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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2008-10-02, Page 6THE EDITOR,When we at the Mad RiverInstitute were trying to interestcorporate sponsors in a "Vote" campaign (for which, sadly, we got no support), we wanted to try and remind people that representative democracy needs the participation of the people. When citizens fail to vote – to show the ultimate participation in our democratic system – they miss the opportunity to help shape our society, which is an amalgam of competing visions and ideas. If large numbers of people don’t vote, it can mean that an entire perspective could be lost. For example, today’s youth seem uninterested in thepolitical process. As a result,their views on the financing ofpost-secondary education are missing. Do you think tuition would have quadrupled in the last dozen years if politicians considered the voices of the young? To stay silent at election time is self-defeating and ruinous to a system that requires mass participation. But there is another element, too. While we need to vote, we also need to be informed to make a responsible decision. Voting the same way every time, voting along with the pollsters’ or media preference, or deciding based on one issue, is an abrogation of ourcommitment to a free anddemocratic society. It permitsthe election of politicians who are ignorant, arrogant, or dedicated to single concerns. Before Oct. 14, voters need totake the time to research andthoughtfully consider theelection planks of each political party to get the best policies, members and leaders. Please ... Think, then vote.Sincerely,Byron Montgomery,President Mad River Institute for Political Studies 34 Caroline Street East,Creemore, Ontario L0M 1G0Tel/Fax: 705-466-2832 madriver@sympatico.ca www.madriverinstitute.ca PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2008.Letter to the editorMad River Institute says think, then vote A federal general election is taking place on October 14, 2008. New identiﬁcation rules to vote! WHEN YOU VOTE, YOU MUST PROVE YOUR IDENTITY AND ADDRESS. PIECES OF IDENTIFICATION AUTHORIZED BY THE CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER OF CANADA IDENTITY CARDS — Health Card — Hospital Card — Social Insurance Number Card — Birth Certiﬁcate — Driver’s Licence — Provincial/Territorial Identiﬁcation Card — Canadian Passport — Certiﬁcate of Indian Status — Certiﬁcate of Canadian Citizenship or Citizenship Card — Credit/Debit Card with elector name — Canadian Forces Identity Card — Veterans Affairs Canada Health Card — Employee Card issued by employer — Old Age Security Identiﬁcation Card — Public Transportation Card — Student ID Card — Library Card — Liquor Identiﬁcation Card — Canadian Blood Services/Héma-Québec Card — Fishing Licence — Wildlife Identiﬁcation Card — Hunting Licence — Firearm Acquisition Card/Firearm Possession Card — Outdoors Card and Licences — Local Community Service Centre Card (CLSC) ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS (containing name and address) — Credit Card Statement — Bank Statement — Utility Bill (residential telephone, cable TV, public utilities commission, hydro, gas or water) — Attestation of Residence issued by the responsible authority of an Indian band or reserve — Local Property Tax Assessment — School, College or University Report Card or Transcript — Residential Lease, Residential Mortgage Statement or Agreement — Canada Child Tax Beneﬁt Statement — Income Tax Assessment Notice — Insurance Policy — Government Cheque or Government Cheque Stub with elector name — Statement of Employment Insurance Beneﬁts Paid (T4E) — Canada Pension Plan Statement of Contributions/Quebec Pension Plan Statement of Participation — Statement of Old Age Security (T4A) or Statement of Canada Pension Plan Beneﬁts (T4AP) — Statement of Beneﬁts from provincial workplace safety or insurance board — Statement of Direct Deposit for provincial works or provincial disability support program — Vehicle Ownership — Vehicle Insurance — Attestation of Residence issued by the responsible authorities (shelters, soup kitchens, student/senior residences, long-term care facilities) — Letter from public curator Note: The pieces of identiﬁcation required under the Canada Elections Act are not the same as those for provincial or municipal elections. The above information is also available in a number of heritage and Aboriginal languages on the Elections Canada Web site at www.elections.ca. 1-800-INFO-VOTE 1-800-463-6868 www.elections.ca YOU HAVE THREE OPTIONS: Provide one original piece of identiﬁ cation issued by a government or government agency containing your photo, name and address. e.g.: driver’s licence Provide two original pieces of identiﬁ cation authorized by the Chief Electoral Ofﬁ cer of Canada. Both pieces must contain your name and one must also contain your address. e.g.: health card and hydro bill Swear an oath and be vouched for by an elector who is on the list of electors in the same polling division and who has an acceptable piece or pieces of identiﬁ cation. e.g.: a neighbour, your roommate OR OR TTY 1-800-361-8935 for people who are deaf or hard of hearing Morris-Turnberry coun- cillors sent the first proposal for a tree policy back for rewriting, at their Sept. 23 meeting. While councillors were in agreement on the end result they wanted, the specifics of how to accomplish it were debated. “The big thing is to increase forest cover and decrease our carbon footprint,” said councillor Mark Beaven. “If we cut down 100 trees, we have 200 to give away.” Deputy mayor Jim Nelemans suggested that when trees are available, they should be advertised and people should apply to receive them. “You don’t want 50 trees available and 200 people show up to get them,” he said. Locations for planting the trees were also discussed. Nelemans said the orig- inal thought was to avoid having the trees on town- ship road allowances because of problems for maintenance. Beaven said as far as he was concerned, landowners could plant the trees anywhere they wanted on their own property as long as they looked after them. While the specifics of the policy are still being developed, council took action to make sure trees would be available for next spring by ordering 100 trees from the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority for spring planting. M-T revisits tree policy proposal By Keith Roulston The Citizen