Hmmm, should there really be an open door policy to run for public office?
Admittedly I have no skin in the game, given that I reside in Hamilton, in the race that is unfolding for Toronto’s next mayor. Normally I do not pay much attention to municipal candidates in other cities beyond what makes it onto the evening news.
But I am intrigued by the fact that 102 candidates filed nomination papers for the position. Truthfully, intrigued may not be the right word to use. Puzzled, befuddled or skeptical might better describe my reaction – enough so to make me investigate what is required to run.
Filing a nomination is less rigorous than I would have imagined. You complete a simple nomination form, get 25 signatures on an Endorsement of Nomination Form, present acceptable identification, pay a $200 fee and provide financial statements.
The endorsement process is little more than a formality. You can endorse as many people as you like and can endorse more than one person running for the same office. The bar is set about as low as it can possibly be.
The qualifications required are also very basic. You must be a Canadian citizen at least 18 years of age; a City of Toronto resident or owner or tenant of land in the city or spouse of the owner or tenant; not legally prohibited from voting (whatever that means). You cannot be a judge, an MP, an MPP or senator unless you resign that position.
In other words, pretty much any Tom, Dick or Harriet can throw their hat in the ring. The principle employed is more or less any citizen in good standing. I am not sure I agree with this open door policy. It seems to me that there needs to be some minimum qualifications in terms of experience especially for a role as crucial as mayor.
You may argue that it is up to the electorate to judge the qualifications, or lack thereof, of the candidates. But is it not a poor reflection on the integrity of the process to have a crapload of candidates most of whom have no legitimate qualifications?
I have to wonder why all these people did throw their hat in the ring when 95% of them do not have a snowball’s chance in hell of getting elected. Perhaps some of them did so simply on a lark. “Hey, I’m running for mayor! Buy me a beer!”. But the majority of them are presumably serious in their intention and seriously delusional in their expectations.
From what I can see, there are half a dozen candidates seriously in the running and a few dark horse candidates who may garner a handful of support. The rest are purely paper candidates with no credentials taking up space on the ballot.
I guess it is democracy at work: the door is open to everyone. But it is not, in my estimation, a particularly shining example of that important principle.
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Tags: democracy at work · metaphor · Michael Robert Dyet · snowball's chance in hell · Toronto mayorNo Comments