The City of Yellowknife municipal election takes place today, though many residents have already started submitting their ballots via mail.
In December, eight NWT hamlets will be holding elections for mayors and councillors.
Candidates who get elected get to make decisions about public spending. They determine how much money will be spent on services, infrastructure, community events and other things that affect our quality of life.
They will get to decide what to prioritize and what to cut back on. When it comes to the public service, municipal governments are responsible for making many of the decisions that directly affect our day-to-day lives.
As a voter, you get to choose which candidates you feel are best suited to make these decisions, which is why itSA国际影视传媒檚 so important to get informed, and to participate.
Unions get excited about elections. Traditionally, unions get involved in politics to champion the interests and rights of workers, to support candidates who will stand up for workers and the laws that protect them, and to promote justice and equal opportunities for all.
Rallies, protests, and job actions have historically been an effective tool for influencing politicians to promise SA国际影视传媒� and follow through on SA国际影视传媒� improvements to labour laws that regulate things like worker safety, overtime and equal pay.
Workers hold a huge amount of voting power, which is why some governments and businesses go to such great lengths to convince the public that unions are just SA国际影视传媒渟pecial interest groupsSA国际影视传媒� that donSA国际影视传媒檛 work for the greater good.
In fact, unions fight hard to hold elected leaders accountable for ensuring everyone is treated fairly and has equal opportunities to succeed.
Because of the collective strength of our membership, unions have a strong voice that we can use to press politicians to keep their campaign promises, and fight against anti-worker legislation and policies.
We can also use our collective voice to remind those in power of the value of their workers. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 our elected officials who debate and pass the budgets that determine our public sector workersSA国际影视传媒� wages and benefits.
Public sector workers SA国际影视传媒� both territorial and municipal SA国际影视传媒� make up a huge percentage of the NWT workforce. Those wages go right back into our local economy and help support local businesses and organizations.
As we look at rising inflation and increased costs for NWT residents across the board, itSA国际影视传媒檚 more important than ever to ensure that the leaders we elect are the right ones for the job; leaders who recognize the value of the workers who will be expected to carry out the promises made on the campaign trail.
There are many ways to get involved: you can help someone with their campaign, you can sign up to work at a polling station or you can even run for council yourself!
But casting an informed vote is something all eligible voters can and should do.
Many candidates set up websites or social media pages where they talk about their platform, experience, and why people should vote for them. These are usually public, so anyone with access to internet can go online and read them.
Local news outlets often interview candidates and publish the responses, which is another great resource for learning about a candidate.
Last but not least, many candidates still carry on the tradition of going door to door, meeting residents through forums or by attending events. Being able to engage in person with a candidate is an excellent way to get to know them, share your own ideas and decide if they are the right person for the job.
