Democracy 101-At Least That Is How It Appears

Personally I think the following is just another way to boost circulation and while all the ingredients are there to make a Democracy Stew the reality is politicians don't really care what the voters want but rather what the special interest groups, who can draw out the voters, want and these groups don't truly represent the public interest.

Tell voters what mayors must do

Speech open to GTA high schools
Star, Empire Club contest seeks ideas

Oct. 4, 2006. 06:08 AM

JOHN GODDARD

STAFF REPORTER

Wanted: The voters of tomorrow.Tell us how the men and women running for mayor can reach out to high school students like you during this municipal election campaign.Even if you're not old enough to vote on Nov. 13, this is a chance to have your say — in a very public way. Write down your thoughts in the form of a speech that tackles this topic:"What my local mayor should do for future voters like me."It's all part of a contest, co-sponsored by the Toronto Star and the Empire Club that begins today. And it's a way to give our younger readers a voice at a time when they are often overlooked."This is a great opportunity for students to have their voices heard," said Toronto Star Editor-in-Chief Giles Gherson."They will be inheriting the GTA, and they will be the voters of tomorrow," he added. "But the decisions made today will affect their lives, so that's why we want them to be engaged now."If you become a finalist, your entry will be published in the Toronto Star and you will be asked to deliver your speech at the Nov. 2nd meeting of the Empire Club at the Fairmont Royal York hotel. There are also cash prizes for the top three finalists and a chance to see firsthand how reporters cover the news at the Star."We want to encourage dialogue with youth in their opinions about municipal politics," says Empire Club president John Niles."Another desire of ours is to promote the ability not only to write effectively but also to speak publicly. When you're in business life or politics, or any form of work as an adult, the ability to speak well in public benefits you."The rules are simple. Write a speech that can be delivered in five minutes, or about 500 words. The contest is open to high school students aged 13 to 18 on voting day.Spell out what you expect of the mayoral candidates in your GTA municipality. For example, if you live in Oakville, set down your thoughts about the specific issues or leadership questions affecting Oakville.From Burlington in the West to Vaughan in the north, and from Toronto in the centre to Oshawa in the east, your mayor helps set policies and pass laws that determine how a community functions and lives together. The decisions affect the daily lives of the GTA's 5.5 million residents in five regions and 25 different municipalities.Mayors make decisions on how transit systems are operated, roads stay maintained, crime gets policed, and children and the elderly are cared for. There are also questions of integrity and trust that matter to voters.Maybe the issue concerning you most is garbage. Last year, the city of Toronto shipped 724,000 tonnes of waste to Michigan — 85 trucks a day. In Ontario, 3 million tonnes of trash going to U.S. dumps every year originates at restaurants, schools, businesses and institutions. Maybe you want a mayor who is prepared to build incineration plants in the meantime, or who knows how to increase recycling among apartment dwellers. Maybe you want a mayor who is prepared to take a different stand altogether. The Empire Club offers four main tips to speakers:

Build the speech around one main message;

Use facts, figures and stories to illustrate key points;

Act naturally, use your own style;

Conclude with a call to action.Online entries should be sent by the Oct. 20 closing date at http://www.thestar.com/speech