Why losing "my" MP leaves me indifferent

The MP for Calgary Centre, Lee Richardson, has announced he is resigning his seat to take a job as Alberta Premier Alison Redford's principal secretary. Considering that Calgary Centre is my riding, I suppose I should be concerned about losing my representative in Parliament but, as Mr. Richardson has represented me in name only, I am indifferent. On very few issues did he take my view to Ottawa.

Indeed as a non-Conservative Calgarian, I have in effect no representation. Technically I do as Calgary has eight MPs but, like Lee Richardson, they are all Conservative and I'm not. So whether it's eight or seven MPs, it makes no difference to me. If we had a proportional representation voting system in this country, I would be represented as a Calgarian, but we don't, so I'm not.

My chances of being represented are so slim I didn't even bother to vote in the 2011 election. Richardson won by 20,000 votes over his nearest rival and my vote, as usual, would have counted for nothing. After casting a worthless vote for many years running, I tired of the fraud and didn't bother.

I doubt the by-election will be much different. As the saying goes, the Conservatives could run a yellow dog in this riding and and it would win. Nonetheless, I will probably cast a vote—as a gesture, nothing else.

One thing I will say about Lee Richardson is that although he didn't often represent me, he did represent the more civilized side of the Conservative Party. As a former executive assistant to John Diefenbaker and chief of staff to Peter Lougheed, he brought a little of that old-time progressive conservatism to a government that desperately needs it. We have no guarantee of even that from his successor.

In any case, this will probably be a good move for the ex-MP. Principal secretary to a premier is undoubtedly a more meaningful and interesting job than perennial backbencher. So good luck with that, Mr. Richardson.