREDIT:  Scholars Portal

I didn't grow up with politics. Unlike so many Canadian families, my family didn't debate political issues around the supper table, it was more about the Canuck's latest loss and which child was hiding peas in their napkin. 

Consequently when I left high school, political jargon was foreign, social studies was my toughest subject, and I'd taken zero part in municipal, provincial or federal political movements. 

I went into forestry. First college and then years spent in the bush learning more about communal living, teamwork, and after drawing the short straw, how to build shitters. 

Eventually I had to come back to society to raise a daughter which I wasn't very good at and try to figure out how to be a 'school mom.' Instead of doing homework every night we were doing crazy eights in the snow in the backyard on a Baha Minibike.

I kept up the  writing I'd done my whole life, had a blog, did a column for Castanet and wrote some articles for my current company.

I'm still daft when it comes to all levels of politics, and worse, afraid to ask questions a person my age should know the answers to. I have opinions, like everyone else, but hesitate to throw my hat in the ring with those savvy folks who have been politically engaged for decades. 

Sitting here now, I wonder how many others feel this way? 

How important it is to learn, engage and take part in the future of our communities, provinces and country despite our age and where we're starting from?

Living in a democratic society, we voters have the collective privilege and power to influence the direction our communities go. 

We have an opportunity to advocate for our beliefs and keep our leaders transparent and accountable. 

Maybe putting self doubt aside, and taking the time to understand politics, is less of a choice and more of responsibility.

So I'll conclude by saying, "Starting now is better than not participating at all."



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A message from BC Conservative MLA Ward Stamer, and the Kamloops – North Thompson Riding Association

2025 was a busy first year. As a Caucus, we worked very hard to defeat Bills 14 and 15, legislation which allows the provincial government to move ahead without environmental assessments on renewable projects, and that also allows cabinet to build infrastructure projects without getting approval from local municipal governments. This is not acceptable to your BC Conservative caucus, and we will continue to press this government for open and transparent projects in the future.  Two things we had success in were having the first Private Members bill passed in over 40 years. The first was Jody Toors Prenatal and Post Natal Care bill, and then there was my private members Bill M217 Mandatory Dashcams in commercial vehicles (passed second reading unanimously and is heading to Committee in February). Regrettably, much of the legislation passed by the government was little more than housekeeping bills, or opportunities to strengthen the ability of Cabinet Ministers to bypass the BC legi...
Post a Comment
Read more

BC’s Forestry Decline Is a Policy Failure, Not a Market Reality -- Forestry Critic Calls for Accountability and Urgent Policy Reset

Conservative Party of BC Forestry Critic, and Kamloops - North Thompson MLA,  Ward Stamer As the Truck Loggers Association convention begins today, BC Conservative Forestry Critic Ward Stamer says British Columbia’s forestry crisis is the result of government mismanagement, not market forces, and that an urgent policy reset is needed to restore certainty, sustainability, and accountability. “For generations, forestry supported families and communities across BC,” said Stamer.  “Today, mills are closing, contractors are parking equipment, and families are being forced to leave home, not because the resource is gone, but because policy has failed.” Government data shows timber shipment values dropped by more than half a billion dollars in the past year, with harvest levels falling by roughly 50 per cent in just four years. At the same time, prolonged permitting timelines, unreliable fibre access, outdated forest inventories, and rising costs have made long-term planning impossib...
Post a Comment
Read more

Wildfire waste plan torched -- Forestry critic Stamer calls BC's wildfire salvage rate 'a failure'

Claims that BC is making progress salvaging wildfire-damaged timber are masking deeper problems in the forest sector, the province’s forestry critic says. Last week, BC’s Ministry of Forests said mills in the province processed more than one million cubic metres of wildfire chips in 2024-25, up from 500,000 cubic metres in 2023 and representing about seven per cent of all processed wood. Kamloops-North Thompson BC Conservative MLA Ward Stamer said those claims of progress ignore the reality that only a fraction of burned timber is being used ... CLICK HERE for the full story
Post a Comment
Read more

Labels

Show more