Election Call!

Well, it can't be a beautiful day every day - today we get the "remnants" of tropical storm Hanna - some wind expected but LOTS of rain! It's a storm outside our door with a very wet wind. I took in all the light furniture and the umbrella but I am not sure that it is actually required. They are having a lot of shooting at the gun club and the wind is carrying the sound right to us today - so there is rain and wind and the sound of rifle shots in the air. . .

After musing on Hanna, Stephen Harper called an election. On the one hand:
- Thank GAWD!! as he is the least democratic PM ever. Two bills at least (I'm no expert) were passed by the federal parliament - both driven by the NDP, by the way - that the Harper government ignored and said that they will ignore, even though they were passed by the house (in THIS parliament not the previous Liberal one in case there is any confusion) - one on Kyoto and one on Childcare.

On the other hand,
Do people want an election? I know I do but, I am not sure that the people really wanted another election right now. As Layton put it - "Harper quit his job today." And he quit it even though things have been going his way. He says it is because he couldn't make the parliament work, but with the Liberals abstaining on almost every critical piece of legislation in order to prop up the government (their numbers are foul, see http://nodice.ca/elections/canada/polls.php) things were in fact going his way. And, when he could not get his way he chooses to simply ignore the legislation he does not like - a loophole in our parliamentary democracy, apparently.

Other reasons he may have called the election - poor economic outlook ahead! High fuel costs this winter, combined with the U.S. economic downturn (they buy most of our "stuff") will mean that by next year Canadians may be unhappy, and more in need of a change. For more suspect reasons Harper may be calling an election now see: Scott Piatkowski on Rabble.

Since the election has been called though - get on Board - elect the NDP - imagine a government that actually governed for people, and for small businesses, (people who generally don't make a lot more money than but work lots more hours than the average worker in Canada) and not for the 1-5% of the richest people in the country or for big business. Go to NDP.CA right now and donate or get in touch with the local party and sign up to work!

In Nova Scotia, the nomination meeting (an exciting race with three great candidates vying for the spot) for Halifax to replace Alexa McDonough, happens Monday evening at the student union building at Dal. 6:00 pm if you want to register to vote (you must be a party member in the riding) 7:00pm for the meeting.