Thursday, January 19, 2006

A new day dawns

Well in case anyone isn't aware (meaning in case anyone actually cares) Monday is election day in Canada.

The advanced polls say that the Conservative party should win the election handily, or at least with enough seats to form a majority government, meaning we wont have to endure another quick poll in a year or so like this one coming just on the heels of our last election a year ago. Its just a little tough to watch all my hard earned tax dollars go down the drain on nonsensical elections while decent projects fall through for lack of funds.

The Liberals who have ruled Canada since the mid 90s will be on their way to being the opposition much to the chagrin of many.

Well what can one say. I got a few thoughts not necessarily coherent but I'll post them nevertheless.

What I find interesting about this election is how low key the real issues have been. In fact what are the real issues anyways? Is it gun violence, is it health care, gay marriage, is it money for transit, is it child care, is it relations with the US, is it relationships with Quebec (our foreign county within the country)?

It just seems like the focus has been on the fact that the Liberals have been in power for a number of years and are corrupt. Its not like most people, at least in the T-dot, want the Conservatives to win but a prevailing thought is that the Liberals must lose in order to regroup and come again. They have lost their way and hence must be tossed into the wilderness in order to find their compass and true north (holy mixed metaphors batman!). They must wheel an come agin!

Its interesting how folk are voting. Either they are voting Liberal because they are scared of the Conservatives and what they may do to the country (especially after the Mike Harris common sense revolution messed up Ontario) or they are voting Conservative or NDP because they are tired of the Liberal corruption. Is this the way democracy is supposed to work? Its like the whole lesser of two evils debate. All options you're screwed its just who do you think will screw you less. But then that seems to be the choice in most elections these days worldwide. There doesn't seem to be a movement that truly encompasses your ideals or strives to achieve what you really want to see happen so we do risk assessment to see who is the lesser risk.

I also find it amazing that the Reform party now dressed in Conservative clothing have been able to shed their smell. Remember Reform, remember their anti-immigrant, anti-Ontario sentiment from back in the day, well only a few years ago actually before they merged with the former Tory party. Well hey, wasn't Stephen Harper the leader of Reform? Do people remember that? Do you still want him for PM. Or maybe he's changed his spots since those good old days.

I find it hilarious that our current PM Paul Martin is losing/may lose/will lose this election. If he does its all his fault. The bickering between him and former PM Chretien is probably the biggest cause of the fall of the Liberals. Martin, like Luda wanted the number 1 spot but now he basically split the party, dumped the Chretein backers and threw out some of the old guard that helped keep it strong. If he loses it all on him.

I also think it ironic that the NDP helped to bring about this latest election by going against the Liberal minority government in the house of parliament. Memo to Jack Layton in the immortal words of Big Daddy Kane "Put a quarter in ya ....... cause ya played yourself!' After actually having some clout in this regime your party is about to go back to its former role of irrelevant fringe party.

Anyway come Monday night all will be revealed. If you can vote go out and let your voice be heard or your X counted. Vote for whoever you feel will do the best job. If you can and you don't you cant complain if things fall apart.

10 comments:

jelli said...

It seems that Canada's politics aren't much different than the US.

Miz JJ said...

I am hoping that Conservatives don't win a majority. We just finished cleaning up their mess. We finally have the debt under control, low unemployment and a high Canadian dollar. All things that we the opposite under a Conservative government. Not to mention the fact that Stephen Harper would like to line us up with George W. Bush. No thanks.

Urban Sista said...

I agree with your post wholeheartedly. From Martin splitting the party, to Harper really being a Reformer and Layton being stupid.

But who to vote for?

Martin - while he has balanced the budget year over year, I believe the Liberal party has gotten too comfortable and too weak. They really need to clean up house.
Harper - I believe the man is a blasted jackass. No matter how many people in turbans surround him on a stage, the Conservatives do not support immigrants, immigration or minorities. He is too close to Dubya and he is too similar to Dubya.
Layton - you know, I used to like Layton. He seemed to be a decent guy... until he started acting like a five-year-old big brother to the Liberals: do this for me or I'll bring down your government! Do that fir me or I'll bring down your government. Enough already.

I'm just annoyed that I have to vote so quickly after the last election. Chupse.

After how many weeks, I'm still undecided.

Ravenbajan said...

I have to go against the current tide of comments on this one. I'm definately voting Conservative. Not just because the Liberals have screwed up so much, but because I actually like most of their platform better. I especially like their tougher stance on crime and their stance on childcare. Whereas the Liberal childcare plan only benefits those who put their children into daycare centres, the Conservative plan gives support to parents who choose to give up their jobs to become a stay-at-home parent, or use a home style daycare/babysitter instead. Freedom of choice that benefits all so to speak.

Yes, financially things did budget out once the Liberals were in power, but people forget that alot of the policies that made that happen were actually placed in effect by the Conservatives. It can take years to see the benefits of certain changes. Then somebody else steps in and takes all the credit for it.

There are so many 'scare' tactics the Liberals have put out there for years to put fear into people to stay away from the scary Conservatives, it's sad to see what people can believe.

The Liberals have been in power long enough to show us how corrupt they are. In my opinion, it is time for a change. I will say this however. If the Conservatives win I will miss having a leader who has enough balls to stand up to Bush. I really liked the way Martin handled the softwood lumber issue and his insistance on not being a lapdog for the U.S.

Anyhow, I'm ranting now. I agree with you Jdid. Everyone should vote, and those who don't lose their right to bitch and complain with the rest of us when the politicans peeve everyone off. Cause that's a guarantee, no matter who gets into power! :)

Unknown said...

It will be election time here again in Jamaica soon. Not such a low key event in Jamaica. I hate election time here, always an uneasy period.

Rose said...

Seems everybody got issues with voting. So your voting situation is similiar to the US.

Deelze said...

I agree with jelli....

Are you going out to cast your vote?!?! *smile*

Have a great weekend!

~Smooches~

Anonymous said...

still trying to decide - but it's either liberal or ndp. not liking the conservative platform - but still researching it...

chrome said...

politics and bullshit. bedfellows. I didnt vote during the last uk elections. just cant do the "lesser of two evils" thing no more.

our liberal party over here is a dead duck and the conservatives are on a never ending reinvention job. Labour rules (just). the general populace more interested in the celebrity "big brother" reality show (and voting contestants off). funny one of the contestants is the leader of a new political party called, wait for it, RESPECT.

Radmila said...

When they point fingers at each other and yak on and on about "integrity" and "morals" and "ethics", as though any one of them is better than the other, I laugh hysterically.

It's a prerequisite for politicians to be liars who talk out of both sides of their mouthes because they have to try to please every constituent. If not by actually endorsing policies that they believe in, or by appearing to endorse them by double speak.
All this talk about which of these characters is a better "man" is crap. We know what the torys represent in this country and we know what the liberals represent.
Those Canadians who are voting for the "change" they think will happen, I say:
The grass is always greener on the other side...but the water bill is bigger too.
I still remember Mulroney's piecemeal selling off of business in this country.
Free trade had not even passed the 24 hour announcement before companies announced they were pulling out of Canada.
The GST, and the climate when Mulroney was elected is the same as it is now. Fed up and angry Canadians who just want "change" and we bloody well got it with him...do I want us to go down that road again?

HELL NO!

If we're going down that road, let's just stop playing and just join the states and be done with it. If Harper gets in, we'll have to pry his head out of Bushes ass.