Federal election? Did someone call a federal election? It doesn’t feel like an election. After all — and I don’t think I’m alone when I say this — I have no idea who the local candidates are. I don’t know their names or what they stand for, beyond grasping for more power.
Sure, I’ve seen the party leaders in the news. Who is there? Let’s see… For the so-called “Liberals”, there’s Paul Martin. He’s the prime minister who was appointed after the last guy retired. For the NDP, there’s um… is his name Jack? Yeah I never heard of him either. Heading the newly transmogrified Conservatives, it’s… well it was Joe Clark wasn’t it? Now it’s some other guy? I don’t know. Stephen? Good ol’ right-wing, Steve. Yeah, we needed another right-wing, pro-Bush, pro-business candidate to choose from.
Paul, Jack, and Steve. Is this the election of the generic male names?
As for the local candidates in my riding of Vancouver East, it’s a greater mystery. There are no signs out on the lawns (that I’ve seen), and no news coverage. It’s normally an NDP riding in a sea of Liberal ridings, which gives you an idea of the importance of the area in a federal election. We’re the disposable and neglected riding.
I’ve only lived in East Vancouver since 1996, on and off, but still I don’t know who our local MP is or who the candidates are. I guess they’re not big on campaigns.
In the end, it’s not important. The Liberals will probably win again, or if they don’t, another party will transform themselves into carbon-copies of them and continue the rampage through the public coffers.
That’s not cynical, is it?