Elections

Another election, another debate (in each official language), several million dollars, and we’re right where we started. The cynics among us may ask, what was the point of all this? 

Looking at the seat totals will tell you that not much has changed in the House of Commons. The tories and NDP are a little stronger, the grits and the Bloc are a little weaker, the Greens are still absent. We still have a Conservative minority government. But in many ways the “status quo” (more or less) tells us a great deal about each party and how voters feel about them.

When you go into the voting booth in a few weeks there ought to be a letter waiting for you from Her Majesty the Queen. The letter should say something along the lines of, “Your ballot, as promised. I shall expect payment in April.” Then, in April, when you file your tax return, include a personal note that says, “Your Majesty, you’ve got yourself a deal!” Then scawl a little happy face on there, sign it, and send it off.   

Taxes get a bad reputation these days, but we really should be grateful for them. Every democratic country in the world is built on a bargain between citizens and government. Citizens agree to fund the government through taxes, and in return government agrees to govern in the interests of its citizens. It is a great deal, and the bedrock of freedom. 

A close friend of mine who’s an expert in finance just sent me a very disturbing email. Explaining the factors conspiring to hurl North America into a deep recession, he said “we’re so close to Armageddon…I can’t believe it!” I can confirm that every day on Wall Street feels like one step closer to catastrophe. And, despite what Harper says about Canada’s “economic fundamentals”, our country is in deep trouble too.

Yesterday, a group of Canada’s leading economists were united in their warning of a severe and prolonged recession. Canada’s economy could be in decline until the end of 2009 due to the weak U.S. economy, falling oil prices, and lower domestic demand.

Federal elections are the moment in time when Canada pays homage to the Greek tradition of Democracy. Civil actors vow to enter a private booth on a marked day and stroke a ballot; the media drops the bundle of entertainment fodder it has been gathering and sharpens its pencil; and candidates quit their jobs to grease and shine their scripts. On Day Zero, ballots are tallied and the chosen are anointed with laurels. So why is it that 24 hours after the ceremony, Canadians are gathering munitions and suspiciously eyeing frontiers, instead of celebrating the good fortune of being the planet’s repeat flag-bearer of Freedom? What’s wrong with the electoral process?

I‘m starting to think that the leaders of Canada’s progressive federal parties want to be Premier of Canada. Either that, or they don’t understand how our Constitution is supposed to work, which completely disqualifies them for the job of Prime Minister.

Canada has a federal system of government, meaning that legislative powers are divided between federal and provincial governments. Generally speaking, provinces are responsible for some issues, and the federal government is responsible for others. Neither level of government is more important than the other — each has exclusive authority in its areas of jurisdiction.

Am I the only one who thinks the federal election campaign is about nothing? While nothing makes for hilarious sitcoms, it’s horrifying during an election campaign, particularly for progressives. With the prospect of a Conservative majority, we desperately need a meaningful and vigorous debate about the future of our country. But, as I found out, some progressive parties aren’t interested in talking about the issues.

In a desperate attempt to prove that this campaign is about something, I analyzed each of the parties’ news releases posted since the beginning of the campaign.

Ever wonder if you can sue a politician for breaking a campaign promise? With all the promises being made this election season, it’s important for you to know your rights. As it turns out, in the eyes of the law, politicians go back on their word so often that the commitments they make during election campaigns aren’t binding. That’s probably a good thing.

Several Canadians have tried to enforce campaign promises through the courts. Generally, they’ve argued that a campaign promise is a contract between the candidate and the voters — the candidate agrees to make certain decisions in exchange for the voters’ support.