This isn’t a predictive headline, folks. This is truth. The Conservatives will win the election in October. I, as an Expat, can’t vote in it, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t take at least a sense of interest in it. Or stock in the fact that the Conservatives are finally getting what they wanted the last time: Complete control.
For the last two years, Canada has been living in the most blessed of political states: a minority government. As close to having the car in neutral as it gets. It means the least chance of political scandal (the “ruling” party doesn’t want to make mistakes that’ll haunt them come election time), and the opposition enjoys a place of perceived power as they get courted by the ruling party to help push through votes.
Well, that’s all coming to an end now. So brace yourself, Canada — things are likely to get worse.
Here’s the reality: The Conservatives are keen on setting the dial back a number of years. Estimates vary between 5 and 50. They want a world that’s white-bread, heterosexual, and very business-friendly. As opposed to being morally and ethically stalwart.
Now, for the record, I’m not holding up the Liberals to that standard. As we all know, their 13-year run in office went seriously afoul and rotten towards the end. Not a problem with the Liberals per se, but with a lack of government controls. Things like that make it hard to keep office.
Unlike the Liberals, the Conservatives are also very straight-forward with what they want. They will:
- Turn a blind eye to the environment, crying an attack on the economy every time
- Repeal the same-sex laws
- Keep the GST artifically low to make good with the Canadian public, despite a perpetual deficit
- Raise an issue with Canadian sovernity over the arctic waters
- Claim the Liberals are liars
My arguments to these?
- You can focus on the economy now, or deal with the disaster later when the environment is in serious trouble. We know global warming has started to thaw the arctic, has accelerated the melting of glaciers (and will turn parts of Alberta to desert within 30 years), the abysmal record of the oil sands is ruining massive tracts of northern wilderness, the rise of temperatures is causing more and more issues with farming, and a never-ending dependence on gasoline is ruining air quality across the country. So what’ll it be, Harper — deal with the problem while it’s still manageable, or worry about your next meal ticket.
- I hate to say it, but this is coming. There are too many intolerant people in the Conservative party, and I full expect them to dig this corpse out and force a repeal.
- News flash, folks — you might be paying less GST, but you’re suffering for it when you go to the doctor or have to pay more for your childrens’ education. Where do you think this money was coming from before? Yep, taxes. It’s a bit of a “duh”, but I’m regularly amazed at how many people complain about both high taxes and difficult medical care. I suggest picking one and sticking with it.
- Canada has a place in the arctic — defending the rights of those who live there, and protecting the delicate environment that’s rapidly falling apart. And that should be it. This isn’t the Panama Canal, folks; even thinking of charging a toll for passage is just asking for conflict.
- Everyone lies in politics. The trick is identifying it. That’s your reponsibility as a Canadian citizen, I might add — not theirs.
Here’s my problem with this election: There are no alternatives. Dion is totally the wrong person for the job. He has even less charisma than Harper (yes, it is possible). The Liberal Party chose wrong. They went with a Francophone in the interests of preserving national unity. But a Francophone does not represent the new powerhouse of the West (Alberta outclocks Ontario, folks, by quite a large margin when you look at the per capita). Canadians like money, and Harper comes from a province with stinkloads of it.
It doesn’t matter what the Liberals should have done — that’s old news, now. It’s how they’re going to handle this election. The Liberals are going to take a serious hit. The Conservatives have done an excellent job of not pissing anyone off, and have a track record to be envious of. The Liberals? Whine, whine whine. Not smart.
NDP? Please. Don’t make me laugh. The Bloc also serves no threat … except to the Liberals. See above.