September 10, 2021 – Did you watch the debate? All of it? Did you watch the French debates? Do you think anything in the debate really can change the final vote results?
These are questions asked every election. But my job as a journalist is to watch the silly things.
As a jaded old white man I tend to tune out. I tend to watch body language and form as this tells a lot to me. It shows confidence, poise, and some of the intangibles. I’ve heard enough election promises to know most are complete and utter Pixie dust.
I mean it’s great to promise jobs, but we have an employee shortage. It’s great to promise more healthcare, but where are those staff supposed to be conjured from?
It’s great to promise housing, but the housing mess has been created by years of neglect by different Canadian and Provincial governments. Money can’t just fix it.
Best spray tan of the night? PM Trudeau. Blanchet gets a second nod.
Speaking of Blanchet his party really shouldn’t be at a Canadian leadership debate. His party doesn’t wish to govern Canada. Frankly most Canadians really aren’t interested in his party’s positions. He clearly is a one trick pony about seeing how much the province can extort negotiate from Canada.
As we’ve seen in this election the three major parties have done their best to fawn over Quebec. Racism? Language rights? First Nations? Healthcare? Bend over has been the line for Messers O’Toole, Trudeau and Singh with Mr. O’Toole appearing to win that race.
Having any leader there that doesn’t have a seat doesn’t seem Democratic. The Greens may have some strong message points, but they’re a mess. There’s no way to spin it. I’m not sure most of us really know what this party really represents in Canada.
As for their leader, Ms Paul made her points and presented herself well, but there was that nasty deference to her because of the very reasons she said she was proud to be there. We really can’t elect people because of the colour, religion, or plumbing they have. We truly need to realize that the solution can only be to create a situation where merit counts as opposed to the organizers of the English debate who appeared to have a no penis rule in place for moderators or journalists until Evan Solomon showed up at the end. This writer would be boggled to see the reaction if it were all men with a token woman tossed in to close. This really isn’t progress.
Who won? Well I score these things and was quite surprised to see that Jagmeet Singh won the debate. He was on point. Scored points, and actually showed his position to clearly be different than Mr. O’Toole or Trudeau. Politically he has created an option. That’s not an endorsement. That’s not me being partisan. It’s simply that he had a great debate.
Clearly the NDP want to be there for most Canadians. They want our teeth to be nice; our drugs on order, and an actual income net for those that need it most. I can’t really argue with that.
Of course the NDP haven’t been in power for an awfully long time, but Mr. Singh will be Kingmaker in this election and it makes this writer ponder whether he’ll drink Mr. O’Toole’s kool aid promises rather than go to the dance again with Mr. Trudeau? Jagmeet may just be able to help get some of his platform into the eventual PM’s.
At the end of the day when you sniff the lay of the land it looks like we’ll have another minority government which frankly is a good thing. The best things happen for real Canadians; the ones that pay the bills when we have a minority. No party or leader in this election frankly deserves a majority.
As for Mr. Trudeau & O’Toole?
Justin’s best moments were bitch slapping Mr. Blanchet, who frankly deserved it. JT is a Quebecer and reps a Quebec riding. He’s been the freaking Prime Minister as was his dad. While it galls the separatist/nationalist wing of Quebecers, most Francophones take pride in his success. Quebecers also generally like to vote for the winner of an election . You get more pork that way. Quebec voters are very savvy. Even when they vote for people like Blanchet it’s to send a message. JT frankly knew he had to score points in this debate. He didn’t score enough.
Erin performed in this debate as they he knew something we all don’t? Maybe he does? Maybe the party’s internal polling gives him his win?. Maybe he and Stephen Harper get naked in front of fireplaces late at night while drinking Single Malt and wrestle?
I digress.
It’s hard to be everything to everyone while flip flopping and attack your opponent.. O’Toole simple didn’t score any points other than jabs and jabs don’t work in politics. You have to drop some bombs and O’Toole didn’t during this debate.
So did this debate, if you watched it, impact your voting decision?
jamie@cornwallfreenews.com
Pc’s should win next election. NDP would be 2nd and Liberals dead last. I hate Trudeau. he killed the Liberal party. I have been a Liberal my whole life. I dislike Trudeau so much I will vote Pc or NDP just to get him out.
Yup, NDP all the way. Don’t trust Red or Blue to do what they promise. Singh seems to have a better idea what Canadians need. Let’s tax the big guys for once!