2.05.2006

Our once-sensible neighbors to the north

First of all, I would like to apologize for not updating in ... half a year! Ouch, has it really been that long? I'll make a point to update more.

Anyway, I'm sure you're aware of the results of the Canadian elections. Someone in America might say, well, it's Canada! Why should we be particularly concerned about their leadership?

You very well might not be. However, Canada has always been the older, wiser, more sensible and liberal older (yet younger) sibling to the United States. They achieved independence without war, and in more modern times have become one of the first countries to legalize same-sex marriage and support the Kyoto Protocol. These actions make Canada a great role model for progressive politics (despite the fact that our government refuses to listen to anybody).

But Canada has voted, and they have voted in conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Harper's relationship with George Bush reminds me somewhat of a little brother who wants to be just like his older brother; so he copies everything that he does in hopes that he can become the spitting image of his older brother. It's kinda like that.

According to StephenHarperSaid.ca, "Stephen Harper’s No. 1 priority is to reduce taxes until they are lower than those in the United States." This doesn't make any sense to me. At all. Isn't Canada renowned for its free health care? How do you plan to continue to support one of the best things Canada has to offer while slashing taxes? We complain about rising taxes, but in the end, we all know that we need to pay them to support government programs, which in turn support us.

Harper says some things that concern me. One such quote from him reveals his views on the impoverished: “In terms of the unemployed, of which we have over a million-and-a-half, don’t feel particularly bad for many of these people. They don’t feel bad about it themselves, as long as they’re receiving generous social assistance and unemployment insurance.” So, basically he doesn't care about the impoverished because they're lazy, and clearly the unemployed simply don't want jobs.

I know I'm jumping around a lot here, but it's 4am and I'm just trying to get some ideas out.

So I've been reading the electoral platform documents on Conservative.ca. I've been very drawn to gay rights and issues lately, so I skipped right on down to 'Giving MPs a free vote on marriage'. It reads:

"The Liberal legislation abolishing the traditional definition of marriage passed only on a whipped cabinet vote. We believe that Parliament alone, based on a completely free vote, should be able to determine the definition of marriage."

Fabulous. So apparently the first time it didn't count. So you thought you got same-sex marriage? I don't think you guys were sober when you voted on that. So let me first appoint all my conservative friends and then we'll ask them what they want. And it'll be a completely unbiased and free vote.

Canada, Canada. I can only imagine the destruction Stephen Harper, George Bush, and Tony Blair combined will bring upon the earth. Harper could single-handedly undo the Canadian progressive politics I so admired.

Stephen Harper: Heads I win, tails you lose.

posted by Ianthe. @ 2:51 AM

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