Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Election Question

Has this election campaign seemed particularly dull? I'm guessing that some kind excitement will begin in earnest once the holidays are over.

It is depressing and frustrating that there is such a lack of inspired vision at the moment. It's as if nothing seems possible at all. And the motivation of voting a certain way to keep Harper out is getting banal, but my riding has swung in the past. Not the fun way.

There's a Greek expression that sums up my feelings towards Harper and Martin which may not translate well, but it's something like "grab the one and use him to hit the other". No, it didn't translate well but you get the point.

I think I want to hump Jack Layton but there is no way Olivia can watch, sorry.

8 Comments:

At 1:44 PM, Blogger PDD said...

I loved the Greek expression. It translated most perfectly with me. I do know what you are saying with certain Greek expressions that you fear wont translate well; there are Italian expressions that are similar to what you've mentioned.

Yes, this election is devoid of any enthusiasm or sensicality. I hate them all, but I fear that I have to admit I will be voting for the leaning tower of Pissa by default. I really don't want that horrific harper to be our prime minister. His presence disgusts me. Completely devoid of any charisma, that one.

The only guy that seems to be intelligent is Jules Duceppe, but he's a separitist and that just doesn't make sense.

Jack Layton looks like a farmer just stepping off a farm milking cows.

We never have any real choice, do we?

 
At 3:15 PM, Blogger Genet said...

The main issues up here seem to so far be:
childcare, healthcare, Quebec (or, national unity), US-Canada relations and the integrity (or lack thereof) of the political system.

It appears as though we are in for a cycle of minority governments for a while...

 
At 3:47 PM, Blogger Genet said...

This doesn't get discussed much, at least not in my experience. I would imagine that Canadians would become either protectionist or paranoid about it, but I could be totally wrong.

I think the two countries are too different in terms of populaiton and policy for it to work. We even spell labour differently :)

 
At 3:59 PM, Blogger Genet said...

I think an EU-model would be great, but can't see it panning out for a long while.

 
At 4:05 PM, Blogger Genet said...

Très vrai.

 
At 2:09 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Some form of more open market is probably a possibility, but the EU model absolutely wouldn't work. Germany and France have larger economies than the average, but Europe does not have a United States. Canada and Mexico together are not nearly big enough to make any sort of union with the States anything other than an amalgamation.

What do you get when you cross Belgium with Switzerland? More chocolate.

What do you get when you cross Germany with France? Really efficient croissants.

What do you get when you cross the States with Canada? The States.

 
At 1:45 PM, Blogger JR said...

I imagine that if there were free movement of labour, that there might be quibbles over market price for certain professions which might turn into a bidding war, thereby putting downward pressure on wages. Or, as already exists, there would be huge disparities in wages between regions causing an exodus of skilled labour. Free movement of labour is a quagmire too because of our publically funded education and healthcare. Yea, I don't like the idea. It reminds me of that example in economics where someone takes $10 from the bank machine and all of a sudden $1000000000 goes missing from the Bank of Canada. Multiplier effect is it?

 
At 11:16 AM, Blogger PDD said...

Jr makes a really good point regarding how problematic the free movement of labour would be where publically funded education and healthcare and other governmental programs are concerned. I think what people are most paranoid with is the welfare system of the West. They fear this would inevitably be taken advantage of and I think it's one of the main reasons why transitional restrictions has been implemented.

 

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