Like everyone else I know, I feel I should throw my two cents in on the outcome of the election.
Unlike most people I know, I'm somewhat happy that the Conservatives won.
Before you label me as a far right religious extremist, hear me out.
I like the fact that there was a change in government. You have to admit that the system, under the Liberal party, had pretty much run it's course. There was too much scandal, too much bullshit, and just too much past history for Canadians to have any effective output from their leaders in Ottawa.
There needed to be a change.
Now the fact that the Conservatives were voted in as a minority government is exactly what is needed. They will have enough power to trim the fat and work towards a more streamlined government, but without a majority, there is no way they are going to be able to implement some of the more extreme views they might have.
The worst argument I heard against a minority Conservative government was "Better the Devil you know..." Bullshit. The Canadian public, thanks to the past indiscretions of the Liberals, are more aware that government can go wrong, and I believe that we will be more perceptive and maybe more demanding of our government in the future.
A worse scenario would have been the overwhelming majority some expected. With no opposition to keep them in check, they would have ran the country as they see fit, like the Liberals were able to do previous to 2004.
Canadians proved to the politicians that if they don't like the job you are doing, we will vote you out. That is the lesson that should be learned from this election.
I hope it is one that the new Government takes to heart.
Otherwise we'll kick them to the curb, too.
Did you vote conservative? (I'm impressed with your outspoken views; not many would be so vocal in such a social-democrat community)
ReplyDeleteThe thing that I find amazing about our community is that no matter what party the federal government is , this particular area always votes the opposite. In the Mulroney years, we were Liberal. In the Campbell-Chretien-Martin years, we were Conservative. Now that a Conservative government is elected, we decide to go NDP. Go figure.
ReplyDeleteAs you know I am one of those devil you know is better than the one you don't people and have no problem what so ever saying that I am not the happiest person that the Conservatives got more power in parliment. I do think there needed to be some kind of change, my problem lied in who the options were. Do I think the Conservative party as a whole is a bad thing?..Not really.. sure I don't share their views, but it's their leader that I really don't like. My unhappiness at the outcome of the elections comes right down to Steven Harper. This guy, is in my opinion a right wing religious extreamist who no matter how much he says he won't will let his personal beliefs dictate the path in which this country is heading. I tuely belive that he is the Canadian version of King George down South...and that can't be good for this county. I can see us going more and more towards their way of thinking with Harper in charge...53 state here we come
ReplyDeleteI know you keep saying "53rd State", but c'mon man, do you really think Canadians as a whole are dumb enough to let that happen?
ReplyDeleteWe have enough rabid Anti-Americanism going on in this country to prevent that.(Not that some level of Anti-Bush is bad, trust me, I don't like the Bush anymore than the rest of us.)
You've got to remember that they can can only pass the laws and make the changes if we let them. With the minority government, there is an extremely slim chance that any of that could happen.
As an aside, Would you have preferred an NDP government? There must be something about Jack Layton that you hate, maybe his inadvertent use of private health care?
I didn't say I was a fan of Stephen Harper, Just that the party running the government had to change. You know that I would prefer that Canadians chose the actual leader of the country, but you have to work within the structure we have.
Give them a chance, it's only been two days, and the country hasn't gone up in flames yet.