Some rural Saskatchewan residents will have an easy decision when it comes to voting in the upcoming civic elections. In fact, some won’t have to decide at all.
In smaller to mid-sized communities such as Warman, Rosthern, Osler, Hague and Dalmeny, the incumbent mayors have been acclaimed to lead their municipalities for another four years.
“To have the opportunity to continue to lead during these times is just a real privilege and I appreciate that,” said Warman Mayor Gary Philipchuk. Elected to the position in 2020, Philipchuk says he will use the time typically spent on the campaign trail to instead prepare for initial council meetings and strategic planning.
“Now I can have a bit more input, just even being prepared to start talking about council lead positions and different areas like that.”
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Asked if there is cause for concern over the lack of candidates, Philipchuk said social media plays a role in a person’s decision to run for public office.
“At all levels, you’re becoming a bit of a target,” he said. “There’s a lot more of that happening and I think people are more reluctant to get involved because of that, which is unfortunate.”
Karim Bareesy, executive director of the policy think tank The Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University, agrees.
“Social media makes it easier for people to receive attacks on them as candidates — especially women candidates, racialized, Indigenous, people from other kinds of groups that have been historically targeted for abuse — and then get targeted through social media,” he said.
Bareesy said social media is a double-edged sword, as it plays a crucial role in Canadian politics and acts as many people’s primary source for news. He said research and evidence show some platforms are becoming too toxic towards public figures.
“Some politicians are afraid of expressing themselves on those platforms, or only putting the most safe content out there without truly revealing themselves because they feel that they’re going to be so open to attack,” Bareesy said.
Whatever the reason potential candidates think twice about throwing their hat in the ring, Philipchuk says running for public office can be fulfilling.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to listen to people, hear all sides of the issues, and then really debate it at a council level and then make decisions, and then really talk to the community about those decisions.”
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