Democracy, free speech and good taste will be put to the test in the coming months as Canada’s federal parties gear up for Election 2004.
The big day is June 28, which gives candidates six weeks to inflict as much damage on one another as possible while shamelessly promoting themselves as the answer to all of our problems. It’s going to be fun.
The Internet is playing an even bigger role in times like this, as voters look beyond the 10-second soundbites on the evening news and the partisan newspaper coverage to get a real sense of the candidates and the political parties they represent.
The Internet also gives equal space to all the pundits out there to rank and criticize our would-be leaders, as well as to point out the flaws, shortcomings and complete hypocrisies in their platforms.
The democratic system only works when the public is informed about the issues and engages in the process. Make yourself familiar with the people running in your riding and what they represent, then vote for the one who you think will represent you and your community the best.
If you vote Liberal because you’ve always voted Liberal, like your daddy and your grand-daddy before him, you might be better off in a dictatorship. These days the Liberal Party no longer represents the centre-left, the NDP no longer represents the far-left, and the Conservatives are no longer the party of choice for right-leaning, upper-middle-class white people. Things have changed drastically in recent years as the political landscape has changed.
You could argue that things have actually changed a little too much, that all of the parties have become middle-of-the-road centrists with similar priorities and platforms – and you would have a point. But there are differences, and they are too important to ignore.
Elections Canada – www.elections.ca
Before you go nuts and start nailing pickets into your front lawn you might want to make sure that you are eligible to vote in our 38 th General Election. The Elections Canada Web site can help you with everything, from getting on the voters’ list, to the locations of polling stations, to your voting options if you’re going to be out of the country on June 28. There is also some information about the candidates, information on campaign laws and contributions, and more.
The Globe and Mail – www.theglobeandmail.com; The National Post – www.nationalpost.com; The Toronto Star – www.thestar.com
All of our national newspapers have been chomping at the bit to cover this election, and cover it they will. Special online sections will allow readers to follow the daily grind of the campaigns, as well as compare parties and policies. Some people believe that it is the media, not the political parties, that sets the agenda for an election by focussing their coverage on controversial issues, interpreting public opinion polls, and subtly favouring candidates, so my advice is to read all the information you can get. Twice, if you can manage it.
Maple Leaf Web – www.mapleleafweb.com
Maple Leaf Web is a non-profit, non-partisan political Web site published by the University of Lethbridge in Alberta as a resource for teachers, students and interested citizens. Some of the stories that slip through the cracks wind up here.
JournalismNet – www.journalismnet.com/canada/elections.htm
This site, compiled by Julian Scher, is chock-filled with links and resources to organizations and publications concerned with Election 2004, as well as a look at some of the larger issues looming on the horizon.
Liberal Party of Canada – www.liberal.ca
As the incumbents, the Liberal Party has a lot to answer for this year with the NDP making huge gains and the Conservative Party at last reunited since the schism in the early-90s. They do have a new leader, even if it is a former party insider, and appear to have some new ideas – this isn’t a "stay-the-course" platform, and this may not be the same old Liberal Party. Learn about the party, its mission and its nominees in every riding.
The Conservative Party of Canada – www.conservative.ca
The Conservatives and Stephen Harper could give the Liberal Party a good run in this election whatever the polls say, and just may have enough support these days to prevent the Liberals, this time under Prime Minister Paul Martin, from winning a fourth consecutive majority government.
The New Democratic Party – www.ndp.ca
After declining for the past decade under Liberal dominance the NDP Party has made a huge leap forward under Jack Layton. Although he makes no secret of the fact that he is a socialist at heart, he has done wonders to assure people that he understands business as well. One of his key promises is to balance the federal budget, which means making hard decisions in the future.
Higher speed Internet
Rogers Cable customers in Ontario and New Brunswick will be the first in Canada to have access to an even faster high-speed Internet Service. The new service, which they are calling Rogers Hi-Speed Internet Extreme (when will the ‘E’ word and ‘X’ initial go away?), is capable of five megabits per second downloads and 800 kilobits per second uploads for a monthly fee of $44.95.
That’s the same price as Rogers Hi-Speed Internet, which offers a three Mbps downloads and 384kbps uploads, but you will need to purchase or rent a new modem.
