With advanced polls opening for the Ontario Election today its
definitely silly season in Ontario, we are inundated with totally
meaningless TV ads from 3 of the Partys telling us how bad the other
guys are and failing to give us any real idea of what their plan is.
There is Andrea of the NDP who forced the election by turning down
the most NDP friendly budget proposed in years, there is Kathleen of
the Liberals who continues to wear the cynical decision of the
previous premier to move a power pant to gain votes, then there is
little Timmy of the Conservatives who’s kinder-garden math says
that minus100,000 plus 0 equals 1,000,000, and finally there is Mike
of the Greens who according to the MSM does not exist!
With the pundits saying that the interest in this unneeded and
unwanted election is such that the turn out is expected to fall from
the already record low from the last election its anybody’s guess
as to how it will turn out except to say that it almost certainly
another minority government (not necessarily a bad thing). Whist we
know the Greens will not form government I wonder if all the negative
BS seen on TV will make more folks than normal vote Green either in
protest or due to the ever increasing realization that environmental
issues are increasingly important. Could they get 2 or 3 seats and
hold the balance of power I wonder. With all the hype from the
leaders ably helped out by the MSM we tend to forget that we are
electing our LOCAL representative and NOT the Party he or she
supports, and in Ontario a few of them may actually put their
constituents ahead of their party as its not quite so lemming like in
that legislature as in the federal follow the leader brainless
legislative voting.
Its been a depressing time watching the decline of democracy under
our federal oligarchy but its not looking that much better with our
provincial governments, from what I have read several of our
provinces are seeing much the same pressures brought on by a lack of
pubic confidence in the politicians who serve us (or more precisely
serve themselves and their party most of the time). This election
here in Ontario does little to increase my optimism in seeing
democracy revived, true we get a chance to vote but how many will
bother given the acrimonious behaviour of those who will be expected
to (but probably will not) work together to govern our Province. When
Elections become a choice of the least objectionable instead of a
positive choice of the best its hard to say that democracy is alive
and well in Canada. I will be voting, but more as a matter of
principal than as a means of actually effecting a positive outcome,
the crap that I see daily on TV issued from these 'leaders' and their
party apparatus does nothing to encourage me to vote for them.
Support Democracy - Recommend this Post at Progressive Bloggers
A blog to give a voice to our concern about the continued erosion of our democratic processes not only within the House of Commons and within our electoral system but also throughout our society. Here you will find articles about the current problems within our parliamentary democracy, about actions both good and bad by our elected representatives, about possible solutions, opinions and debate about the state of democracy in Canada, and about our roles/responsibilities as democratic citizens. We invite your thoughtful and polite comments upon our posts and ask those who wish to post longer articles or share ideas on this subject to submit them for inclusion as a guest post.
Contact us at democracyunderfire@gmail.com
Contact us at democracyunderfire@gmail.com
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4 comments:
None one appears to be very excited, Rural. That's not a good sign.
Indeed Owen, the only ones that wanted this election was the opposition to the dismay of those of us who have to pay for it!
Voting just encourages them.
Annon, if you really cant make a choice and wish to send a message then vote - but spoil your ballot, its about the only way to actually voice your displeasure. Such votes do get counted, either that or vote for the Greens who could well bring a fresh perspective to Queens Park given a chance.
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