We have yet another example of the conservatives having only short term gain and quick profits on their mind. Turner and the liberals were right when they said that we have been building this country east to west for a century plus, and that we should have continued doing so. And now we are seeing Turner’s predictions coming true, and a conservative sold us the fuck out and took the easy way Instead of nation building.
Admittedly the Liberals are not my party of choice but there still is validity for voting for the lesser of two bad options. Until we can address the first past the post system we are beholden to voting more against than for a given regime by reaching a sort of mutual concensus with our neighbours before we hit the polls. That representive voting system needs to happen elsewise we’re stuck playing this dumb game.
But it’s hard to compare even this party I am not terribly enthusiastic to to the Democrats when there’s at least mediocre commitments to a number of decent causes toward reconciliation, reasonable commitment to the Kyoto climate accord targets, stated support of LGBTQIA+ causes and at least a lukewarm support of Palistine mostly expressed through refugee programs and a spineless condemnation of the atrocities and a recognition of two state authorities in the region. There’s also a much more robust court culture and a wider swath of people in the party who at least demonstrate a desire for a properly pluralistic, secular society.
It’s more useful to veiw the parties based on how they talk within their own parties because it’s not a presidential situation. There’s less unilateral moves to be made as a PM without party support is a lame horse. While I wish we would see wider endorsement of the NDP it’s not traditionally a popular party in the field and there’s way more swing between Libs and Conservatives.
The Liberals are trying their best to find a tasty middle ground for the “fiscal Conservative voter” to bite because strategy reasons. They put forward a candidate who is Albertan, Catholic, an outsider to politics with a lot of financial sector ties who pulls quotes from the era of the Quiet revolution and balancing government budgets for the discerning blue voter while the more leftist ones can chew on his ringing of alarm bells of wealth inequality, climate change and the lack of application of morals in the markets. He’s been largely silent on 2SLGBTQIA+ issues which while always a little unsettling the previous admin left on a very openly queer friendly stance so while again, not ideal, all that currently is needed at present is just not undoing what’s been done and supporting the stuff already in progress.
Is he everything we’ve dreamed? Not really. But it shows they are trying to build out a solid concensus candidate that a broad range of people can stomach.
I would consider the various issues you describe are as fair examples of what I described: difference in magnitude rather than kind. The Democrats pay many of those same values lip service – or at least did, before thinking this time maybe their problem is the lip service rather than miniscule action. In no way do I mean to imply that those differences in magnitude are marginal. By magnitude I mean you could relatively score them by moving decimal points.
But I want to conclude with what I think is my most important point/position. I’m fully on board the LPC train this round. Electoral reform is my longstanding top issue, but the disaster down south and the clear path Canada has through it easily displace that (for now). Heck, the CPC threat had me struggling with my vow to never vote LPC under Trudeau until someone delivered electoral reform. If a Carney-led LPC gave us proper electoral reform, I could end up considering LPC a very long-term top option rather than strategic defense. But considering the dangerous optics of repeating Trudeau’s broken promise, I don’t even want it mentioned right now.
Right now its 💯 elbows up.
Man… we’ve been doing this for decades. Where did that get us?
Better than voting for the greater of two bad options. What needs to be done is change the system to allow good options more easily, but in the mean time letting the worst options run amok isn’t going to help anything.
This problem can’t be solved by voting alone, but not voting will make it worse.
Amen brother. That’s the real source of the problem right there.