The election that was called last week for October 14 seems like a real sleeper, especially when compared to the contest south of the border. The US presidential election is billed as the most important in the history of that country. It’s true that if Barack Obama wins, the United States will have the most far left president that it’s ever had and the impact will be felt for years to come. The election will either see the first black US president or female vice president. It’s an historic contest. And between Obamamania and Sarahmania, the campaign is hard to beat for excitement.
Canada’s election seems downright boring by comparison. We can be thankful that the candidates’ televised debate is on the same evening as the VP debate in the States where Sarah Palin will square off with Joe Biden. Nevertheless, there is a chance that this election could change the political landscape in Canada for years to come.
NDP
Jack Layton started the campaign with the announcement that he was running to become prime minister of Canada. This was a departure from the normal tact that the socialist party takes in asking for votes in order to act as the spoiler to keep the evil Conservatives or the evil Liberals in line. Although Jackie isn’t going to make it to 24 Sussex Drive, he has a real shot at becoming the leader of the Official Opposition due to the complete ineptitude of Liberal leader Stéphane Dion. By putting all his eggs in the environmental basket, Dion is encroaching on the turf of the NDP. Because the NDP is in favour of a cap and trade scheme rather than simply taxing carbon, they have the argument that the Liberal plan will be disproportionately hard on lower income people and is nothing other than a tax grab that is not aimed at “the rich”. The NDP also have the argument that they were the true opposition in the House of Commons during the last session; while the Terrible Tories were introducing their evil right wing legislation the NDP were there opposing. Dion and his Liberals either abstained or ran away from the House. Polls are now indicating that there is a chance that the NDP could form the Official Opposition.
Bloc Quebecois
The entire purpose of the Bloc is to fight for Quebec’s separation from Canada or for sovereignty or whatever else they call it in any particular week. The desire for a separate country runs hot and cold in La Belle Province and at the moment it’s freezing. So Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe decided to downplay separation and started out the campaign railing against Stephen Harper as a right wing fanatic. But not all separatists are as far to the left as Duceppe is and many Quebeckers were not amused. Those who are centre right; the voters who helped Brian Mulroney form two majority governments may go over to the Tories. The surge of the NDP may attract those on the left who, with the Bloc downplaying separation, provide a better alternative. As Transportation Minister Lawrence Cannon pointed out, the Bloc has accomplished nothing in the time that they have been in Parliament. The only jobs that they ever created were their own. This election could see the beginning of the end of the separatist party.
The Green Party
During the last few elections, support for the Green Party has grown. The party now has an MP after a Liberal who was thrown out of caucus joined them. More importantly, the fact that leader Elizabeth May was finally invited to participate in the televised leaders’ debate gave the party a legitimacy that they never had before. Even though the Greens may not win a seat during this election, they are here to stay. The number of mainstream political parties in Canada is now five, not four.
Liberals
The once mighty Natural Governing Party simply serves no useful purpose. The Official Opposition under Stéphane Dion refused to oppose. As proof that getting drunk at a political convention and then voting for a leader should be a criminal offence, the Liberals elected the man who is the most despised federal Liberal in Quebec for his work on the Clarity Act. Dion chose to stress his environmental plan that no matter how you look at it, will involve overtaxed Canadians being taxed further. Not many except the truly gullible are buying Dion’s “revenue neutral” spin. When the polls close we could see the Liberals coming in third. The party of Laurier, Pearson and Trudeau will be effectively rendered irrelevant.
A lot can happen between now and October 14. But the political landscape in Canada might very well be changed. If the current trend continues, this campaign will be anything but boring.
