While many are still enjoying the last few weeks of the summer, Members of Parliament are in their constituencies, working ahead of the pending federal election. With the election in mind, Souris-Moose Mountain MP Dr. Robert Kitchen is reminding citizens they will be getting the chance to exercise the right to vote.

“We have the freedom here to vote, and we should all exercise that freedom, every time, at every election,” Kitchen said. “I can't encourage that enough, having myself lived in other parts of the world in countries where they don't have those freedoms.”

While every citizen has the right to vote, not everyone uses it. The turnout for Souris-Moose Mountain in the last federal election was 72.25 percent. This was an increase from 64 percent in the previous election, but still, a number which many would like to see even higher.

Kitchen explained the right to vote isn’t something shared around the world.

“We see that around the world, where they don't have that right and that privilege to actually stand up and vote,” Kitchen said. “When there's a vote, whether it is a federal election, whether it's a provincial election, whether it's a municipal election, that is your opportunity to speak freely on what you believe in.”

The federal election is to be held no later than October 21st of this year. Many are anticipating the writ for the election to be dropped between September 2nd and September 15th.