Sister Sage's Musings

I’ve always believed that if you don’t vote, you forfeit your right to bitch.  Tomorrow, municipal elections are happening; Ottawa, where the wingnut Larry O’Brien is sure to lose, thank gawd the folks in our nation’s capital are coming to their senses, or appear to be anyway (it remains to be seen if they vote out the Harpercons from their ridings in the next federal election).

There are other municipal elections going on, but all eyes will be on Toronto, for obvious reasons.  The so-called Liberal biggest city in Canada, to many, is a trend setter. Many have speculated about what a Rob Ford win would mean. One thing sure is obvious, unlike the Nenshi victory in Calgary, this municipal election, particularly if Ford wins, would set the tone for the political direction Canadians are going in. It would probably even confirm what many progressives don’t wish to realize, that perhaps Canada is indeed shifting to the right and I’m not the only one who says this, even Craig Oliver on Question Period mused about it this morning.  I know, many disagree with me, but, my gut tells me that’s exactly what’s happening, and the popularity of a backward, hateful, belligerent freakazoid who can’t hold his liquor should be a wake up call.  For one, the purple faced bloated Archie Bunker wannabe, unlike almost every other politician from major political parties from every level, didn’t even try to go after the center. Nope, he campaigned from the hard right, and many were eating it up with a spoon. That is what is sounding alarm bells for me.  I wouldn’t be saying that if he at least, attempted to grab the center.

Anyhow, I guess we’ll have to wait and see, the real test will be the federal by-elections coming up, and whether or not the Liberals can hang on to Vaughn, despite Julian Fantino, the “hero cop starlet” Harpercon. Wonder why the Liberals didn’t find a “star” of their own? One would think the best way to counteract a star candidate would be with another star candidate, oh well! I digress.

As for tomorrow, let’s hope for the best. I’m sure Ford is hoping many will stay home, because they can’t bare the idea of  holding their noses to vote for George Smitherman and they know that Joe Pantalone won’t come close to winning.

Yeah, I know, Nenshi had come from third place to win the municipal election in Calgary, but I honestly believed that was a fluke of nature. Now, I’m not sure, but I certainly don’t think that the capital of  Hard ‘C’ heartland is suddenly going progressive. No, I have a more cynical theory, which I may post at a later time…

In today’s Calgary Herald, we read the rantings of a columnist who is obviously a sore loser that his precious connie candidates didn’t come in, and even worse, that  a brown Muslim is going to be running his fair city.  He brings up an obvious mathematical argument.

Still, Nenshi won with 40 per cent of the vote. McIver scooped 32 per cent and Barb Higgins won 26 per cent. That McIver-Higgins total of 58 per cent was arguably drawn mostly from Calgary’s centre-right voters. Thus, had the centre-right vote not split (as it regularly does in local politics), the headlines this past Tuesday morning would have been starkly different.

Maybe there is a glimmer of hope despite a potential Ford win. I wonder if the columnist will remember that same mathematical argument if Ford were to win tomorrow, and write about it in his next column? I would say not.

Anyhow,  my thoughts will be on Toronto tomorrow. Gawd speed, as they say. Think about this, boys ‘n’ girls of Toronto, do you really want to be stuck with that?