So, I’ve had a couple days to absorb the results of the Canadian election. Because I work in the news industry, the elections weren’t something I could digest – I had to work on Tuesday night to make sure things went well for us. Now I’ve got a few moments to consider.
The Conservatives won another minority government – one that the MSM has been calling a ‘muscular minority’. I don’t know what that means, other than once again Prime Minister Harper creeped out significantly large numbers of Canadians. If ever there was a man on which a smile looked like it was surgically removed from some happily insane person and grafted to their chin, it’s Harper. When he smiles, he looks like he’s about to go for someone’s neck, regardless of what colour his sweater is.
Basically the taxpayer just spent 300 million dollars to be exactly where we were eight weeks ago. There were some bright spots (or dark ones, depending on your point of view) – in my riding the Liberal candidate (Gerrard Kennedy) beat the incumbent NDP candidate (Peggy Nash).
I know some people are terribly upset about that, but from my point of view, the riding once again has an experienced elected representative who is invested in the neighbourhood. He was an MPP (Minister of Provincial Parliament – the equivalent of a State government in the US – for my non-Canadian readers) for many years and has a proven track record of doing good things.
Those who supported Nash will inevitably point out that Kennedy ‘ran away’ from Provincial politics to run for the leadership of the Federal party. I think that’s complete hogwash. He threw his hat into a heated leadership race, and didn’t win. I say good on him for trying, though I don’t thank him for being instrumental in Stéphane Dion’s successful leadership bid. He’ll have to answer for that, as far as I’m concerned. I’m waiting for my letter of explanation, Gerrard.
What did Nash do while she represented the neighbourhood? She voted for a bill that stripped a long-standing right from Canadians and made everyone I know – including my parents – criminals. Not only that, she proudly announces her support for it on her website. And sent me a really disappointing form letter when I emailed her to ask her why. I couldn’t bring myself to vote for her even though the NDP have the best party colour.
Regardless of how one feels about this election, I think we all know that there’ll be another one some time in the next 24 months. The Liberals will hold a new leadership convention, and choose a new leader to replace Stéphane Dion. He was a puzzling choice when he won 20 months ago, and I suspect it’d be devastating for the Liberals if they chose to keep him as their leader now. Only time will tell, I guess.
As a final note, the Green party, with more public funds and more MSM exposure than EVER before continued to gain absolutely no traction in Canada. I doubt they ever will. Even in Guelph, probably their strongest riding, they only came a distant third.
I think that there was no wrong choice between the two. It’s certainly not the case that Kennedy is a bad choice (provided he stays put. ;) )
I think, though, that his place should be at the front of the line, as leader of the party.
In any case, I’ve thought a lot about it, and I think that the votes don’t speak of the abilities of either person so much as they reflect the fear of the conservatives being in power and the hope that the Liberals could give them a run for their money.