This has been an interesting year so far. I’ve posted some fairly lengthy diatribes expressing my thoughts and feelings. But I am just a powerless voice in the woods of western Canada, so shaking my fist at the sky is more personal therapy than any kind of action towards solving a problem.
But my life, despite its human difficulties, frustrations, and times of sadness, is actually pretty good. Every once in a while the world spins in a way that restores a bit of my tattered faith in humanity… or just brightens my day. Our Federal election results this week here in Canada are one of those positive rotational incidents.
Carney won
I wanted a strong opponent to Trump and the MAGAt movement to be our Prime Minister. For me that was unquestionably Mark Carney.
I’m not a strong Liberal supporter, although over the years I’ve lost my faith in the Conservatives. 20 years ago the Conservatives still had elements of the ‘Progressive Conservative’ party of yore. But their absorption of increasingly extreme groups like the Reform party / Canadian Alliance into their ranks shifted their policies.
Conservatives began to stand for more covert racism (“We need less of them immigrants!”), sexism (“Wimmin folks should stay at home!”), and bible thumping evangelical fear and hatred (“Gays is going to hell!”) with less of a focus on fiscal conservatism. Too much focus on blame, hatred, and calling our country ‘broken’: think “MAGAt-lite” and you get the idea.
Carney and the Liberals, on the other hand,, have a positive message and a very clear rebuke towards everything Trump has been saying. Carney also has an incredibly strong background in exactly the kind of global financial interconnectedness that needs to be understood to mitigate the tariff trade war insanity. He might even know enough to have us come out the other side stronger.
The next four years of U.S. global stupidity is still going to suck- we have not yet even seen the tip of the financial meltdown iceberg that I think is coming. The poor and middle class are going to be driven into poverty and suffering to feed even more wealth to the super-rich. The reversals of social progress on race, sexuality, religion, and gender are going to be monumental. But at least we have a good leader here in Canada to hopefully avoid the worst of the disaster while representing values I admire. My fellow Canadians have given me a bit of hope in a dark time.
… and Poilievre concedes
Although I dislike what Poilievre stands for I am comforted that at least he was Canadian enough to promptly concede his election loss. He even accompanied his concession with words of unity. This quote from his speech makes me feel at least some degree of good-will towards the man:
his party will “work with the prime minister and all parties with the common goal of defending Canada’s interests and getting a new trade deal that puts these tariffs behind us while protecting our sovereignty and the Canadian people.”
That’s the kind of “for the benefit of all Canadians” thing I was worried our Conservatives might be throwing out with their rush to emulate the MAGAt movement. It seems that I was, at least for now, mistaken in that concern.
Some optimism remaining
As I said in the intro, my life is pretty good. But I mourn for the decades of human progress being undone in months by the U.S. MAGAt movement. I fear the incredible damage the dictatorial oligarchy of idiots leading the most powerful nation on Earth is causing. I am angered by the fact that my fellow humans can be so cruel, petty, and disappointing as to willingly and seemingly joyfully elect such an administration.
But there is still room for optimism. I think my fellow Canadians made a good choice earlier this week, and it is something that makes me feel a small burst of hope. And even the ‘losers’ in this election demonstrate that Canada has at its core remained the Canada I know and love.
I feel like I can turn my attention for a while to the many good things right next to me. I can perhaps in time rekindle the belief that Americans might have their own turn-around before their core goodness completely expires. I expect greater and greater horrors over the coming months from the U.S. administration and I’m sure I will have lots to say here about that. But hope still lives.