book ends

When I was randomly listing the news stories which had attracted my attention this summer, I forgot to list the federal election we had last June (I think it was June. So long ago, already). It was an influential event, a bit of a game changer, for two reasons. One was that after 4 years or so of whining about how they couldn't govern when they only had a minority government, the Conservatives finally managed to pull off a majority. Part of me would like to believe that they managed to somehow rig the election and that they didn't win honestly, because, you know, if they actually won the election without dishonesty, then that would mean that I live in the sort of country where a majority of people think a right wing government is a good idea. Of course, they didn't really get a majority of the votes, it's just that years of careful crafting of electoral boundaries has resulted in tory wins because the votes from people in any given region who don't want the country to slide any further to the right are split amongst other parties. Also, I have to admit that the "natural governing party" aka the liberals shot themselves in the foot repeatedly and with great gusto, which resulted in them losing a lot of ridings.

The other reason that the fed election was interesting this time around (usually Canadian elections, yawn) was that after the Liberals shot themselves in the foot, our national socialist party managed to win enough seats to make themselves the official opposition. We're all pretty cynical up here about politics these days, but the NDP do manage to occasionally look like they have the best interests of the country at heart. I don't know if I was actually hopeful, after all there was still that Harper majority to get past, but at least Jack Layton & the NDP winning seats made me feel that we weren't without hope entirely.

But then Jack, who had had treatment for prostate cancer prior to the election had to step down as leader of the NDP because the cancer had recurred, and then he died this past weekend. There are a lot of things that I might say about this, but most of it has been said elsewhere more eloquently than I could say it. I just think it's a great pity that having managed this historical achievement, he didn't get to enjoy for at least for a few years the opportunity to get up in the House of Commons and politely tell Stephen Harper that he was full of shit.

All for freedom and for pleasure
Nothing ever lasts forever
Everybody wants to rule the world.

--Tears for Fears, Everybody Wants to Rule the World