Once again, Canada’s government is facing the possibility of a fall election. After two federal elections since 2006, the song and dance of federal elections in Canada is getting old.
Harper is using multi-elections to his advantage, and indulging in a power trip with the knowledge there’s nobody else to challenge him.
Unlike academics-turned-politicians Pierre Trudeau and Barack Obama, Harper comes off as a purely political being who has won two minority governments for the simple love of being Prime Minister.
During elections, the public service is handcuffed and rendered ineffective. But it’s too easy to load the blame onto Harper alone. In parliament, all parties are responsible for working together to make our country run smoothly.
Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff is equally guilty of a power trip, letting the unique interests of his party fall second to thoughts that surfaced this year of a coalition.
Each political party leader would do well to evaluate their position carefully.
In the current recession, the government is strapped for cash and without extra funds to put towards an expensive election. If the government had Canadians’ best interests at heart, they’d prioritize getting money into the hands of the unemployed rather than futile election campaigns.
Elections shuffle the political deck, but without great leaders to choose from there’s no use in starting another game.
It’s regrettable Parliament isn’t running in a way that’s beneficial to Canadians.
Fortunately, we live in a country where politicians can form coalitions against a government if we don’t think they’re doing the right thing. But when candidates are uninspiring, politics becomes numbing and it’s easy to be disengaged.
Citizens shouldn’t rest on their laurels thinking political participation ends on election day. But to encourage active interest in government, we need a leader who will make Canadians want to step out and cast their ballots. If we feel our votes don’t count towards positive change, voter turnout is bound to suffer.
South of the border, Americans have a leader to be proud of. How long will it be until we’re able to say the same?
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