Dear friends,
Many of us feel growing despair towards politics, reflected in widespread voter apathy. Voter turnout in Canadian elections has dropped to an all-time low of 58 percent. As Canadians, our expectations from politicians are very high but our involvement in the political process is not. We must be pragmatic and adaptable in our approach towards politics, being firm on our principles but agile with our expectations and execution of them.
Growing up, my parents taught me the importance of pragmatic politics: the need to be idealistic and let your principles be your North Star, but not let idealism blind us to the realities that we live in. The enduring need is to pursue politics that are more driven by practical consequences rather than by theoretical dogma.
I know politics is no wonderland, but I also believe that a pragmatic partisan politician can transform politics better than an aspiring idealistic nonpartisan one. It is not something that I learned in a classroom, but from the grass roots in my two decades of social and political engagement.
It is my belief that eroding support for our fragile democratic institutions can be reversed by politicians and the public reinforcing positive energy through pragmatic politics. I encourage you to share your thoughts with me and hope you will find your visit to my site fruitful.
With warm regards,
Vijay
|
