Well that wasn't worth nine bucks!
2008.10.15 08:44 PM Filed in: Politics
It's finally over. After five weeks of campaigning, the Canadian federal election has come to pass. What has changed? Nothing! It was a huge waste of time and money, and everybody knew this going in. The only good that could have come out of this election (and I really really really hoped it would) was if Elizabeth May (the leader of the Green Party) had won her seat in Central Nova. It would have been great to have her voice in Parliament! She struggled with a language barrier in the French debate, but really shone in the English debate.
This election (which was illegal, by the way) cost Canadian taxpayers three hundred million dollars. Or, if you prefer, $300,000,000. That's an awful lot of zeroes! (That's also the speed of light in meters per second says my inner geek.) And since according to Statistics Canada the population was 33,311,389 people in July 2008, that works out to $9.01 for every man, woman, and child in Canada. I don't know about you, but I feel like I want my nine bucks back.
Stephen Harper said when he broke his own fixed election date law that he only expected to get another minority government, and he was right. Of course he wanted a majority, but publicly admitted that he probably wouldn't get one. Then WHAT WAS THE POINT?!?!?!?!?!?!? Several analysts have made an excellent point both during the election coverage and after it was over - this was Harper's best chance at a majority, and I guess that's why he took it. The Liberals have Stéphane Dion at the helm, somebody who has repeatedly changed his mind on things and appears to be a weak leader (although after watching him in the French and English debates I found I liked him) as well as significant vote splitting along the left between the Liberals, the NDP, and the Greens. If Harper still couldn't get a majority, though, maybe he'll take the hint, pack up, and go home. One can dream, can't he?
It amazes me that theConservative-Reform-Alliance-Party (CRAP) Conservative Party has such a strong minority government. All I ever hear are people complaining about Harper and the Conservatives, but who's voting for them??? This brings me to my next beef - the Canadian electoral system. Stay tuned for this in my next post.
This election (which was illegal, by the way) cost Canadian taxpayers three hundred million dollars. Or, if you prefer, $300,000,000. That's an awful lot of zeroes! (That's also the speed of light in meters per second says my inner geek.) And since according to Statistics Canada the population was 33,311,389 people in July 2008, that works out to $9.01 for every man, woman, and child in Canada. I don't know about you, but I feel like I want my nine bucks back.
Stephen Harper said when he broke his own fixed election date law that he only expected to get another minority government, and he was right. Of course he wanted a majority, but publicly admitted that he probably wouldn't get one. Then WHAT WAS THE POINT?!?!?!?!?!?!? Several analysts have made an excellent point both during the election coverage and after it was over - this was Harper's best chance at a majority, and I guess that's why he took it. The Liberals have Stéphane Dion at the helm, somebody who has repeatedly changed his mind on things and appears to be a weak leader (although after watching him in the French and English debates I found I liked him) as well as significant vote splitting along the left between the Liberals, the NDP, and the Greens. If Harper still couldn't get a majority, though, maybe he'll take the hint, pack up, and go home. One can dream, can't he?
It amazes me that the