What lessons can the multicultural communities draw from this 2021 federal election…..?
It’s election season, federal and municipal, and we got a lot of politics for you today…,
What lessons can you draw from this 2021 federal election? While you were busy following the campaigns and tracking the results, we put together four main take homes from this early federal election for you, other multicultural communities, political leaders, and everyone who care enough to listen as the world changes around us.
The first lesson is that multicultural communities can change the outcome of certain key races in Canada. As the case in Edmonton Centre, where a small group strategically volunteered, made calls, and voted for the Liberal candidate. Those slightly over five hundred votes that they helped to get out became the kingmaker votes in the ridding, ejecting Randy Boissonnault back to Ottawa.
An excited Randy had this to say to Diversity TV, “…..I wanna thank the dream team, the core team that we assembled plus the hundreds of volunteers from every corner of the world, from all different languages and backgrounds, every single vote that you helped us to find is why I’m able to speak to you today as your member of parliament for Edmonton Centre…” If more of you can do the same in some of the tight mayoral and council races coming up in the October 18 municipal elections across Alberta, then sprinkle some fund raising on to it, undoubtedly this will be a foundation for a better tomorrow for you and your children. This’s because as most of the issues you face will be addressed by those you help to win elections. In future, candidates who dare to fight for your issues can certainly be positioned in any council, legislature, or parliament that you want – let your issues be given the priority that it deserves. Edmonton based Political Strategist, Najib Jutt, told Diversity TV, “….as multicultural communities, we sometimes lack organization…..we sometimes lack cohesion in how we vote but can get organized based on certain party, if you believe that party holds the closest values to your community…..or you can get organized based on the values, objectives, and needs of your community….”
The second take home lesson is that of racism and discrimination still poking its ugly head in party politics even if a candidate won an election fair and square. Yes! You guessed right, the case of the first person of African descent to lead a Canadian political party, Green Party Leader, Annamie Paul, who won the leadership of the party but was treated worst than a janitor. It’s become apparent that some people are uncomfortable talking about racism or listening to the sound of it, but the question is, what do you describe a situation where only this one leader of a party is deprived from her leadership rights; she can’t access funds to run her campaign in her riding, she’s threatened with a no confidence vote every time there’s an issue, she has to deal with threats to seal off her office doors….? The third take home for you is the good music coming out of the drums of the leader of the Conservative Party, Erin O’Toole, who talks of opening up the party to newcomers and multiculturals like you, “…..we must continue to show Canadians, whether you’re black, white, brown or from any race or creed, whether you’re LGBTQ or straight, whether you are an Indigenous Canadian or came to Canada five weeks ago or five generations ago … you have a place in the Conservative….,” A good start but hope he last long enough to see this through. It could be effective if the Conservatives engage natural connectors within their party to champion such outward looking change such as the inspiring social conservative, Dr. Leslyn Lewis, MP for Toronto Haldimand-Norfolk, and the friendly Edmonton Strathcona Conservative Candidate, Tunde Obassan.
The fourth take home we gathered for you is that the popularity of the progressive parties, Liberal and NDP in multicultural communities does not reflect the election results, leaving room for catching up by the Conservatives, who are now talking of attracting multiculturals. Liberals and NDPs have no national strategy to engage multiculturals in a country that happens to see the largest population growth in this demography. The progressives have stuck to the old campaigning strategy of waiting for multiculturals to come to them rather to go out, engage them and refresh them with their policies. Political parties tend to use traditional communication tools that barely scratch the surface of multicultural communities. Multicultural communities are so different, but yet endowed with traditional community organizers who organize independent day events, community elections, community BBQs, church pastors, and imams, all exhibiting valuable community organizing talents and skills that could be harnessed to fashion an effective national multicultural engagement strategy that will stand the test of time. It’s worthwhile to give this shoutout to the little community organizers that you do and highlight that it can go a long way to build a brighter future for your kids if you commit just an hour of your community organizing time to support the right political leaders that will fight for what matters to your community – Amen!
