Take Advantage of Parliament's Break

Canada's parliament is on a break until March 19. While those of us who are question period junkies might lament missing the daily proverbial food fight that substitutes for what is supposed to be adult behaviour in our most revered chambers of government, a good number of us have also had enough of the partisan mudslinging.

Now is the time to catch your MPs and ministers while they're at home, whether by attending any town hall meetings they have scheduled, dropping into their offices, calling them or sending them e-mails, letters or faxes, (as long as they're not off to Tahiti for a holiday). We should be taking this opportunity to get their full attention to demand that they simply smarten up and get on with dealing with the business of our government in the serious manner we expect them to. And that goes for members of all parties.

Now is also the time to confront them with the issues that matter to us - pulling them away from what they think might be on our minds that they've decided to focus on from their limited perspectives while they've been in Ottawa. They need to know that their parties' agendas ought not be their only guidebook when it comes to dealing with what Joe and Jane Average Canadian wants.

Disturb the comfortable.

Had enough? Say so.

Feeling ignored? Speak up.

Apathetic? Muster up some energy.

Outraged? Let them know.

They work for us. Never forget that. Make them act like it.