Canadians expect a lot from their governments, but are they prepared to put in a little time to ensure the best people are elected to office?

Over the past months, The Gabriola Sounder, a weekly community newspaper with a readership of 3600 out of an estimated 5000 Gabriola Island residents "devoted an unprecedented number of unedited pages to provide equal opportunity for all candidates" running in the November 16 British Columbia municipal elections. This information was also posted on their website and Internet access was arranged at an Island computer shop for those who were not online. The goal in providing easy access to the issues was to encourage each resident to get out and vote.

Raising voter turnout was a major endeavor across the province. On the mainland, the city of Vancouver reportedly spent $100,000 on an ad campaign aimed at getting people out to vote on November 16.

Many eligible voters are intimidated by elections because they can't, or don't, follow all the issues, candidates and election positions involved. During voter awareness campaigns, residents were reminded that they need vote only in candidate races that they were familiar with, even if that involved just one position. Filling in a ballot by randomly checking off names or merely looking for those that sound familiar may put inappropriate people in power and elect those who do not share your views or lack commitment to act responsibly.

On Gabriola Island, candidates were running for three municipal positions, including two for the Islands Trust. Across small islands off the coast of Vancouver Island, 51 candidates were vying for seats on Islands Trust Council. Two trustees were to be elected from each of 13 major islands in the Islands Trust Area.

The Islands Trust is a unique federation of local island governments with a mandate from the Islands Trust Act to make land use decisions that will "preserve and protect" British Columbia's Gulf Islands, a chain of habitable islands off the southeast coast of Vancouver Island.

Everyone agrees that addressing local issues and including local concerns in provincial agendas are vital to protecting the value and security of property owners and residents. Yet, the battle against apathy, complacency or whatever it is that keeps voter turnout so low in municipal elections like this across Canada continues.

In defense of voters, high percentages of non-residents may give a false impression of voter turnout in recreational areas. Low non-resident response may mask a strong local voter turnout in some areas. Seasonal and cottage property owners should exercise their voting rights in their home electoral areas, but how many do? Apathetic part-time residents may find issues relevant to their land use are ignored if they do not raise their voices at election time.

Canadian voter turnout for federal elections is not great, but strikingly lower voting rates of 35% or less are not unusual at municipal elections across the country. Since local governments make decisions that directly affect nearly every aspect of daily life, ignoring local elections may be dangerous. As provincial and federal governments continue to download more and more responsibility onto municipalities without increasing funding, local governments will play an even greater role in determining quality of life for individual Canadians.

Do you want a say in those decisions?