Get your vote on!

If you're not interested in politics, it would be best to ignore this post.

Currently Canada is going through an election.  Yesterday, I voted in the advance poll.  There were a few people there, more than I imagined.  The Elections employee remarked that there had been line ups earlier in the day.  

Vote: April 22, 23, 25 and May 2nd

Canada has a very different system than the United States.  We're a parliamentary democracy and an election can be called anytime during the government's five year mandate.  Sometimes governments call an election to demonstrate that they have a clear mandate to serve from the people.  This election was called last month when the House of Commons found the minority Conservative government in contempt (yes, contempt) of parliament when the Cons refused to provide a concrete number for the F35s they were planning on purchasing.  The government quoted 75$ million for each but experts stated that 75$ million doesn't include the engine or the weaponry.  They stated that the price would be more likely 150$ million per jet.  Essentially, this was the straw that broke the camel's back.  Just before that there was the Oda scandal when a minister inserted "not" in a legal document that had originally provided funding to a NGO.  She lied about it to a government committee and then lied about it in parliament.  

Conservatives have been claiming that this was a needless election.  Personally, I don't think it is.  Never before have we had such a secretive, deceptive, and controlling government.  When the Prime Minister doesn't allow certain journalists into the scrum; when he restricts the number of questions they can ask; when he removes journalists and students from his events; when he fires public servants who question government policy (Nuclear energy!); when civil servants are afraid to go to politics rallies for fear of being fired; when huge numbers of Conservative candidates are not showing up for the all-candidates debates (we're not talking 2 or 3)...there is something wrong.  Want more?  Check out this website:  Shit Harper Did 

Government should be transparent.  Government should not be afraid of the people.  The government serves the people.   

I could go on and on about how much I fear, yes fear, this party.  I could go on about how the pit in my stomach is similar to the one I had during the 1995 Quebec referendum.  

The most important thing is for everyone to vote.  Whatever party you choose.  The 2008 election had the lowest voter turnout in history.  I hope each and every Canadian gets their vote on and gets out to the polls - regular or advance.  With that, I'll leave you with political satirist Rick Mercer's rant.