Relaxing Just a Little

Well, this post is late because I was waiting on a very important event here in Canada before I wrote anything. It was a considerable source of anxiety for me. In truth, it remains so, but a little less than before.

I am, of course, talking about the Canadian federal election. Not too long ago, the projections were that the Canadian Conservative Party, led by one Pierre Poilievre, would take the election. This is less than ideal for many, many reasons. The list of them would be too long to place here.

Needless to say, I think the leader of the Conservative Party is a horrific snake. I don't like him. I don't like his policies. I don't like his associations. He has unapologetically flirted with the absolute worst of us, and his ties to Trump and Trump's horrific agenda are inexcusable. The very sound of this man's voice makes me want to retch. Every time he opens his mouth, the urge to commit egregious property damage intensifies. It boggles my mind, given all he's said and done, along with the fact that he refuses to get security clearance, that anyone could possibly in good conscience vote for him or anyone accepting his leadership.

We were fortunate enough that the results of the election ensured that he would not be the leader of this country.

In a stunning reversal, the Liberal Party, led by interim Prime Minister Mark Carney proved to be the people's choice. In fact, the Liberals went from certain defeat a hundred days ago, to a minority government with just a few seats shy of a majority. That's... insane.

I'm a little relieved, which is odd, because I consider the Liberal Party to be centre right, and I am... very far left of that politically.

However, given the situation Canada faces, with our southerly neighbours attempting to use economic pressure in an attempt to "bloodlessly" annex us, I do feel he is the best option currently. Prime Minister Carney is an economist. As Governor of the Bank of Canada, he led Canada through a very difficult time, and was responsible for guiding the Bank of England through Brexit. He has faced tough economic circumstances before, and has a good record of carrying folks through relatively well. I feel we need that reasoned, steady had at the helm currently.

He was also the United Nations Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance, which gives me some hope that he will be able to help Canada become a better country with regards to the environment; something that is very dear to my heart. I'm a little trepidatious about this, but I am hopeful.

There are some things about the election that has made my bleeding heart a little sad. Firstly, the fact that it was even as close as it was has made me equal parts appalled and angry. I cannot fathom how anyone who cares about the sovereignty of Canada, or their fellow Canadians could possibly vote for the Conservative Party. I have to remind myself that the propaganda machine is strong; disinformation and double-speak is all over the place, and not everyone has had much exposure to other viewpoints. I'm working on my patience.

Secondly, the desire to ensure that the Conservatives don't get into power made the Liberal Party the only possible choice for many. In the need to keep Canada Canadian, the smaller parties, with whom I'm much more aligned politically, lost a number of their seats; mostly to the Conservative Party. I feel sorry for those ridings who are now under thumb of that party. I can offer but one piece of advice - local elections will have a more direct consequence on your life. Participate in those elections as much as possible to improve your situations. Even the smallest ones - school boards, municipalities, these kinds of elections. It might not seem like it, because it doesn't feel big enough to do that. But I guarantee it is.