http://www.cbc.ca/news/
Turns out we've hit record lows for voter turnout for the Canadian election, and while volunteering at Elections Canada I literally experienced this on the ground. I actually did the math and a whopping 24.9% of my poll (Poll 22 in Westmount-Ville-Marie) actually made it out which is painfully embarassing. Moreover, after finding out that Harper got himself even more seats all the NDP and Liberal scrutineers at the voting station went out for drinks and got ripped. Hey we might not see eye-to-eye in terms of party politics, but we're certainly brothers-in-arms against a common foe. As one NDPer said, "I haven't been this depressed since Hamas won."
Personally I'm not terribly choked that Harper won. I mean I'm upset, but back in high school I was crazy conservative and I guess some of that leaked out (which is good because otherwise I'd be drunk in a ditch with the others). Now don't get me wrong, I feel the man is the wrong person for the job but he isn't an idiot and we ought to thank god for small mercies. Moreover, he has a minority government and the NDP did grow a little bit (although my candidate lost). Finally, as my dad said, "hey if its inevitable then we ought to look on the bright side," and to be fair, Harper would be good financially for my family considering the role capital gains taxes has played in our family in the last few years. So yes, from a financial perspective I think its not a terrible thing - and generally I'm a centerist on economic issues.
But that said, I think Harper in a majority had the potential to be disasterous for the social sphere - and even now in a minority may still very well be. But I'm no fortune teller. So as it stands all we can do is hold our breath and keep fighting to good fight. Perhaps though, our biggest enemy (moreso than right wingnuts) is voter indifference and a good portion of the population not even bothing to vote I now have the right to tell 41% of the population to "shut the fuck up" when they start complaining.
I was talking to my buddy Mike the day before elections and even he said he wasn't going to vote. Now while I don't agree with his politics, I still wanted him to vote, and when he said there wasn't anyone who he really agreed with, I told him, thats fine, vote for yourself. Or don't mark any of the names. Or go into the booth amd chew on your ballot. Any of these is still legitimate in my mind, and the fact that people can't even give 5-10 minutes ever 4 years for our democratic process (no matter where you stand) is even more embarassing, sad and pathetic than voting for a Conservative.
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