'Tis The Season to Make an [x]

My geekiness is going to show through this post, I apologize to anyone who thought I was super cool.

At approximately 5:10PM my time, the Liberal government did not survive a confidence motion in the House of Commons. This means that tomorrow morning, Prime Minister Paul Martin will be entering the Governor Generals' office, requesting Parliament be dissolved, and set an election date.

I love elections. I get giddy when they loom near. When election day comes, I go out of my way to cast my vote, and then that evening, I sit in front of my television with popcorn and beer, while the election results trickle in. I find it incredibly exciting. In fact, I think it's more exciting than the Grey Cup Game last night, which was rumored to be the best game in years.

I luckily predicted the outcome of the last election, some seventeen months ago. I predicted a Liberal minority government, which I thought was probably the best thing for my country at the time.

So here are my predictions for this winter election, and you can all congratulate me, when the election results come in. For those who are still in the dark, it is widely rumored that election day will be held January 23rd.

I predict another Liberal minority government, but this time, the seats will be even more evenly drawn. I fully expect the Liberals to lose a few seats. I expect that the Bloc Quebecois will gain seats in the House of Commons, likely enough to be considered the Official Opposition. The Conservatives and the New Democratic Party will gain seats too, but their gains will be marginal, and not enough to set them much further ahead.

It is still going to be messy in the House of Commons for another year, at least. It's going to be a messy Government until one party can land a major victory. But that is a long ways away.

I find it funny, that the House of Commons has lost confidence in the current Government, yet, the people of Canada have no confidence in any other political party. The Current Prime Minister, Paul Martin is highest in the polls when it comes to whom Canadians want to be Prime Minister, yet his party is mired in scandals, and corruption. I have heard so much about the Sponsorship scandal and the Gomery inquiry, that I want to vomit.

What this country needs, is a new, charismatic, likeable leader. No party leader has that qualification. So until new faces lead the political parties, all I can say is that our country is going to be divided in the House of Commons for some time.

Either way, I have enjoyed the minority government that has ruled my country for the last seventeen months. Question period has never been so entertaining, and our Government has never been so accountable for their actions since, well, 1979.

To change the subject a little, I consider voting to be one of the most important human rights granted to me. It is our chance to ultimately express our voice, and contrary to popular belief, every one of our votes count. The voter turnout in the last election was one of the worst in Canadian history, and I think it's a damn shame. To be ignorant of your vote is to concede to tyranny. I can't fathom how anyone could sit on the sidelines and say to themselves: "My vote doesn't matter". How many Germans said that when Hitler was elected to power? How many apathetic voters did not vote, which allowed the world's most notorious dictator to rise to power?

I don't want my right to choose who I want to represent me in Government (at any level) to be taken away. So I consider this posting to be a friendly reminder to every Canadian, to visit the websites of the political parties, to read the pamphlets that will blanket their neighborhoods, to listen to the debates of those running for office, and most of all, vote on election day.

And here's the best advice of all. Don't vote along party lines. Vote for the person who is going to best represent you, and your ideals in Parliament.