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The "Already Decided" Election

 

Phillip Hong
5 Oct 2008

 

With just over a week to go, the Canadian federal election has been taking large steps into the issue surrounding the floundering economy. The campaign, according to a columnist writing for a CTVglobemedia-owned newspaper is "already over" with Prime Minister Stephen Harper taking the old dusty reins called the House of Commons.

 

What is uncertain, however, is whether he'll get to inject the Westminster-format picasso with mainly periwinkle Conservatives. Majority government could be in reach but opinions state sways back and forth.

 

Meanwhile, Liberal leader Stephane Dion is trying to lead what looks like a "bastardom" of sorts within the Liberal party. I don't speak using the term very negatively since the current party speaks of candidates of diverse views put together in an unholy puzzle.

 

Thanks to some muddy moves by Stephen Harper including running Liberal attack ads since the time Moses received the Ten Commandments, and with a Liberal leader more understandable in the Bible's original language, we haven't seen much momentum in general.

 

I cringe to admit that Paul Martin had a more exciting campaign, however disastrous the Liberals went last time around.

 

Meanwhile, quoting legendary New Democrat Tommy Douglas like he wrote the bible though not in Hebrew, N-D "dude" Jack Layton speaks of more hell-freezing scenarios like the New Democrats forming government. Pfft.

 

And what's really interesting is that my parents are curious about the New Democrats due to Mrs. Layton -- ahem -- Jack Layton's partner, Olivia Chow, who just happens to be Chinese-Canadian. I remember a candidate who was at least ethnic-Chinese, running in every election within a riding blessed with a large proportion of Chinese-Canadians. Too bad he lost every time.

 

Gilles Duceppe is completely out of my mind because I'm not a Quebecer, nor did I understand what he said during the English-language debate. Heck, he'd be the next Jean Chretien if he was only liked for his charms and was federalist.

 

The Greens led by Elizabeth May have finally joined the other mainstream parties at the debate table. Too bad my favourite colour is dark blue.

 

But I will say this: Vote with your head, not with your beer belly, or dog, or curly moustache, or bad English, or Atlantic accent for that matter.