CFN – What an odd end to the Ontario provincial elections. In the “Big Picture” voter turnout was the key factor with the province slumping under the 50% mark.
That means that over half of the eligable voters in this province just couldn’t be bothered or care about voting.
How many of those that did vote actually understand the issues enough to make their votes truly count?
How many voted because they asked their spouse who to vote for? Or because the candidate has such nice looking children? Or because they saw a sign complaining about taxes; or because their local paper simply opted out of reporting the election; or even worse reported it in a manner that makes the term “partisan” seem milque toast?
But at the end of the day that’s how our Democracy works. That’s why the world is the way it is. After watching what went on this past month or so it kinda made me want to move to Iceland.
But then the sun rises and the blue sky smiles down on all of us, and it’s another day.
I stopped by the PC offices before the announcements and chatted briefly with Gentleman Jim McDonell our new MPP. We shook hands, and after a brief video interview which I botched up on my new computer, wished him well.
It’s not easy being a candidate. A lot of the machinery in the back ground you don’t have control on. Not all the media are friendly, and I think at times you can’t separate your friends from your enemies…
For those that ran it was an experience I’m sure. It was a first for some and not for others. It’s an acid test done on a public platform. It’s why I’ll never run for public office myself except for something like the Chamber of Commerce or maybe, just maybe, city council.
So for today here in SD&SG Ontario I’ll congratulate our new MPP Gentleman Jim McDonell. I’ll congratulate our Premier Dalton McGuinty even though I think you deserve some sort of special award for coming within one seat of a Majority.
I won’t congratulate we voters, and I won’t listen to some of the complaints I hear because I know over half you didn’t vote.
The greatest thing is that no matter what ever happens it creates opportunity. Now it’s time to see what happens with the opportunities created by our election.
You can post your thoughts and comments below.
Jamie Gilcig- Editor – The Cornwall Free News
Comments and opinions of Editorials, Letters to the Editor, and comments from readers are purely their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of the owners of this site, their staff, or sponsors.)
If only we could some how average out the compassion and interest of the posters to this information source (CFN) and the non voter, we could see more voters. Did we ever have, or can we gain the spirit of
John F Kenedy’s “ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country” speech?
Jamie; I have never written a comment on your site before as I was disgutted with your comments about Mr. McDonell. It is interesting that now that he will be our new MPP you call him “Gentlemen” but leading up to the election he was Mayor “McFuddle”. Many people in the community believe that you owe him an apology. You are damn lucky that Mr. McDonell is a gentlemen as he will continue to tolerate you and your interviews, he will not hold a grudge against you for supporting Mark and bashing him as that is the kind of guy he is, that is why he won the election!!
Jamie I know a certain MP who’d love it if you moved to Iceland.
Joseph, What do you say to the post election exchange of courtesies between our editor and Mr. McDonell described above? And what would you say to all the people who routinely refer to our Premier as McFibber? A touch of hypocrisy in your post?
“That means that over half of the eligible voters in this province just couldn’t be bothered or care about voting” – a no show is still a vote for the same old, same old crowd!
You’re right Tom. It boggles my mind that so few eligible voters voted.
Maybe we do get the governments we deserve.
If the non voters only help keep the same old then why did a Liberal riding get beaten BADLY by a Conservative candidate?
Higher voter turn-out would not have helped the Liberal cause but maybe the NDP’s!
Jamie, I do believe this long post is just a diversion to keep you from having to talk about the real important issue last night…the Leafs clobbered les Habs by a score of 2 to 0. Go Leafs Go, Go Leafs Go.
Some people don’t vote because they are simply lazy or could care less. For other people including myself, voting creates a contract with the party of your choice to be governed by that party.
In this day and age, your party of choice will not do a d*** thing for you and you know it. Never mind health care. You are already PAYING for it. They are not doing you any favours. A farmer calls the vet when his cow is sick -because he wants the milk. Same goes.
We have seen uprising all over the world and now OWS-Occupy Wall Street in NY and many cities in the US and Canada. While this is way beyond the scope of this article, suffice to say that soon it won’t matter who you vote for. Start buying canned goods. There is a reason why Harper is building jails at a time crime is down.
You could be right Reg, but too much bad news in a day could be too much for some of our viewers…..
The big picture – Mike! Were the Liberals removed from Queens Park? Who is still on the throne? A minority government – good, but not good enough?
Just very recently, I was priviliged to visit one of our Canadian War Grave sites in Europe. They are very easy to find and no, they are not all in France. Over the years, I’ve been honored to visit some fifteen sites, some large, some small, but all were beautifully attented to. This is a not a lead in, to a travel article, but reading the voter turn-out in our Provincial election, brought me back to that Canadian Grave site that I just saw and that made me terribly sad ! Sad indeed !
The outcome of this election is almost perfect. The Libs got a slap down to minority status, and we don’t have a buffoon for a premier.
Till someone crosses the floor, Furtz. Meantime, let the Canadian Spring begin to take care of the buffoons in Ottawa.
It’s looking like the only effective opposition to the Harper Reformatories will be the Supreme Court and the non Con provincial governments. The urban/rural split in Ontario is perplexing. Why is it that rural voters hate “foreign” workers (immigrants), taxes, and gays so much more than urban voters? Hudak was the next thing to God in all the rural ridings, but a complete a-hole in all the urban ridings. What’s with that?
Goes to show what urbanites know!