Needless Election

So we are back where we started on September 7.  That was the day that our Prime Minister requested that parliament be dissolved.  His request was listened to and for the past thirty-seven days the various political parties of Canada have done their best they to make a difference.  To persuade the electorate to vote for them.  To believe their platform.  That they were better than the others.  We heard a lot of bickering and saw fingers pointed.  But I honestly heard very few, if any, messages that did not include a punch in the face of an opponent.

My family received numerous (at least six) telephone calls from political parties, many during that important dinner time, asking us to support their platform and party.  The Conservatives called at least twice.  The Greens did once.  The Liberals three times - twice on election day reminding us to vote.  I don't remember whether the New Democrats called.  The Libertarian Party didn't telephone us but its candidate did approach us while we were having coffee on a terrace.  "We want nothing from you and we want to give you nothing" was the message from him.

This year the parties discovered new technology to hassle us at home, the pre-recorded message.  You know the kind I am talking about - the phone rings, you pick up, you wait two seconds or so and then a recorded message comes on.  My reaction to that tactic is that it was disgusting.  Getting our vote apparently no longer requires any more effort, or brains, than those automated calls to advise us that we have won a free vacation to some resort.  (The good news with recordings though is that they can avoid mispronouncing their candidates name, like the lady that butchered Liberal candidate Joyce Murray's name -  joycee morris).

So here we are, five weeks after the election call and we are in exactly the same position.  Politicians and wannabes spent five weeks trying to get themselves elected rather than doing something positive for the country. Sure the number of seats is slightly different, some of the Members of Parliament are different (new names) and I imagine the cabinet will be somewhat different.  A minority is a minority regardless so it makes little difference.

Overall this election will have wasted a lot of money, time and made the population that much more cynical in politicians.  Media wasted airwaves, paper and bandwidth reporting on party platforms rather than news its viewers really care about.  Families discussed politics rather than more interesting topics - maybe even a few pointless arguments were had.  Armies of people volunteered to get political messages out rather than volunteering for more pressing issues (poverty, environment, education, health).  The last two elections, in 2004 and 2006, cost $277 and $270 million respectively (see source).  Tonight on a local talk show radio channel (CKNW) they were bouncing around a $400 million figure.

Nice.

OK Members of Parliament, start governing now.  Please, please, please start governing now.  Act like the adults your ages have made you and not the bickering school children that you seem to so often, and unknowingly, imitate.

Let me know what you think about what you have just read. Please and thanks!