Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Election Day in Ontario
It's election day in Ontario.
We've had a dysfunctional election campaign here. Less than a year ago, the most important issue on our minds was the environment. This is finally recognized as important, urgent, critical to the survival of millions of people and to the economies of the world. What do the Progressive Conservatives decide to campaign on? Religious school funding, of course. Then, somehow it becomes the only issue talked about by the news media for the entire campaign.
The media claims to be blameless, based on the Jerry Springer defense. We're just giving the people what they want. It almost makes me want to believe in a vast left wing media conspiracy to make sure the PC party doesn't get elected.
I didn't shed a tear for the Conservatives. When you watch the Jerry Springer show, do you cry for the man in the tank-top who gets a chair thrown at him by his wife's sister who's pregnant with his child?
In the last four years, the Liberals have given us a few things, like a Greenbelt, the Places to Grow, and Move Ontario. You know what I don't love about these plans? They're plans. Just plans. Coal plants will close down. Trains and streetcar lines will be built. Things don't always go as planned. We're expected to ignore the past. The wife's sister says she'll never see the father of her child again, but you know you'll only believe her when she moves to the other side of the country.
A few people have tried to steer the conversation in a more meaningful direction. They mention the urgent issues of power generation, restricting developers, and transit improvement only to be drowned out by reminders that someone is a hypocrite about religious schools. "Go to Oprah! Go to Oprah!" yells the audience. You know what I'm talking about.
The saddest part of all is that the same thing will happen next time. There's even another trio of stars for tomorrow's episode of Springer, giving us more of what we want.
This system is failing and time is running out. I'll vote "yes" for MMP.
Labels: election, ontario, politics, queen's park
Darren J 10/10/2007 12:11:00 a.m.
2 Comments:
And vote Green as well!!
It'll be the same thing next time, and the time after that ... and on ... and on ... until the Greens have some say in the matter and force some real issues onto the agenda.
As for 'Places to Grow': as long as we remain wedded to the notion of Growth, we'll continue with the same problems that are the result of mindless growth.
It'll be the same thing next time, and the time after that ... and on ... and on ... until the Greens have some say in the matter and force some real issues onto the agenda.
As for 'Places to Grow': as long as we remain wedded to the notion of Growth, we'll continue with the same problems that are the result of mindless growth.
growth for the rich people screw the rest of us is whats it's like