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Politics will be front and centre in 2007 |
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Wednesday, 03 January 2007 |
There are two ways to look at a new year - you can look backwards as to what the past year has brought you, or forwards to what is to come in the new year.
Finding a healthy balance between the two is key, especially when it comes to our politicians, both at the municipal level and on the provincial and federal stages.
A healthy dose of history, both recent and distant, goes a long way towards not repeating the mistakes of the past, and learning from them, and making the most of building on the successes of yesteryear.
The coming year will certainly be an interesting one in politics, as politicians will be taken to task for their past track record and their visions of the future.
It seems very likely Canadians will see another federal election this year, as Stephen Harper's Conservatives will go head-to-head with the new leadership at the top of the Liberal Party of Canada, along with challenges from the NDP and the Bloc.
In Alberta, where new premier Ed Stelmach has juggled things around for the provincial Conservatives, many of Alberta's opposition parties are already gearing up for a 2007 election race.
Whether anyone can challenge the Conservatives, now minus Ralph Klein, is anyone's guess.
However, it appears the race for the prime minister's chair could get very interesting indeed in the year ahead, as Harper seeks to fend off his rivals.
Elections that are certain to happen, however, are the 2007 municipal elections, which are set to take place Oct. 15.
Taber town council, the Municipal District of Taber, the Horizon School Division, Holy Spirit School Division and the Chinook Health Region board positions are just some of the spots that will be up for grabs this year.
In the months to come, with all of these election races on the horizon, there will without a doubt be some important, and surprising decisions made by our politicians at every level.
This will be a make-or-break year for many in politics, one which will firmly secure the legacies of some, and doom others to one-year-wonder status.
How it will all play out is anyone's guess but one thing will be very important for the voting public - make informed choices.
Take the time, do the research and select the candidate that is right for you.
It is not often when one year has the potential to impact so many, and 2007 could be just the time to either make big changes or give those new to their positions time to prove themselves. |
