So who's gonna vote?

Alright, so here's my first rant about the upcoming election 2006. I don't know much about Canadian politics, but i know enough to realize that Canadian politics is in dire straits right now. Partially because this is my inaugural year of being financially (and emotionally) independent from my parents, it feels like this is the first election that means something to me.

I love Canada. But if i could define Canada in under 10 seconds, it would be that our nation is as if it were the United States but on a normalized bell curve - slough off all the extremes that exist in American culture, and you'll have Canadian culture. We're a little less intense, a little less driven, a little less conservative, a little less innovative and risky. But we are also a little less selfish and greedy, a little less violent and irrational, a little less power-hungry and ambitious.

But upon further reflection, I realized that Canada is so much more than this "American alternative" that appears to be our type-cast role. Canada is defined by its multiculturalism. It is defined by its great expanse of land and natural resources, its climate and northern geography. It is defined by its social progressiveness: healthcare, education, social welfare. Canada's history in its rich aboriginal roots is also very important. These are the key issues on my domestic agenda.

We also mustn't forget the importance of a strong international platform. The world today is smaller than ever, due to blackberries and airplanes. I've learned that a nation's game on the international stage is vital to maintaining its national independence. We are living in a world where things, people, money and ideas are traveling more and more without obstacles. Borders are the last thing to come down, but soon they will - just look at the European Union. Likewise, Canada needs to have a fine balance between protective policies as well as contributive policies. International trade, immigration, foreign debt, and intellectual property are either under-developed or poorly-communicated right now.

What's new in 2006 is the issue of domestic crime, and international terrorism.

So if you ask me where my vote will be come January 2006, it will be looking for the party which best represents a viable and strong priority on tackling these issues. I don't want a government that will embrace the American way of doing things - doling out money to keep constituents happy. Temporary relief to accommodate a growing culture of instant gratification. We have to fight this urge to vote for the politician who will pander to our whims - the thing about masses of people (and we all saw this in Gladiator) is that together, we really are like Nietzche's human herd - we can only see 2 feet in front of us, and we'll always blindly follow the general direction of the crowd.

So despite the faults of our Parliamentary representatives, we must remember that they too, are only human. And moreover, we have the responsibility to be an informed constituency. How can we expect leaders to make decisions for the betterment of the whole nation if we place them in a system that punishes going against the electorate, and that electorate is only concerned with their own self well-being? No wonder Aristotle advocated the polity over democracy...

Here's a listing of websites that might help you make your decision:
1. General Information
- www.elections.ca - good starting place
- www.rushthevote.ca - for youth voters
- http://www.progressivebloggers.ca/ - a library of political bloggers, all parties

2. Official Party Websites

Party: Bloc Quebecois
Leader: Gilles Duceppe
Website: www.blocquebecois.org
HQ: Montreal

Party: Canadian Action Party
Leader: Paul T. Hellyer
Website: www.canadianactionparty.ca
HQ: Toronto

Party: Christian Heritage Party
Leader: Ronald O. Gray
Website: www.chp.ca
HQ: Ottawa

Party: Conservative Party of Canada
Leader: Stephen Harper
Website: www.conservative.ca
HQ: Ottawa

Party: Communist Party of Canada
Leader: Miguel Figueroa
Website: www.communist-party.ca
HQ: Toronto

Party: Liberal Party of Canada
Leader: Paul Martin
Website: www.liberal.ca
HQ: Ottawa

Party: Marijuana Party
Leader: Marc-Boris St-Maurice
Website: www.marijuanaparty.com
HQ: Montreal (go figure)

Party: Marxist-Lennist Party of Canada
Leader: Sandra L. Smith
Website: www.cpcml.ca
HQ: Montreal

Party: New Democratic Party of Canada
Leader: Jack Layton
Website: www.ndp.ca
HQ: Ottawa

Party: Green Party of Canada
Leader: Chris Bradshaw
Website: www.green.ca
HQ: Toronto

*Note - why wouldn't you have a national HQ based in Ottawa??! And i had no idea there was a Christian Heritage Party....??! Wow, i'm a really ignorant voter...