TriTAG 2014 Municipal Candidates' Survey

[fakepnijjar]

Candidates also practice disingenuity, probably more deliberately and skillfully than groups like TriTAG. 

Do you suppose that a candidate who is against sidewalks is going to respond to a like-minded group in exactly the same words that he responds to a similar question from TriTAG?

I agree with this. I am quite surprised at Terry Ross's responses to the TriTAG survey, for example. (Which is not to say I am accusing him of being disingenuous, but I would have expected him to be at the forefront of the anti-TriTAG brigade).

This, incidentally, is why I like attending multiple all-candidates meetings run by groups with different agendas. It helps illustrate the variance of candidate responses on issues.

[zanate]

I thought I'd take a moment to explain the rationale behind the TriTAG survey design, given that I played a major part in that design.

The survey serves two purposes. One, of course, is to get candidates' positions on topics that are in the scope of TriTAG's advocacy. We wanted to explore an area that won't be well covered by other surveys or debates. (And while the LRT issue has seen heavy play, we deliberately left out specific polarizing "for/against LRT" questions.)

The second purpose is education. The survey represents a rare opportunity to make both candidates and readers aware of the issues we feel are important. That's why we include an issues primer and our own position along with the survey.

The question was raised whether we would "prefer" candidates who parroted that view. But TriTAG's views don't really matter so much as the readers' views do. And if we don't get readers (spoiler alert: we are) then our views don't matter. And if a candidate decides to use our position briefs as a cheat sheet for how they should answer, well... that leads to a third purpose of the survey.

We'll have these candidates' survey responses on record. Some of them will be elected, and we'll have four years to evaluate how well they walk the talk. The survey responses aren't going anywhere-- in fact, the 2010 TriTAG survey is still available. If a councillor doesn't live up to their promises, we can let them know.

Anyway, I hope this helps fill in some of the background. I'm surprised by criticisms of being "disingenuous". But I'm okay with that too. While we have received a lot of compliments and praise from candidates for the survey and its presentation, I'd say that if we didn't get a little bit of criticism too, then we aren't doing our job.

You can't make everyone happy. TriTAG advocates for change, for a more walkable, cycleable, and transit-friendly Waterloo Region. It's our own blood, sweat and tears going into it. If our message grabs people's attention, it's because they care about what we're saying. And sometimes, people don't like change.

[greybird]

And sometimes, people don't like change.

And sometimes, people who don't like change run on a platform of 'change'.