The Times are a Changing (or Not)

Well, we have just come through another Federal election. That makes what 3 or 4 in the past 5 years? Now we have a new government. But really? Let's look… Before the 2008 election we had a Conservative minority government with the Liberals/Bloc/NDP in opposition. Now after the election we have a Conservative minority government with the Liberals/Bloc/NDP in opposition. Can you hear it… the winds of change! It reminds me of a credit card commercial. "Spend $300 million dollars for an election to get the same results you had before the election… Priceless!"

What really depresses me is the fact that less than 60% of eligible voters took advantage of the opportunity to have a say in how our country is run. Now I want to make one thing clear. I am not what you would call overly political. I follow the news, listen to what people have to say and vote according to what the accumulated information shows me. Perhaps Liberal, maybe NDP, another time Conservative or Green. I don't really vote party lines, I look at who I think may be best for the direction I would like to see the country go in. Sometimes my candidate comes out on top, sometimes not. But the point is I make a choice. Right or wrong it's mine. What those who do not vote don't seem to realize is that their decision to do nothing is also a choice. It is the choice to let someone else make the decisions for them.

The other thing about elections that bothers me is the negative ads and comments. We have yet to see a huge amount of this in Canada but it is there. A lot of the ads in the recent election were of the 'vote against the other guy' variety. 'The Conservatives did not do this." "The Liberals will not do that." 'The NDP are… whatever." Here is a thought for all of those in a position to have a say in what message gets out, how about giving the public something to vote for. If the other guy did something unethical, immoral or illegal, then by all means, I would like to hear it. Otherwise, I don't care. Telling me they did not do something is like saying the sun came up. It happens everyday. Tell me why I should vote for
you. Because I will tell you one thing, the minute a leader comes along who can give the Canadian public something to rally behind -- that leader will be the next majority prime minister.