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Jim Harding on the undecided Canadian vote
The US-triggered world financial crisis brings into better focus why I remain undecided about how to vote Oct. 14th. Harper’s Business-as-usual approach means he wants Canada to become the U.S.’s next Energy Hinterland, which wouldn’t be good for the planet, and is extremely naive. Facing bankruptcy, the U.S. is not going to keep the Canadian economy going, so we are about to pay dearly for tying our economy so closely to the U.S. through the Mulroney free trade agreements.
In view of Harper’s predictable authoritarian campaign it is understandable why Deon has downplayed his greenshift carbon tax. Like many Canadians I nevertheless trust Deon’s intelligence far more than Harper’s attempt at one-man rule.
Leyton has cleverly exploited the perception of weak Liberal leadership, but if you deconstruct his policies you find a little more redistribution of wealth from unsustainable economic growth, and lots of hyperbole.
I’m glad that May got into the debates, despite Harper and Leyton’s opposition, for she took Harper on most directly and substantively. But, like Deon, May has failed to make a breakthrough in communicating the need for a fundamental shift to an ecological paradigm; which has become even more difficult with the worry and panic about the corporate economy.
Unseating as many Harperites as possible is clearly in the public and planet’s interest. But this won’t guarantee a government that can begin to make a shift to a sustainable society. I can vote strategically for my NDP candidate, who is still running behind the inexperienced Conservative MP who misrepresents our riding. Or, even with no proportionate representation in place, I can vote for our Green candidate to help them build-up their capacity for the next bout. Staying at home and not voting is no option.
I am leaning to voting strategically, while wanting to stay aware that as the American empire continues to implode, Canadians will soon be called upon to face challenges, including electoral reform and political realignment, that will require many times the level of courage and inventive vision that it took to build medicare. As always, out of crisis comes great opportunity.
Jim Harding, Fort Q’Appelle, SK
Matthew Brett is the Canadian Dimension weblog manager. The views expressed on this blog do not necessarily represent his own. Read more by Matthew Brett.
