Showing posts with label election. Show all posts
Showing posts with label election. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

THE CANADIAN ELECTION IS OVER

      On Sept . 12, I wrote that we were having an election on Oct. 21 and that I wasn't going to say anything about elections on this blog. I kept that promise so it's my time to say something.

      Well the election is over. Some how or other most people are unhappy and some people are downright angry. I don't understand why. We live in a very good country. We have a strong economy, lots of employment , some awesome social programs and some people are so angry that they want to separate from Canada. 

     We elect 338 parliament members. We have a first past the post system . So whoever gets the most votes wins. We have a proportional representation. 

   We have three major parties and two small parties. 

   The campaign was disgusting...too many outright lies.  The parties didn't do much to tell us what their policies would be although I didn't follow much.

    The incumbent party (Liberals) won the most seats but not enough for an outright majority so we have a minority parliament. The conservative party of Canada came second. The liberal party will have to walk a fine line and get support from other parties to govern. Sometimes minority parliaments get lots of good things done because they have to cooperate to stay in power and besides people don't want another election right away.

    People are really whiny . They all seem to want their own little goodies and the hell with anyone else.

     So political junkies are having fun talking about what may happen. 

     What should happen is that many parliament members need a good push to come to their senses and do what benefits the whole of Canada.

Thursday, September 12, 2019

OUR ELECTION IS ON

     Yesterday our Prime minister went to the Governor General and asked that a general election be held on Oct. 21,2019.

     We have a parliamentary system and this is the first time we've had a set election date. Usually a Prime Minister decides which time is best for him to have an election.

    We have 5 official parties running candidates.  Three of the parties run candidates in all constituencies. Three  parties are main parties Two parties are fringe and then many independents run on their own.

    It's sad that elections have deteriorated to name calling, lies and sleeze. One of our main parties likes to play it dirty. The other main party tries to keep out of the muck.

   Of the two main parties we have one that is right wing and promotes all the baggage  from that side. They have not presented a set of policies yet. They want to smear and criticize the other party. The other main party is more progressive. They've outlined policies and tell people what they'd like to do. 

    I used to be a political junky of some sort and followed current events keenly. Now I keep informed but that's it. 

    So you know that I'm definitely not a right winger. Their monetary policies don't work. They want to make huge cuts to services for the people ...health care, seniors, armed forces. I think that people should come first. The big boys will do just fine looking after themselves. 

    So I have two progressive parties to choose from. I will listen to what they say.

   So that's it from me about our election.

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

PERSPECTIVES

    Since a very nasty and divisive political campaign came to an end yesterday, it might be time to look at the situation since it's the morning after.

      I  look back in time to see strong dynamic leaders who led good governments.  Today I dislike the  governments we have. I look forward to getting a better more perfect government in the future. 

     I look back at presidents who I admire: Carter, Kennedy, Obama, Truman. I look back at Canadian prime ministers such as: St Laurent, King, Diefenbaker, Trudeau Sr. I even got to like Brian Mulroney and Jean Chretien. I think I would like  Eisenhower or Roosevelt.

     So when we look back things don't seem so bad. 

    However, today we have a different political climate. The characters we have today don't seem to have any concept that there is a country and that they serve that people. Policies should be crafted that bring about benefits for all and to make a strong country. Leaders today play fast and loose with the truth. Voters don't seem to be able to make these devils pay for not telling the truth or leading  country to strength and goodness.

    For tomorrow I'm optimistic. I hope there will be honorable great leaders step in to lead government. I hope that our governments will see the light that certain things have to be done to have a good country. They could start by seeing that something large and very concrete has to be done about climate change like yesterday.

    For me, I'm influenced by perspective. I wear a number of different colored glasses. 

    Do you have leaders from the past who you think were successful in moving the country forward. Who were these leaders? What were they like?

   Do you have hope that in the future we will have honorable people step in to lead a country for the good of all or should I say most?
   

Thursday, May 7, 2015

We Threw the Bums Out

     On Tuesday , May 5 the province of Alberta , Canada had a provincial election.

     We have four major parties that come into play during an election and three fringe parties. The four major parties are Progressive Conservative(PC),  Liberal, Wild Rose and NDP.

      The Progressive Conservatives were the incumbents. They had been in government for forty-four years. They also had 73 out of 87 seats when the election was called. They looked too powerful to put out of office.

    However, there were issues that made the voters very unhappy with the PCs
. The party seemed to think that they had the right to govern. As a result there were advantages taken of taxpayer money. Government airplanes were used for party business. 

    Alberta is an oil rich province . We have the ugly tar sands. We have all kinds of revenue from oil resources. However, the keep taxes down lobby has influenced the government. Resource revenues have been used for yearly operations. Taxes have been kept low. So when resource revenues dry up we don't have money to pay for operating the government.

   Alberta has a cycle of boom and busts. These are deep lows and very high ups. These are frustrating patterns for taxpayers and businesses. So as a result, for the present year we have a deficit of 7 billion dollars. 

    So on Tuesday the wildest thing happened. The PCs with 73 seats were reduced to ten seats and the NDP which had 4 sets was elected with 53 seats. 

    I was happy to see the bums thrown out. People were unhappy with the bums and voted with their anger.

   I know that this is a local story and that people who do not live in Canada will not be able to understand some of the issues.

    But I just had to tell somebody. When we're unhappy with politicians we can do something about it.


Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Election? It's Over!

   Canadians take a healthy interest in American politics. American conditions affect us greatly. We are neighbors. Many of us have family on both sides of the border. ( My daughter lives in Chicago.) Our press covers U.S. politics and elections in great detail.

   I'm sure that many Americans feel as I do that I'm glad the election  over.

   Since we receive many U. S. television channels we are not spared election ads. For me ads become rather tedious. 

   It's our new services that are a little hard to take. We get a blow by blow account of the the whole affair. I have said many times in this blog that I appreciate a well reasoned logical opinion. Sadly, very little of the reasoned and logical were present in this campaign. It's sad to see that the advertising can be so negative.

    So the day after the election most people are saying that things have to change. Many good suggestions are being made as to what has to be done.  I hope that what the politicians are saying about working together gets done. Not only Americans depend on a successfully functioning government , but also your neighbors to the north...Canadians. 

    One thing following an American election gives me is a much better understanding of the U.S. government system and how it works. 

    In case you're wondering , our Canadian elections are full of attack  ads. Our Canadian politicians try to divide and conquer all in the name of winning an election and when elected do a very mediocre job. 

    Politicians in many countries could stand a tremendous improvement in their behavior and tactics. Politicians need to come up with realistic policies that can be put into effect and build our country so that we have a secure future. Promises and attack ads just for the purpose of wining an election don't bring about concrete actions.