story247

On the weekend, Timothy Shire told us that he was going to vote for David Orchard even though he was with the progressive conservatives(1). He rationalized his choice saying that he couldn't support political pork barreling and that he couldn't support the law and order Brian Fitzpatrick of the Canadian Alliance. Shire stated that David Orchard is a man of determination and that he might make a difference. Sometime ago, I expressed my political opinion for voting for any candidate but not for Chretien's libertine brand of democracy. Democracy is the opportunity to speak out and express ourselves, but within today's political and civil arena our freedom of expression has been usurped by political parties, politicians, big businesses and autocratic bureaucrats.

Chretien says that this is an election about values, and he has none. The country is divided, and all the political parties are peddling their phony psychological values and platforms to draw more voters for themselves. We have been saying for a long time that democracy is not to vote for a party, but the opportunity to express our voices, and today more than ever is the time to vote for good people and not for the party.

Murray Dobbin of the National Post says that both the Liberals and the Alliance are funded by the same self-serving corporations(2). However, my specific interest for not voting Liberals is that they are in power and that they have a corrupted administration. And therefore, I am satisfied to realize that a recent poll suggests that justice minister Anne McLellan is trailing badly behind Canadian Alliance candidate Betty Unger(3). And I am happy that there is a campaign to dump Chretien(4), and I am happy to realize that voting for good people rather than for the party could improve the chances to have a minority government which could kickstart "exciting" reform in Canada's Parliament and make backbench MPs the big winners of power(5).

Endnotes

1. David Orchard, Nationalist and Passionate Advocate, by Timothy Shire, November 5, 2000 http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign/reality/FederalElection2000/orchard/orchard.html

2. A just society -- just for the rich Liberals, Alliance have same vision: Cater to the rich, Murray Dobbin, October 31, 2000, National Post http://www.nationalpost.com/scripts/printer/printer.asp?f=/stories/20001031/446136.html

3. McLellan in trouble -- poll. Winds of change appear poised to blow senior MP out of her seat, Satya Das, Journal Staff Writer, Monday 6 November 2000, The Edmonton Journal http://www.edmontonjournal.com/stories1/001106/4818981.html

4. Has Jean Chrétien finally overestimated the gullability of the Canadian Electorate? Site managed by Judy Cornwell, http://DumpChretien.Com/

5. Electing minority 'good for democracy', Susan Delacourt, Monday 6 November 2000, The Ottawa Citizen http://www.ottawacitizen.com/national/001106/4817138.html