March 31, 2004

"You are young, my son, and as the years go by, time will change and even reverse many of your present opinions. Refrain therefore awhile from setting yourself up as a judge of the highest matters."

- Plato

So I got about halfway through a pretty heavy article the other night. I got into religion and what I think is right and wrong about it. How we can use it to improve ourselves but how we have to be careful not to fall into its trap. I really thought that I was getting some good points down. And I was writing with every intention to send it to Halifax Live to be posted on the newsletter. Then, as expected, I chickened out. I realized that it's still a work in progress and that it's not something I can do in a couple hours, even though it's taken years of reading and reflection. But it's coming, I swear. In the meantime, though, please allow me to write about some important matters and to leave the highest matters for later.

First, I want to thank Mike and the others that sent feedback on my articles and I encourage all of you to do the same. It's obvious that there are intelligent people that read this newsletter and I'd like to hear from more of you.

Well, the important matter that I want to write about today is relevant because it sounds as though there is going to be a federal election coming up very soon, despite the problems that the Liberals are facing after AdScam.

So why would the Liberals call an election now, with so much time left on their mandate? Is it because Martin is doing a service to the Canadian voter, as he doesn't want to live on time that he has borrowed from Chretien? Is it because he feels that once the inquiry into the sponsorship scandal goes public he will be in it up to his neck, whereas now he's still visible from the waist up? Is it to throw off the Conservatives who would be forced to do some scrambling to get ready, as they are still a new party and still have some work to do?

Whatever the motivation, there seems to be a consensus that we will be going to the polls in the near future. So who does a young person vote for? For the left-wing NDP, the centrist Liberals, or the right-wing Conservatives? Two of which are indistinguishable and the third of which hasn't proven itself to be much more than a fringe party.

What a time to be Canadian and interested in politics. So what's the thought process on deciding where to mark our 'X'?

First things first, I really can't see myself voting for the Liberals. The fact that a party can waste billions of dollars on scandals such as the HRDC and gun registry fiascoes, be busted siphoning money off to companies that support them, stab each other in the back so blatantly and publicly, and still be in position to form the next government is too much for me. To be honest, I think that Paul Martin is making an effort and I have to admit that I do like the guy (as much as anyone could like a politician) but this has gone on long enough. A decade in power, you had some fun; let someone else do a competent job now.

So we have two options: The Conservatives and the NDP, two parties on opposite ends of the political spectrum.

So what are these new Conservatives? Are they more like the Diefenbaker Conservatives that gave Native Canadians the vote? That took Tommy Douglas' idea of universal health care and made it a federal policy? That opposed trade with the U.S.? Or are they more like the Mulroney Conservatives that signed NAFTA and introduced the GST?

Being a new party, it is difficult to determine what form it will take. Although it appears as though it will more resemble the current perception of Conservative government (open markets, little corporate control, low taxes, low spending) than George Grant's idea of a Conservative government that he offered in his famous book, Lament for a Nation.

Speaking of George Grant's book, I have to wonder what happened to his perception of Liberal and Conservative politics. He considered the Liberals to be the ones to allow business to run its course and the Conservatives to be the ones to hold it back when the country's interests were in danger. Isn't that the opposite of what we are perceived to have today?

Actually, both parties seem to cower in the face of big business now. The Tories openly and the Liberals quietly. How about that billion dollar corporate tax cut in the budget last week? How about massive cuts to health care spending?

What a headache. OK, so what about the NDP? They care about the environment. They care about health and about people. They would keep us out of wars and make sure that everyone receives what they need. But I said in another article that I wrote for this newsletter that idealism is dead and I am worried that this is all the NDP offers. You can spend and spend but at some point, you're going to have to come up with the money. We're still paying for the Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's shopping habits.

I guess that all we can do is wait and see what Mr. Martin, Mr. Harper, and Mr. Layton have to say. To see if Paul Martin can regain his credibility. To see if Stephen Harper can quell our fears that social conservatives are running his party and if he can assure us that he will protect the interests (health care, the environment, etc.) of Canadians if he's elected. To see if Jack Layton has some real ideas to offer or if he's here only to complain without offering any real solutions.

Actually, I just want to know that any one of these parties has some idea as to how to run a country.