Like A Teapot

Election time again. This time is provincial election.

I have decided who to vote for and found out where to vote which is yet a different place from last time's. The location is a school that I can walk or bike to. I will probably go in late afternoon or early evening.

This is the first time when I will actually vote for someone in a party that I don't want to see in power. I want the Liberal (a so-called pro-business party) to remain in power but will vote for someone in the New Democrat Party (the opposition party) to be a local representative. This guy has represented my riding for 14 years and seems to be doing a good job. I have only just read his ideas which I find agreeable and more solid than his challenger's. I did not vote for any of these guys last time as I was residing else where.



The NDP fights for the poor and the environment, and I identify with lots of their ideas. But they are prone to financial mismanagement resulting in alarming waste of tax payers money. Eight years ago they were angrily voted down after eight years in power. I do not think they will succeed in regaining power this time around, though I want their voice strengthened in parliament. The incumbent I am going to vote for is one of the very few recognized strong voices in opposition.

I foresee that the NDP will gain seats tomorrow night but not enough to upset the Liberal's agenda.

Was ill for a few days. Starting in the wee hours of Saturday night. Have been uncomfortable until now.

All this time while I was running between bed, bathroom, and kitchen, there was a major political crisis unfolding in our national capital. It escalated yesterday when tempers flied and bodies shook on the floor of Parliament. It will reach a climax later today, when the Prime Minister in distraught meets with the Governor General, the Queen's representative in Canada, who had cut her four-day European trip short and returned to Ottawa yesterday. She would make a weighted decision on the fate of his government.

What happens is that three opposition parties, the Liberal Party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP, often referred to as the socialists), and the Bloc Québécois, a national party representing the interest of Quebec at the federal level (referred to by some as the separatists) have conspired to overthrow the conservative government. They surprisingly formed a coalition over the weekend, with the intention to vote down the government, using the ongoing economic crisis as a springboard. They have accused the conservatives of inaction, allowing critical industries (auto and forestry) to suffer without timely governmental support.

The current government, led by conservative leader Steven Harper, a very unlikeable figure, is a minority government. They cannot put forth policies without gathering votes from the oppositions. In the present crisis, what the Prime Minister can do and is going to do today is to ask the Governor General for a pirogue, which means suspending parliament for a period of time, so that an upcoming confidence vote in parliament will not materialize and they can stay in power longer.

What decision the Governor General is going to make is most intriguing. Such a thing is very rare. The last time a pirogue was asked was back in the 1970s. All eyes and ears are on Governor General today.

With her approval, the Prime Minister could suspend parliament until late January. She could also choose to do the opposite - acceding to the coalition's request and granting them an interim leadership role.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce has issued a statement expressing dismay at the behaviours of all four political parties, accusing them of creating a political crisis admit an economic one.

Wow, tonight's French language debate among Canada's five political leaders was really boring!

Each leader had a designated interpreter to provide simultaneous English translation for TV viewers. The moderator had one as well. It is obvious that all but one interpreters are natural French speakers. As they all carry an eccent, the thing became really dull after a while. Remember the debate format was more like a round table discussion. The least dull voice was that of the female interpreter who provided voice for the female Green Party leader; her tone managed to match the leader's fiestiness.

I was watching in bed. In spite of my deep interest, I soon felt asleep.

Local broadcast of the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony started at 5:00 AM. I fell asleep without seeing the Canadian team's entrance, let alone the Chinese team who was the last. The order of team entrance puzzled me at first, but I soon realized that it was based on the number of strokes in the Chinese characters for the name of the country. In sleepiness I observed that some teams were all relaxed and charming, while others were way too serious. I liked Team Ukraine and Team Danmark, for examples. I was also struck by the number of good looking faces among the athletes.

I have more to say about this event, but I have not recovered from the messed up biological clock.

From sea to sea to sea, we celebrate Canada Day. West coast starting in no time; east coast started three to four hours ago.

I feel compelled to note this, because I am a proud Canadian. Our country has done a lot of right things globally. And that makes me proud. Our schools help raise a lot of great kids who grow up to become nice and righteous young men and women. You can meet many of them in shops and restaurants, where even just occupying a low position, they are pleasant and helpful, showing great self-esteem and work ethics. Our diverse society is full of intelligent, articulate, and humorous individuals. You may encounter them in the media, in a newspaper's letter-to-editor section or a radio station's phone-in programme. Their voices help steer our governments to the right direction though it is not always successful. Our media tend to be efficient and objective, playing an important role in keeping Canadians informed about their country and the world. This is not to say we do not have our problems and ridiculous aspects; we do. But on this special day, I would like to focus on our merits and what make us proud.