Election day thoughts

I’ve felt impossibly stressed for the past week, watching Canadian election polls, worried about the possibility of a Conservative majority.  I don’t think most of my family members understand how much I fear the Conservative party and their right-wing base.  I’ve got no problem with “financial Conservatives”, but unfortunately, the Canadian Conservative party has more and more become the voice of the socially conservative, i.e., the anti-gay marriage, anti-abortion bunch.  They’re far too similar to the Christian contingent running the US government, and their increased voice in Canadian politics makes me nervous.  I don’t actually think that Canada has become more socially conservative, rather, I think the social conservatives have become more vocal and organized.  Just as in the US, the social conservative movement dominates rural areas, while urban areas remain more mainstream and inclusive.

I’m somewhat pleased with the election results, given the possibilities.  The Conservatives did “win” the most seats, but didn’t win a majority.  The NDP almost holds the balance of power (I wish they did, but they’re a few seats short).  I think all the voter comments I’ve read tonight reinforce the idea that this election was a “spanking” for the Liberal party and not necessarily an endorsement of the Conservatives, and I do think that once the Liberals have a new leader, they’ll be able to win the next election.  A few of my “most hated” were defeated, including Darrel Reid and Bev Desjarlais (the latter voted against the gay marriage bill, supposedly to “reflect the views of her constituents”.  Why didn’t any of those constituents vote for her this time, hmm?).  I’m most bothered by the fact that Alberta is so powerful, given that they’re Canada’s version of Kansas.  If a province has to separate, can we get rid of Alberta and keep Quebec?  One more thing… I don’t know who Val Meredith is, but could she please stop talking?

I apologize for the lack of kitten photos.  I did take some new ones today, but I left the camera in the bedroom where the kittens are sleeping, and I hate to go in and wake them up.  I’m trying to raise kittens who sleep when it’s dark (rather than staying up all night partying), and I know they’re sleeping soundly right now.  They’re all doing great, and are guaranteed to do at least 10 cute things every single day.

We’ve got a new “stray” cat visiting our front porch every night.  It’s friendly, and seems to be a decent weight, but it has no collar or identification.  It’s a female, and I sure hope it’s spayed.  I want to put a collar on it with a note which says, “Please put some identification on your cat!”, but I have no idea if anyone would ever see it.

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 01/23 at 10:03 PM

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  1. Yeah, could have been worse, the election.

    I am loving that you are trying to make the kitties sleep at night. Very valiant. I picture them with tiny flashlights and comic books in the ferret bag, all night long.

    Posted by Diana  on  01/24  at  06:30 AM

  2. Yes.. we now have a Conservative Government.. pretty much as expected.  It will be interesting to see how things unfold.  I admit, a Conservative Government makes me nervous… thank goodness it is a minority.

    Glad to hear the kitty gang are continuing to do well.  I always look forward to their updates.

    Posted by Simply Coll  on  01/24  at  08:12 AM

  3. Coll, I’m sorry the Greens didn’t fare better last night.  I was very excited when the first results were coming in and they predicted one Green Party seat, but that obviously changed over the course of the evening.  Still, their overall numbers were up.  I’d love to see at least a few of them with a voice in Parliament.

    Diana, I’d wondered why the kittens were asking for flashlights and comic books!  Busted!

    Posted by Leigh-Ann  on  01/24  at  11:31 AM

  4. Microchip the cat.

    Glad to hear the kitties are doing well. Looking forward to more pictures (they make me smile).

    Posted by Nio  on  01/24  at  03:15 PM

  5. I’m glad that one conservative, Stephen Harper, won.  I have no anti-abortion or anti-gay agenda, but I felt so sorry for him with that unfortunate hairpiece.  I don’t believe my friend Devon (of Edmonton) who says it’s his real hair.  A ‘do like that can’t be on purpose.

    Yeah, you question their social mores and fiscal responsibility while I worry about bad toupees. What can I say, I’m a girl with her priorities in order.

    (I didn’t say WHAT order.)

    Posted by Helly  on  01/25  at  03:50 PM

  6. I am not happy with the results either.  I am pleased that the NDP have a good number of seats so that they can provide the nation’s conscience, but having Stephen Harper as the new PM quite frankly frightens me.  I can just picture George W giddy with glee at having Harper in power.

    Ugh.

    Posted by Expat  on  01/25  at  04:35 PM

  7. There are more details on my blog but statistically only 5.3 % of eligible Canadian voters support the Conservative Nazi platform.  92% of them live in Alberta.
    65% of eligible voters voted,

    Less than 40 % voted conservative (actual votes and seats are different due to the size of rural ridings),

    Of the 38% (roughly) conservative voters when polled less than 20% actually support social conservatism.  Most wanted to spank the Liberals and wanted a change in general.

    7.6% of people that actually went out and voted are opposed to gay marriage and the right to choose so they did get their supporters out to vote but by any standard that𠏋 a tiny base.

    Posted by Silent Leanne  on  02/01  at  06:14 AM

  8. Silent Leanne, I didn’t thing you hung around these here parts.  Welcome to our furry neck of the woods, where we try to only tell happy animal stories (so stay away from some of the blogroll links, seriously, as I know you’re sensitive).  Two Leigh-Ann/Leannes are better than one!

    Posted by Leigh-Ann  on  02/02  at  01:19 AM
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