It’s election season, and the campaign emails are flying through the internet ether.
And sometimes, like this one from Liberal candidate John Abbott, both what they include and what they don’t can be interesting.
Consider this email: “We are 20 days away from electing the next government of Newfoundland and Labrador. For St. John’s East-Quidi Vidi that means we are 20 days from turning this district from orange to red. To do that, however, I need everyone to vote for me on or before Feb. 13th. You don’t have to wait until Election Day to cast your ballot, and with our weather, why risk it? You can apply online to Elections NL to cast your vote early. Here is what you should do.”
If there’s one thing this general election seems to lack, it’s a reason for even having it take place.
One of the things that seems to be missing? Any reason whatsoever why you should vote Liberal, or any sort of policy. Perhaps that’s viewed as an acceptable approach for an email to Liberal party members and Liberal supporters.
Is it a surprise there isn’t much on policy? Probably not.
If there’s one thing this general election seems to lack, it’s a reason for even having it take place. Premier Andrew Furey doesn’t need a mandate until August, the country is still in the midst of a pandemic, and there hasn’t been a real threat that the opposition parties might topple Furey’s minority.
In other words, it’s an election of convenience, scheduled to try to land the Liberals back in government, hopefully (from their point of view) in majority territory, before the major upheaval expected as a result of Dame Moya Greene’s committee proposing plans for the province’s economic recovery.
Also interesting is the Abbott campaign’s admission that, because of winter weather, a February general election is risky — particularly because it’s coming from the very party that picked a mid-February election in the first place.
As we pointed out in this space on Saturday, the three weeks surrounding the Feb. 13 election date are home to some of the worst winter weather in the province.
But just to put things on a level playing field for all voters, here’s the advice Abbott shared: “First, call 729-7987 or email [email protected] to ensure you are on the Voters List. If not, Elections NL will inform you how to register. Visit elections.gov.nl.ca for instructions on how to vote by mail, vote early at a District Office, vote at an Advance poll, or vote on Election Day. To vote early using a Special Ballot, call 729-7987 or email [email protected] to apply for a Special Ballot Kit. There are important deadlines and instructions for voting, so please don’t wait too long.”
Why a February election? Or, to quote the Abbott campaign, “With our weather, why risk it?”
Rhetorical questions usually have obvious answers.
Right now, that obvious answer looks like political opportunism.
