NOTE: This *entire* entry is about the Ontario election. If such things bore you, please skip this entry.Right, so the Ontario election was yesterday. The Liberals beat the shit out of everyone.
Yesterday was the first time in my life I've actually voted. I had the opportunity in the last Ontario election, but I didn't take it. I lived in a strongly conservative riding at the time, anyway, and being left-winged, I didn't see much point. That, and I think I forgot when election day came. Hey, I was only eighteen.
Anyway, the NDP got seven seats, meaning they've lost their status as an official party (and the funding that goes with it). For some reason I was under the impression that some sort of rule had changed, and that they had to raise their former nine seats up to twelve seats in order to maintain official party status (I can't remember where I thought I read that, but shut up, I'm new to politics .. or at least, new to paying attention to them), but apparently they only needed eight seats, which means they were only one short. There's also the irony of them winning a larger percentage of the popular vote than they did last time, yet still winning in fewer ridings. Of course, McGuinty, who won by a landslide, says he won't be lowering the number of seats needed for the NDP to maintain official party status. Too bad, I thought he could've been a bit more gracious in his victory, but oh well. I suppose such a favour from another party wouldn't really help the NDP's image.
So anyway, I voted NDP, obviously, and I also happen to live in one of the seven remaining NDP ridings. It's odd .. I feel like I'm living in an endangered species zone. They say the NDP are still recovering from the Bob Rae era. Too bad, because I like Howard Hampton (although I did think the swiss cheese gimmick was a bit much), and if the NDPs ever win an Ontario election, well, he'll most likely be long gone by then, and we could have another Bob "Photo Radar" Rae in charge. Although, in his defense, Rae was Premier during an economic crisis. I'll give him that.
Anyway, so all of that said, of course I knew that the NDP weren't going to win the election. I just hoped they'd keep their seats. Oh well. Anyway, I'm glad the Tories lost. They even lost all of the ridings in Toronto, so they're shut out of the city. I actually felt a little sorry for Eves (who, incidentally, has a voice identical to that of George Bush senior .. am I the only one who's noticed this?), who was in denial almost right up to the end, talking about the Tories having some sort of secret stash of voters hidden away somewhere, enough to win them the election. Right .. the election that they lost 72 to 24. I think his congratulating McGuinty on his victory in the end might've seemed more sincere if he hadn't made fun of McGuinty's "little sharp pointy head" earlier that day, though. McGuinty didn't stoop low enough to comment on Eves' vague resemblance to a mob boss in retort, and I admire him for it.
I found it funny that the Liberal slogan for this election was "Choose Change", when the Liberals are famous for getting into office and maintaining popularity by doing absolutely nothing (can't offend anyone if you haven't done anything, right?). Just look at Chr�tien. Although in this election, the slogan made sense, since the Liberals ought to be a change from the eight years of Tory government we've had. Really, though, I have my doubts. The Liberals become more and more like the Tories with every passing year.
I think, though, that I will wait to see how McGuinty does as Premier before I decide to dislike him. I watched the debate in the '99 election, and he seemed like an incompetent dope, but he seems to be much more on-the-ball this time around. We shall see.
Anyway, I'm off.
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