There is yet another political battle going on in Canada. Four years ago I warned you to be careful what you wish for. Canadians hoping for a change gave Justin Trudeau a Liberal majority back then. Many of us were skeptical that the majority of his election promises would/could never happen and those that did would cost us dearly.
Federal Budget
One (huge) example is the federal budget. In 2015, an election promise claimed the budget would balance itself by 2019. Although many of us saw that simplistic prediction as an enormous red flag, (the majority of) others were willing to play along, blindly. Perhaps it’s the handsome smile and fashionable clothing blinding his voters. The problem is they are attributes of someone that has never balanced let alone lived on a budget in his life.
Fast forward to the present: not only is the budget nowhere near balanced, but our national debt is also through the roof by BILLIONS of dollars and growing by the second. Why that does not scare more Canadians I am not sure. I worry most about my sons’ and grandchildren’s futures as the cost of living skyrockets out of control.
Scandals
Let’s not forget about the scandals that have plagued the Liberal party these past four years. Topping the never-ending list is the SNC-Lavalin (an engineering and construction company) fiasco where our Minister of Justice and Attorney General left the Liberal party because she felt bullied and pressured into intervening in an ongoing criminal case against the company. An investigation proved she had reason to feel pressured.
Then there are the recent black and brown-face pictures as well as the outlandish garments Trudeau wore representing Canada abroad. Our incredibly immature, shallow and inappropriate Prime Minister apparently likes to play dress-up, fitting I suppose for a (former) drama teacher craving the spotlight. Hardly the image we (most I hope) Canadians want to represent us on the global stage.
Use Your Vote Wisely in this Political Battle
Trudeau may be a charismatic and friendly man but he has also proven to be foolish, naïve, a liar, a bully, and a cheater, not to mention an elitist, without a clue how most of us live. Average citizens with those characteristics would lose their jobs!
So, what’s the purpose of this rant? Not to sway your vote in this specific political battle. To warn you to think long and hard about how you want this wonderful country of ours to move forward. No one political party will (now or ever) tick off all the right boxes for the issues at stake. Individual voters have to decide which party ticks off the most and the most important (to us) of these boxes, then vote accordingly.
I have not even touched on the other important issues that divide the political parties. In addition to the budget and fiscal deficits, each party has its own stance on climate change, oil pipelines, abortion, gun control, health care, same-sex marriage, child care, education, immigration, indigenous rights, and more. The list goes on and on, be sure to read up on these crucial issues before you vote.
Of course, there are the outrageous campaign promises flying around too in the political battle. Are reduced cell phone rates really a life necessity? Or just another calculated attempt to grab votes from the younger, phone-obsessed generation? Just like legalizing marijuana was in the last election. After all, most of the voters thinking cell phones and marijuana are important issues don’t yet pay the exorbitant taxes or hydro and electricity rates the rest of us are mandated to.
Political Mud Slinging and Fake News
There is so much desperate political garbage and yes, fake news, on every form of social media these days. I am sick of it. It’s only going to get worse within the next few weeks though. Until the election is over, it will build up to a frenzied pitch. Ignore the mudslinging on social media. Research what each party stands for yourself. Learn the issues. Peruse a few sites. Remember though, all of them have the potential to be biased!
The last one compares the platforms for each political party, sorted by specific issues. I found it very informative. Do your homework before you vote blindly. Please!
