Election Day

The non-campaign is over, and now is the time to cast a ballot for the least worst candidate as Canadians see fit.

This entire election is unnecessary. Just two years ago Canadians decided upon a minority government. Personally, I prefer minority governments. It can only work if the parties try and work together. In theory, the characteristic truths of one party can then balance out the characteristic errors of another. It was up to the politicians to make that government work. Instead, the conservatives simply carried the ball, did a lot of nothing and simply waited until the time as favourable for a majority government, and called a snap election.

It looks as though the conservatives may carry a majority with 35% of the popular vote. It sometimes bothers me that a party can win more than fifty percent of the seats in the House of Commons with less than fifty percent of the vote, but every remedy to that problem that I have ever heard seems to be worse than the actual disease.

I used to think our election system was much, much superior to the American system. The day is announced, campaign are relatively short- two months or so- and then we vote. Now, while I still prefer the Canadian brevity to what seems to be the perpetual American electoral cycle, I begin to wonder. With the Canadian campaign being so short, there is little time for debate, little time to raise issues, little time for anything. it is difficult to organize when an election can be called at any time. How bad is it? Not one word has been raised on any issue that does not involve money. No party wants to touch abortion or gay marriage, or do anything to try and strengthen the average family.

I feel little but contempt for all the parties. There are a few individuals scattered here and there for whom I would gladly vote in a heartbeat, but not here. In my own riding, I want none of these candidates to claim they represent me. I care for none of the leaders. I will be disappointed when I awake tomorrow to find that any of the clowns claiming to be party leaders are now Prime Minister.

It's simply a question of how disappointed. The lesser evil indeed.

Canadians, pray for our country.