What Happened to Public Service?

I know this sounds naive, but I've always believed that public service was a higher calling; something that you did not for the glory, or the paycheque, but because you believed strongly in an idea, and wanted to work to make it a reality. Maybe it's not so naive though. After all, our society is filled with people who have dedicated themselves to improve the lives of others.

Teachers are a prime example of this. Sure, the pay is alright, and the vacation time is a perk, but I've never met a teacher that hasn't paid out of their own pocket for classroom supplies, or volunteered their own time to help students with academic needs or extracurricular activities. None of those things are in the job description, but they happen, and the teachers do it because they care.

Our police and firefighters are another example. They put their lives on the line to help people as a matter of course. If you were to ask them, I don't think any would say that they do it for the pay, or so they can retire on a beach at 40. The same can be said for the brave men and women in our armed forces, such as my father, who served out of a sense of duty and love of country.

As a society, we respect these people who serve the public, and that respect is well-deserved. Imagine though, a teacher who was unwilling to answer questions from a student's parents, because they were concerned those parents might not like them as much once they heard the answer. Imagine a police officer assuring you that your home was safe after a break in, but being unwilling to give you any advice on how you should secure your home. What would you think of a fire chief who told you that they would definitely be able to put out a fire at your place of work, even though there were no fire trucks or hoses around? “I have a plan,” he would say. “And I'll tell you what it is when the time is right. Until then, trust me.” We would never accept that from those public servants, even though we respect them greatly.

We expect the people who work for us to also be accountable to us. Sometimes that means that we have to be willing to hear the things we don't want to hear, and, more importantly, to have those people we trust be willing tell us those things. “Your child has a difficult time reading. We need to address that,” the teacher would say, realizing that their student's future is more important than whether or not they are liked. “The door and lock you had weren't adequate. You need a solid core door with a deadbolt,” the police officer would tell you, knowing that her opinions are informed by her years of experience. “Until the rest of the fire trucks get here, this is what we have to do. Once they arrive, we will execute the rest of our plan,” the fire chief would say, knowing that trust must be earned.

Why then, do we allow the people that run for public office to behave in a way that would otherwise be unacceptable? If we wouldn't allow a teacher to back away from unpopular but important information, why do we accept that from politicians? If we expect a police officer to use all of their relevant experience to help us through a difficult time, why do we allow politicians to hide their past? If we demand that a fire chief have a comprehensive plan to allow us to survive a crisis, why would we be satisfied by a politican's empty rhetoric that he “has a plan?” Why don't we hold those who seek public office to the same level of accountability that we demand from every other public servant? We accept that the system is rigged like a bad carnival game, and yet keep going back, thinking that this time, the guy running the game is different. “He showed me that the ring fits around the bottle. I can win.” What he didn't show you is that he had to bend the ring to get it over the bottle. The game's still rigged, it just has a better sales pitch.

My campaign isn't a sales pitch. I'm running because I want to change the game, not become the guy running it. I'm making my beliefs known, every day, on my website, on social media, and to the people I meet out in the neighbourhood. You may not agree with me all the time, or ever, for that matter, but you will always know where I stand. If I have an idea, I will tell you how I want to make it a reality. If I don't know something, I will tell you that too. I will listen to you. If we disagree, I will try my best to explain my perspective. If you do the same, you just might be able to change my mind. Most importantly, I will not hide who I am, I will not change what I believe based on my audience, and I will refuse to place myself in the pocket of special interests and political party machinery just so I can get a few more votes.

My campaign is truly grassroots. My campaign team started small, comprised entirely of family and a few close friends, but it's gaining momentum every day, with people who believe in me, and my vision. I don't have the backing of any chambers of commerce, or any unions, or any political parties. Because of that, I will have to work harder than other candidates to get my message out, but when I do, it will still be my message, and my ideas, and I can stand behind them one hundred percent. That is what matters to me. That is why I'm running to be your city councillor.

 I encourage you to leave a comment or reach out to me at ryandaviesforstb@gmail.com .  If you like what you are reading and wish to support my campaign in any way, donation, yard sign, hand out fliers or other forms, please let me know.  This grassroots campaign is gaining momentum thanks to people who want to see changes to City Hall and the way we conduct politics so we can do what's in the best interests of our residents, not the best interests of our politicians.