How do party leaders pick candidates?

[independent]

Should candidates not be capable of understanding the needs of the riding? I live in largely a working class riding and have an upper class candidate parachuted in. How can he possibly understanding our needs? Do parties not give thought to who they pick. There is no way I will vote for anyone that does not represent the people in the riding I simply do not care what party they belong too.

[segnosaur]

Should candidates not be capable of understanding the needs of the riding? I live in largely a working class riding and have an upper class candidate parachuted in. How can he possibly understanding our needs? Do parties not give thought to who they pick. There is no way I will vote for anyone that does not represent the people in the riding I simply do not care what party they belong too.

First of all, why exactly do you think someone who is 'parachuted in' will not be able to understand your needs? And even if they don't "understand your needs", how exactly will that impact your daily life? After all, every MP will have staff (both in Ottawa and their home riding) to handle day to day needs. And every politician will be required (at some time) to vote for legislation not because they agree with it, but because the party leaders agree with it.

Secondly, don't you think there are certain advantages to having a star candidate 'parachuted in'? If the party they run for ends up gaining power, then your M.P. would have a good shot at being a cabinet minister, which would make them more influential in promoting the welfare of your riding within the caucus.

This doesn't necessarily mean that you should totally ignore the qualities of the individual candidates, or that you should automatically vote for people assigned to the riding by the party leader. I'm just saying that you shouldn't automatically discount a potential candidate just because he's not a long term resident of your riding.

[Wild Bill]

Should candidates not be capable of understanding the needs of the riding? I live in largely a working class riding and have an upper class candidate parachuted in. How can he possibly understanding our needs? Do parties not give thought to who they pick. There is no way I will vote for anyone that does not represent the people in the riding I simply do not care what party they belong too.

Yeah, it sucks but they all do it! All you can do is hope you get a good one.

To be fair, the way our Parliament has always ruthlessly enforced party solidarity it doesn't really matter anyway. The MP tells you what his party wants. He doesn't tell the party what his constituents want! He will vote the way his party whip tells him, period.

This is why in Canada for the most part it makes no sense to vote for the man and not the Party. We are the only parliamentary democracy that will enforce party solidarity on all and even trivial votes, right down it would seem to ordering the coffee and doughnuts. Look at any other country and we seem to be the exception.