The Upcoming Canadian Election Means More for All of Us than You think

Why I’m Using My Black Woman Perspective to Examine the Three Main Parties and What They Offer The World

Over the next few weeks leading up to the Canadian election, I’ll be writing about the main Canadian parties courting the people for power.

I’m doing this because I believe that this election is more pivotal than we realize. Whoever Canadians give power to now will tell the tale of who we are.

Are we a nation that believes in democracy as the image of the polite Canuck suggests? Or, are we watered down authoritarian-loving MAGA lite Canadians. Do we want a democracy where we work together, as suggested by the New Democrats; or an obvious rule from the top for the rich Conservative elite government.

Do we choose the Green party, putting aside the rabid racist face they recently revealed in their attacks against Green leader Annamie Paul? Do we stick with the status quo of the current Liberal government? A ruling party that says it’s for the people but chooses corporations and climate destruction over the people.

This election is about who Canada wants to be as it grows up.

A country built on a strong democratic foundation. A country that understands the future is working together with the original inhabitants of this land. A country that gets that racism, White Supremacy, and hate will never build a sustainable future.

A country that respects all people, and celebrates our differences. A country that understands that only by forging a strong democracy that supports and sustains the people in a web of compassion and empathy can we become that shining city on a hill. A beacon for the future.

Or, we can choose to continue as is. Focused on allowing the rich to continue to spread their malignant ideas of “leadership” that have led us to the edge of global collapse. Maybe I’m being too harsh on the rich. Maybe giving them another few hundred years to show us how to nation-build through mass destitution, psychological manipulation and starvation will help them self-soothe. Just one more tax cut for them and it’ll all be good, baby. For them, not us.

You know who says trust me one more time, I promise I’ll change? Sick, narcissistic fucks who know how to spin lies. Know who believes those same old lies? Abused people in dysfunctional, violent relationships.

Why doesn’t she (because it’s more often a “she” than not) leave? You ask that question every time another person dies at the hands of their abuser, why don’t they leave? You tell me Canada, why can’t we quit the ones who keep hurting us again and again?

The ruling elites never learn. Even George Orwell, a product of wealthy, UK schools noted that the rich are incapable of learning. I disagree with that brilliant mind on this point, the rich do learn. They learn how to better deliver their vengeful poison. Want to buy a house? Nope. We’re buying them all up and renting them to you at our inflated prices that you can’t do anything about.

Yes, this drives up housing costs, but you know, ask your boss for a bump. Oh, wait, I am your boss. And I decree if you’ve got time to ask me for a raise, you must not be hungry enough. (That’s not a reference to Eric Carle’s, The Hungry Caterpillar)

Whoever we-the-people give power to in this election will determine how our lives look over the next few years. It will determine if we keep White Supremacy and its underlying systems of inequality and injustice.

It will determine if our country becomes better or worse. And as much as I’m hoping and working for the best, I’ve been to this dance many times. My hope has no more life in it than one of my seedlings. Despite my best efforts at loving and nourishing it, I watch it whither, curl into itself and die.

Who we the people choose will determine how we act on climate change.

If you believed we had time to waste denying or doing nothing about climate change, the town of Lytton should caution otherwise. The recent IPCC report tells us the time’s up. We are in a hard race, with no reserve stores of energy, and the finish line is a brick wall swaying on unstable ground. There are only two options. Either we deal with climate change and stop polluting immediately or we don’t.

Like Covid, climate change doesn’t give one darn about who you are and what you have. It will take everything. If we are to mitigate its effects we have to actually take action. And this is (yet another area) where the ruling elites fail. They know climate change is real. But their inertia in the form of stock options, off-shore hidden money, and luxury basement bunkers has them thinking they’ll be alright. We the people might all die and good riddance, but their bunkers will save them for at least one more day.

I’ve given myself a task to examine these political parties and their leadership. I will write my motivations on why I’m not voting for the Liberals and if you want to tune in and comment or contribute, please do.

As a Black woman, my bones know the importance of this election.

Trudeau may have called it for his own selfish reasons but like Covid, it’s giving us an opportunity.

We need to choose wisely and understand the motivations behind our choices. So, Imma publish my motivations. I’m pretty sure if I get anything wrong, you’ll let me know.