Wow
For the first time in my 50 years on this planet, I’m thinking that taking part in a US presidential election might be a hell of a lot more exciting than participating in a parliamentary election here in Canoodleville..
Despite it’s entirely confusing political system, (for the life of me, I will NEVER understand the purpose of the Electoral College), our neighbours to the south seem to be setting themselves up for one exciting November election. In a country where The Brand Is Everything, voters now have a choice between the old dude with the female running mate, or the young progressive dude with the old guy for a running mate. Interesting characters, all.
Then there’s Canada.
In a parliament led by four of the lamest party leaders this country has ever known, the Prime Minister continues to huff and puff and threaten to blow the whole house down. Why? Because it’s not functioning to his liking. Read that as: The opposition is opposing him. The bloody nerve.
So with that, the PM figures he needs to go back to the people for a “fresh mandate”, despite the fact that he predicts that we will go through this rather expensive exercise, only to come up with the same result as we have now: A minority government that could fall at the drop of a hat, or a leadership hissy-fit. (Minority government essentially means that no one party holds a solid majority of seats in the house, so the one with the most gets to form the government, while the others for the opposition and fire volleys from the other side. It makes for a fun session.)
So, why spend the money?
Given that we have absolutely no one who qualifies as a good, solid leader to take this country forward, I propose the following: That the Prime Minister be FORBIDDEN to call an election unless defeated on any given bill by the opposition - which is the way that it’s supposed to be. If that happens, that all four parties be forced to hold leadershp conventions first, and that they elect not someone who is the lesser of two evils, but someone who can actually do the job. Then, and only then, should Canadians be forced back to the polls.
Beh. Children.
Friday August 29, 2008 | 04:52 PM in The World From My Window
