Fed date #3: Anna Mather

Running for the NDP in Brampton-Springdale is 24-year-old Anna Mather, who’s gone directly from pursuing her degree, majoring in political science and sociology the University of Toronto – with detours to Oxford and studying the effects of NAFTA in Washington, D.C. – to her name on the ballot in the riding currently held by Ruby Dhalla. While the biggest election story from that corner of the GTA concerned a rash of vandalism directed at Dhalla’s lawn signs, the aftermath of gay marriage has galvanized the Conservative campaign of Sam Hundal in this riding with large Muslim and Sikh communities. Nonetheless, the candidacy of Mather offers a rare scenario of a young female challenger to a young female incumbent – something that’s still a novelty amidst the usual stodgy white guys shambling about the circuit. Mather also takes pride in her indie musical tastes (current favourites include Belle and Sebastian, The Arctic Monkeys and The Decemberists), which gives her insight into the current Sam Bulte copyright controversy. Through the miracle of weblog interactivity, follow-up questions or comments are welcome in the field below.

Where did the idea of running come from? I was raised in a progressive household where the values of human rights and social justice were promoted, and activism was encouraged, an environment that made me acutely aware of the plight of others. From an early age, I had a keen sense of how public policy had the ability to compound or alleviate the struggles of a particular group. I’ve been determined to achieve a deeper understanding of how politics works, and for whom. The riding association president called last spring, when they were starting to mobilize the troops, thinking they wanted me to work for another candidate – I was preoccupied with studying politics, with mountains of paper scattered around and my mind in a million places at once – but my gut reaction was to agree. Given how I dreamed of being Prime Minister as a kid, that’d involve having to run in an election someday, so why not start now?

What’s it like entering politics in the era where communication methods are transforming so much? All this technology might have leveled the playing field, and lessened the influence of corporate communications, but that also leaves a significant percentage of voters feeling shut out of the public discourse, if they have no access to the internet. So, while I’d like to think the average voter is wise enough to sort through media bias, when I talk to lower-income families in my riding who are considering voting Conservative, I have to wonder. Also, while all the online coverage provides a forum for intelligent, honest and unapologetic debate and commentary, I’m not sure whether this will make a discernible difference for younger voters – their issues are still largely left out of the mainstream debates, and there’s little being done in high schools to engage students politically beyond their Grade 10 civics classes.

Are younger candidates really helpful toward getting younger voters interested in the process? People tend to view younger candidates as a refreshing change, bringing our worldview and experience to the table, plus a perspective that’s often closely aligned with people our age – maybe that will help improve their dismal turnout at the polls. There are 34 NDP candidates this time around who are 25 years of age or younger, which makes perfect sense. We’re the only party running on a platform of increasing accessibility to post-secondary education by investing in reduced tuition and implementing a fair grants system; we are the only party serious about investing in and protecting the environment; and we are the only party that takes seriously questions of democratic and electoral reforms which is the most important thing for the NDP to achieve in the next Parliamentary session. If you fear a succession of ineffective minority regimes in the future, it’s time to take a hard look at how some of the most economically competitive countries in the world are managing to succeed through coalition governments.

How about the fact that you’re taking on the youngest Liberal MP? The scenario might be an anomaly, but she’s
also an example of the warped Liberal notion of democracy, given how
she was parachuted into this riding over someone local. In response,
the entire Liberal riding association here threw their support behind
the NDP. Brampton is a culturally rich place, with many vibrant
communities – but it’s also a sprawling city that’s surrounded by a car
culture. This unchecked urban sprawl, in addition to underfunded public
transportation, should play largely in the minds of voters here. A
third of the constituents have a first language other than English, so
that requires canvassing with multilingual translators, although the
rituals of a Canadian election can be confusing to people who
grew up elsewhere. I’ve been offered quite significant
amounts of cash at the front doors of people with no interest in the NDP, but
simply want the incumbent defeated. I’ve not accepted any of this
money, though.

Now that you’re in the thick of things, is running for office something you’d want to do again and again and again?
I have friends who’ve been heavily involved in campaigning for many
years, and they describe it as addictive, experiencing withdrawal
symptoms between elections. Not sure I would go that far, but there is
a certain rush you get after a strong debate, a well-received speech,
or a great conversation with a constituent. Regardless of the outcome,
the number of insightful, interesting, and inspirational people I’ve
met have been worth it. These days, I’m surviving on coffee, adrenaline
and multi-vitamins. The thought of sitting down to lunch is ludicrous.