Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Weather and Politics


It has been said that when one is starting a conversation with someone they should start with the weather. Its safe and easy. Nobody gets offended if you have a differing opinion about the weather. Take for instance my husband and I. I like the occasional really hot day but my favorite temperature is around 25C (77F), my husband would like a whole summer of low to mid 30s. (mid 80s to mid 90s). For me that's just too hot. Neither of us get upset when our temperatures aren't maintained.

Politics on the other hand, not so safe. Friendships can be broken, and fist fights can happen. I think this is because politics deals with a persons morality, their values and belief system. When people disagree, they tend to believe that these values are being attacked.


Unfortunately I prefer to talk politics. I have inherited the desire for debate. My family get togethers always have a discussion on the state of the Union or Confederation. Although we tend to all agree there is always some one who likes to play devil's advocate just to see my uncle and aunt get all stirred up. There the discussion is all in fun.

That being said I am torn at the outcome of our election. Our country did take a step to the right as Karen said, but I fear that this government will get little done because it is a minority government. Its no secret that I tend to be conservative in my views. Some of the promises that the conservatives made I was looking forward too. I was looking forward to having a choice for parents on child care. I was looking forward to having the GST dropped. I was looking forward to some reform in the way of elected senate (I don't like the idea of any party putting in their own yes men). Now I fear that these things won't happen, because of the tight leash that the greater Toronto area put on them. I can understand they were scared. I think that they were feeling the same things I feel every time the liberals got into power. Scared they would make policy that attacked my values. At the same time I cannot understand how they can try to put a party in that steals from them and believes they are entitled to do so. I never thought Canada would elect a majority Conservative Government, but I also think there were some good policies that Canada is missing out on because of our fear. Policies that would unite Canada instead of having this perpetual East vs. West and everybody against Quebec attitude.

Well Canada we have had two minority governments and I believe they won't be the last. And in the famous words of my friend Dale "Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do" This is funny on so many levels.

By the way we have been experiencing some abnormal weather, maybe there is a link between the weather and politics.

4 comments:

Kris said...

I hear ya. I am hoping that Harper can push throuhg his electoral reform with the help of the NDP and the Independent in Quebec, to give each province an EQUAL vote in subsequent elections. To be perfectly frank after seeing all the Ontarians that still voted Liberal, I would prefer the country get hacked off at that border with Quebec seperatists in tow....politics make me annoyed! *wink*

K.

Philosophical Karen said...

Try to think of it not so much as an East/West divide as an Urban/Rural divide. It's mostly the Toronto area in Ontario that voted Liberals into power. The same thing happened in Vancouver and Montreal.

In Ontario the outlying areas and most of the rural ridings actually went Conservative. (Cambridge is a consistently Conservative riding and only went Liberal when the Reform/Alliance and PC parties split the vote on the right.)

Alyson said...

Your right about the Urban abd Rural, but the meadia plays it East vs. West. At least they do here. I know not all Ontarians believe they are the center of the universe. That is also why I said Toronto. I was going to say Maritimes and Vancouver to but i don't have spell check and If I spelled those wrong I thought I would look more stupid. So sorry for blaming it all on the Torontonians.

Proud Mum said...

Alyson, I was hoping you'd post about the election. I really admire that you are as political as you are (although it shames me because half the time I have no idea what you're talking about.)

I think we all hope for positive change this time.

On this side of the border they seem to all be hoping that Harper will make peace with the US... somewhere along the line the political friendship was strained.

I don't remember it happening, really. Maybe I don't really live in either country...