Unprecedented

I’ve never watched a parliamentary vote before last week. Now I’ve watched a few. People are political, but this is different. Everyone, everywhere, seems to have an opinion.

The Liberals survived tonight. I’m glad. The people who made the most sense this week were those who didn’t speak in the heat of the moment after Belinda’s defection. Things are too hot in Ottawa right now for anyone to make an intelligent decision. This will buy some time.

Liberals can’t feel too good about themselves right now. You don’t get a much closer vote than this. Even fellow Liberals are getting turned off by what’s been going on. This isn’t a good time to get comfortable. Winning the vote tonight could be a Pyrrhic victory if they don’t start doing better. They could end up self-destructing like the Conservatives did after Mulroney.

Conservatives also need to do better. James left a comment that the social conservatism of the Conservatives doesn’t match Canada. I’m not sure. Polls are split on most social issues. I think there is room for moderates, and surely there is room for a political party in Canada that takes a slightly more conservative view than the Liberals. (Even the Conservatives are leftist in comparison to many other countries.)

What the Conservatives need is really what the Liberals need as well: to rise above the dirtiness we’ve watched these past few weeks and to start look like they have a bigger agenda than their own success. This applies to both parties equally, I would think. Duceppe and Layton are looking good in comparison.

Darryl Dash

Darryl Dash

I'm a grateful husband, father, oupa, and pastor of Grace Fellowship Church Don Mills. I love learning, writing, and encouraging. I'm on a lifelong quest to become a humble, gracious old man.
Toronto, Canada