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Many citizens don't see their municipal councils as important as who represents them provincially or federally. It's true in one sense, because municipal councils in New Brunswick really don't have the power that many citizens think that they have. Their ability to pass laws and raise their own revenues is much more restricted in Canada than it is in other western democracies, particularly the United States. And within Canada, since the reforms of the 1960s that centralized so much power in Fredericton, New Brunswick municipal councils often seem to be in the position of taking the blame for things they legally can do nothing about. While federal and provincial politicians get to fly in clutching cheques and play the part of the hero, the local politician must often be content to bask in reflected glory.

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But, as we have noted before, in his 2004-2005 annual report, the Commissioner of Official Languages for New Brunswick eloquently described the importance of municipal government to the citizens of New Brunswick.

"The municipal level of government is the level of democracy that is closest to citizens and the one over which they have the most control through direct participation. It is also the level of government that is most closely watched by the public and the most subject to pressure from a clientele that at any time can get in touch with the decision makers, irrespective of whether they are at the political or administrative level of the decision making machinery of the municipality in question.

"The political, social, cultural, and economic functioning of our province and country depends largely on initiatives designed and implemented at the municipal level. Accordingly, they are a vital link contributing to the robustness of that functioning. Provincial and federal politicians recognize the political force that municipalities represent. One need only consider the measures advocated by the federal government with regard to direct funding for cities. Citizens of cities and municipalities are attached to the place they consider home. They have a sense of belonging to the city or municipality in which they live . . . "

A good municipal council can still make all the difference to the prosperity of a community. It is thus still important that citizens give the utmost consideration to the list of candidates they will support in the municipal elections. Where do candidates stand on the issues that are most important to the municipality? Are they up on the facts and current reality — for instance, how many current candidates for any office have attended council meetings in the last year? Are they running because they are for doing something, or are they running because they have a bee in the bonnet about what has been done in the past? Even taking into account that visionary thinking often seems strange at first, are their proposed solutions practical? Are they out to build a new and exciting future, or to recreate the vanished past? Can they tell you, in one sentence, what the most important issue is facing their municipality and the region? Are they committed to municipal openness, including obeying open meeting laws — most around here don't — and extending the access to information laws to municipal councils? If not, why not?

Nobody enters municipal politics with any sane expectation of getting rich or exercising great power. Most of those who have tossed their hats into the ring are doing so because they want to do good things for their communities. Hats off to them. And good luck to the deserving.