Election Reflections

So the election campaign is now over except for the voting.

There has been much heated rhetoric and harsh things said.  (I am not innocent)

However as the campaign is now over, I'd like to offer some sober reflections and perspective.

First Canadians are very lucky to be living in a country with a well functioning democracy.  No it's not perfect and I'm not saying it is.  Perhaps proportional representation would be better?  Perhaps an American style system of checks and balances would be better?  Perhaps an elected Senate would improve things?

All in all, Canadians have a system that is vastly superior to the system of government under which the vast majority of the human race live under.  No country in Africa has a healthier democracy.  India and China together account for 40% of humanity.  The Islamic world is another fifth of the total.  There is some overlap but easily 60% of the human race is covered right there.  I haven't even mentioned Latin America and the rest of Asia.  Canada's system compares pretty well.

This is not to say that we should not seek to improve things.  Of course we should.  However, Stephen Harper is not Saddam Hussein.  Jack Layton is not Stalin and Duceppe is not Hitler.  Each of them came from modest roots and have made their mommas proud.

The country of my birth only achieved real democracy decades after a coalition of troops repelled a Communist invasion.  My long lost cousins in North Korea (if they exist) have never known a basic level of democracy.  In recent years we saw brave Iraqi and Afghan citizens brave bullets and bombs to vote.  In our parents' lifetimes Americans with darker skin braved beatings and intimidation to vote.

I saw an article in a Canadian newspaper that speculated on the effect upon voter turnout if rain is forecast for this election day.  In some ways it is sad that some will not brave raindrops when there are other people who will brace bullets to vote.  Though I suppose a healthy democracy might also be one where people feel safe in knowing that their fellow Canadians will make the right choice anyway.  I know I am stretching here but while I cannot respect not voting as a choice, I still feel very strongly that it is each individual's choice to make.



I hope that the Conservatives win a majority but I know well that it won't be armageddon if they don't.  I am proud to be Canadian and will be voting.  I hope others do as well, regardless of which party they support.