GIRLFRIEND GUIDE TO CANADIAN POLITICS

At the top of the news this week:  

Human habitation in England goes back 700,000 years. Scientists from the Natural History Museum in London found 32 black flint artifacts in Pakefield in eastern England. This find predates even Queen Elizabeth II. Amazing.


Obits of the week:


Richard Pryor: Comedian


Gerry Deiter: Rock photographer


COMMENTARY:   THE GIRLFRIEND’S GUIDE TO CANADIAN POLITICS

Decision Canada. What does it mean to an ex-pat, eh? Besides having innocent NDPers knock on your door and give you campaign literature that you can’t use? Well, plenty, girlfriends. It means that Canada continues to be a sane and rational alternative to the U.S. or slides into a morass.  No, for an ex-pat the decision here is between tolerance and prejudice, intelligent dialogue against political posturing. We will start with a description of the parties and the players.


A main issue in Canadian politics is the question of Quebec separatism. The Québécois wish to secede from Canada proper and form their own Francophile nation. They have been at this loggerhead for years without end. It’s getting old. A greater threat to French culture isn’t the federal government but American media and McDonalds, both bad for the arteries and the brain.   The three major parties in Quebec, the one most prominent now being the Parti Québécois do not seem to appreciate the unique character of simply being Canadian. Where else in the world can an openly gay man, like Andre Boisclair who admitted to cocaine use in the past, become head of a major political party? Certainly not the United States. The little things matter sweeties so don’t cut the cord just yet.

The party currently in residence is the Liberals    Sorry, Paul Martin but buying votes with vapor wear tax cuts does just not make a campaign or a future administration.  However, keep up the tough talk on the softwood issue. The Shrub in the White House could use a few leaves trimmed.

The NDP, or National Democrat Party, is always a minority party. They are very sincere people, save the Earth types who intend good but are much too conscientious to win elections. Their party head is Jack Layton.

Last we have the storm troopers, er, the Tories otherwise called the Conservatives.

Their leader is Steven Harper. The Conservatives are like the right wing activists in America: anti-abortion, anti-gay, and lower taxes. Recently, Steven Harper called for a new debate on same-sex marriage in Canada. He will not get far on that one.



---Izzy