I think I might have to change my mind about something … or not!

I was brought up to believe that it was your civic duty to vote, and instilled that value in my children.  But you should see [no you shouldn’t, ed.!] the cast of clowns running for Premier of Ontario, the fabulous province, geographically speaking, that I live in.  Rarely has someone I voted for won, and when they have they have proved a gross disappointment.

The only time I voted for a party with whom’s platform I entirely agreed was when I voted for the Marijuana Party, federally, who had but one plank in their platform, but it was made of solid hemp.  They also had the best party slogan ever, Let’s Roll.  They did out poll the two Communist parties running, but those nitwits had to fracture their lunatic fringe vote by having both a Trotskyist party and a Leninist party, so they divided their vote, allowing the stoners to sneak up the middle.  Needless to say, we didn’t win.  Now we have a guy running for Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, because he is cute and his dad, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, a Jesuit, was Prime Minister forever [and was a total jerk], who is promising to legalize marijuana, but I am sure he is just lying to get the youth vote. Believe it when I see it, that’s my citizen’s platform.

But is it fair to not want to vote for someone, not just because they are seemingly corrupt and their policies are vacuous, but because you cannot bear to look at them or hear their voice? Male politicians have had this effect on me, before I get accused of only judging women by their appearance, and Preston Manning comes to mind.  He was a fundamentalist preacher too, I believe, which really helped my attitude.

In this case, however, it is a woman who has been astonishingly chosen to lead the Liberal party in Ontario, Kathleen Wynne, and is in fact currently our Premier.

A throw away line in Monk, a peculiar but entertaining television series

has stayed with me, apropos of all this.  When asked whom she was going to vote for, his sidekick responded that she never voted because “it only encouraged the bastards.”  Yes, well.  She had a valid point.

It doesn’t matter much anymore whom [three whom’s in one post!] you vote for, they all want to pave the province and promise jobs, jobs, jobs, and mega-projects are what they love.  Big announcements, up on stage, making the rich industrialists who fund their campaigns richer, and better and better hors d’oeuvres at the soirees, whether fundraising or in sick victory.

I can only assume that my city councillor looks at that woman with envy, and hopes one day to have her job.  Do you remember these people from school?  Eager to please the authorities, and dreaming of being a hall monitor.  I sometimes wonder how they grew up in the same world I did, and what could possibly motivate them to try to run the lives of 8 million people.  Me, I don’t like being run.  And I wish they didn’t like running.

There seem to be a ridiculous number of parties registered in this provincial election, including a vegan option.  But wait, amongst the fringe we have a winner: None of the Above Party of Ontario / (NOTA)  Independent ministers, free from party whips?  Now there’s an idea long time coming!  Referendums?  No brainer in this informational age.

Gosh, I feel better now.  I can cast another fringe vote to the wind, perform my civic duty, and pretend it will help lurch the ship of state in the correct direction.

And having decided the direction of the province for the next four years, I can get back to the mundane, and a second cup of tea, which I hope you are also enjoying, if tea is just your cup of tea that is.