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Everybody wins because everybody loses.
The Liberals did not secure the majority they were after. The Conservatives remained the opposition. The NDP lost official party status. The Bloc got sidelined in their own province. The Greens could not grow their vote share. And the PPC faded to obscurity.
That leaves things tantalizingly poised. Despite the anomalous polarization, Canada's smaller parties will retain influence on policy. If this setup lasts for four years, expect a uniquely pluralist parliament that may yet introduce some transformative programs. That being said, the climate commitments (or lack thereof) leave this observer plenty peeved.
In the last newsletter, I made a couple of predictions. The first, that we would see a "sizeable percentage" cast ballots in advance polls. 7.3 million showed up to vote early, more than a quarter of the electorate (a new record). The second, that overall turnout would not pass 70%. It looks like the final tally will be close to 69%.
No cookies for easy guesses. But it is somewhat reassuring that certain patterns are still discernable within a topsy-turvy news cycle.
Of course, there is something that would push the turnout (well over) the 70 mark: proportional representation. In whatever alchemy you prefer, or whichever form the powers that be want to implement. Make every vote matter and people will respond.
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Onto the blog then. I have begun a new exercise - showcasing pictures on a weekly basis, sourced from an ever-growing archive of my travels and experiences. Here are the first set, the last one including a rant on driving around in an oversized world:
These pics will be shared each Tuesday moving forwards.
Aside from that, a couple of tunes that will elicit memory:
That is all for this month. It went by too quickly.
Pratyush |
