Canadian Election 2011
A more coherent entry now that I am home and have had some time to reflect.
For those in the US who care/even know that Canada is in the midst of an election, Stephen Harper and the Conservative party have won. (The closest thing to Republican that we have.)
For the first time in a few years - around seven or so - they have a bloody majority.
It looks to be the following:
Conservatives: 166
NDP: 102
Lib: 35
BQ: 4
Grn: 1
Just to higlight how our political landscape has changed - a few years ago the NDP was where the BQ is and the Liberals were where the Cons are now. :/
(As an aside, Harper is on the screen and I just want to REACH through the screen and slap his smug, self satisfied face.)
I am sad. I am angry. I am disappointed. I am - quite frankly - worried and scared.
A minority government has to cooperate with the others in order to get things done. For all that the NDP has enjoyed a surge of power, it has delivered a majority into Conservative hands. The split on the left lead to a defection of right-leaning Liberals to the Conservatives as the Liberal party crumbled. Rather than put their trust in the NDP they chose instead to put their trust in the Conservatives, taking our country further to the right.
The first things that come to mind are same sex marriage and abortion - Harper has said that they aren't up for discussion and I hope that that is truly so. We have had legal same sex marriage for quite a few years, and a change to the legal system is hard when it comes to relationships.
But I am worried about health care. Harper's focus on more fucking prisons. His defunding of organizations like Planned Parenthood. Taking away the gun registry. Just... There are so many things I am worried about. I am frustrated with how low voter turnout was, in spite of the attention, the surge on social media.
I am proud of a few things, though. I am proud of the fact that my riding (Burnaby-New West!) went NDP. I am proud of the fact that Canadians looked at the choices and said 'no more!' in a lot of places - particularly in Quebec. Contentious as it is, I feel like Quebecers looked at their options and for the first time, voted as a *part* of Canada rather than for their goal of separating from Canada. I am proud that if you look at proportional representation - which we do not have - then the majority of Canadians remain left-leaning. I am proud of the fact that for the first time, we have a Member of Parliament representing the Green Party.
There are four long years stretching ahead of us, though. I worry for my country - my fellow Canadians, those who are queer, disabled, sick, peace and freedom loving, people of colour.
Tonight is not a night where it feels good to be Canadian.
There are
comments at Dreamwidth. http://kerri.dreamwidth.org/676187.html#comments
For those in the US who care/even know that Canada is in the midst of an election, Stephen Harper and the Conservative party have won. (The closest thing to Republican that we have.)
For the first time in a few years - around seven or so - they have a bloody majority.
It looks to be the following:
Conservatives: 166
NDP: 102
Lib: 35
BQ: 4
Grn: 1
Just to higlight how our political landscape has changed - a few years ago the NDP was where the BQ is and the Liberals were where the Cons are now. :/
(As an aside, Harper is on the screen and I just want to REACH through the screen and slap his smug, self satisfied face.)
I am sad. I am angry. I am disappointed. I am - quite frankly - worried and scared.
A minority government has to cooperate with the others in order to get things done. For all that the NDP has enjoyed a surge of power, it has delivered a majority into Conservative hands. The split on the left lead to a defection of right-leaning Liberals to the Conservatives as the Liberal party crumbled. Rather than put their trust in the NDP they chose instead to put their trust in the Conservatives, taking our country further to the right.
The first things that come to mind are same sex marriage and abortion - Harper has said that they aren't up for discussion and I hope that that is truly so. We have had legal same sex marriage for quite a few years, and a change to the legal system is hard when it comes to relationships.
But I am worried about health care. Harper's focus on more fucking prisons. His defunding of organizations like Planned Parenthood. Taking away the gun registry. Just... There are so many things I am worried about. I am frustrated with how low voter turnout was, in spite of the attention, the surge on social media.
I am proud of a few things, though. I am proud of the fact that my riding (Burnaby-New West!) went NDP. I am proud of the fact that Canadians looked at the choices and said 'no more!' in a lot of places - particularly in Quebec. Contentious as it is, I feel like Quebecers looked at their options and for the first time, voted as a *part* of Canada rather than for their goal of separating from Canada. I am proud that if you look at proportional representation - which we do not have - then the majority of Canadians remain left-leaning. I am proud of the fact that for the first time, we have a Member of Parliament representing the Green Party.
There are four long years stretching ahead of us, though. I worry for my country - my fellow Canadians, those who are queer, disabled, sick, peace and freedom loving, people of colour.
Tonight is not a night where it feels good to be Canadian.
There are
comments at Dreamwidth. http://kerri.dreamwidth.org/676187.html#comments