A lot of people don't realize that tomorrow is election day....in Canada. By a twist of fate, I am up in the heart of Canada visiting family with my husband and I was shocked to learn that there is an election tomorrow. The point of the election is to decide the next prime minister. The parties are lined up to fight it out, and I am sitting smack dab in ground zero for the fight of the year!
But first, let's discuss the contenders:
Stephen Harper / Conservative party: He's the encumbant (reigning champion) coming into this election and fighting against the general perception that he is ineffectual. The conservative party platform includes expanding Canadian involvement in Afghanistan, being tougher on crime (including higher minimum sentences for gun crimes), and wants to ditch Kyoto involvement in favor of a Canadian designed plan.
Stephane Dion / Liberal party: He is considered a marginal favorite coming into this race. The Liberal party platform includes imposing a carbon tax (to help reduce emissions), end Canadian COMBAT involvement in Afghanistan and refocusing on training Afghan forces, he wants more money for the provinces for child care and wants to improve public healthcare by hiring more doctors. In one of the Television commercials I've seen that was the main focus, that it's harder and harder for Candian families to get a family doctor and he promises to hire more doctors to increase availability.
Jack Layton / New Democratic Party: I haven't heard much about him or his chances, but the party platform involves immediate and total withdrawl out of Afghanistan, and improvements in a wide assortment of public services including public healthcare, national child care, homecare, houseing, education and prescription drug plans. He also wants trade agreements to exclude water culter (I don't know what that means, probably something to do with fishing) and he wants deeper involvement in Kyoto protocol.
Gilles Duceppe / Bloc Quebecois: The Quebecois is primarily a French Canadian party so unknown if they have much change in this election, but their platform includes immediate withdrawl from Afghanitan, $15 billion in federal spending for various (and from what I found unnamed policies), and of course, the founding principal of the party, to further the sovereign rights of Quebec, although they defend the provinces interests within the confederation of Canada. Which immediately made me ask "Is Canada a confederation, or a republic?". I asked my husband and my inlaws and wasn't able to get a straight answer. But it's a good question.
Elizabeth May / Green Party: Underdog in the race. Supports withdrawl from Afghanistan. Also supports increased government investment in public services (health, education, clean energy). Want to end subsidies in polluting industries and wants to create more green jobs. Also favors proportional representation.
There's also a communist party which, surprisingly is running TV ads, but I didn't find any info on whether they're floating someone in this election or not. But I found it kind of interesting that they have enough money to even run TV ads in Canada considering they probably can't even afford postcard ads in the USA.
My initial impression of this election is colored by a deep seated jealousy. I have been given a peek into a life without the Iraq war, without the argument over free market healthcare vs. public healthcare, without arguments over gun rights and whether a particular language or religion should be the OFFICIAL state language or religion. And, my God, there isn't even an argument over whether there SHOULD be energy independance or environmental protections. It's just agreed upon. ACTUAL CONSENSUS ON AN ISSUE!
Yeah, Canada has it's problems but it's not burdoned with this almost fundamental NEED to control the entire freaking world and turn common sense realities ont a clash of titans for the soul of the country, and I am rather envious.
There has also been a massive media blitz to engage young people in the voting process by assuring them that they don't even HAVE to register to vote beforehand, people can just show up to the polls with proof of ID and proof of residency (their address) and they get to vote. Just another thing for me to be jealous about.
So there are the options. By Wednesday, one of them will be the new prime minister of Canada.
But today is Thanksgiving so I better get back to it (won't be able to update much). I'll be back to update as the election actually happens.