Election connection
I think I’m better-informed this election than any in the past. In addition to reading online newspapers, platforms, commentary and blogs, I’ve also become an acolyte of twitter – this either makes me better-informed or more aware of insignificant daily campaign minutiae – I haven’t decided yet. I’ve picked my favourite mainstream and alternative reporters and commentators, and I’ll read through their entries during my Indian morning and review the past Canadian day’s events and links to other media.
Sometimes I following real time. When I was in Botswana I lay in bed at midnight with my laptop screen lighting up the room and knew immediately what was happening with Parliamentary House committees and in the House of Commons with respect to the contempt allegations against the Conservatives. I was even emailing with Megan [Megan Leslie, the MP I worked with in Ottawa] during the vote – that was intercontinental electronic communication overload.
When I was in Landour, my internet connection was strong enough to livestream the CBC radio broadcast of the leadership debate. That, along with CBC’s liveblogging, filled my chilly Himalayan morning, as a tiny heater worked beside me. I wrote in to the CBC site and was thrilled to get mentions from Kady O’Malley and Rosemary Barton (CBC reporters). (I originally wrote that I got “shout-outs” from them…but the phrase “shout-out” has forever been ruined for me by Sarah Palin’s use during the US Vice-Presidential debates…the winking didn’t help…)
Now my only political problem is figuring out where to vote. My mailing address is in Saskatchewan, my driver’s license has my subletted address in Ottawa, and I have an apartment rented in Toronto with no official ID indicating that. And I’m in India until the 25th and in Sioux Lookout on Election Day. But a vote will be cast somehow, in some riding…although my preference would be to vote NDP in northern Saskatchewan and try to break the Conservative (plus one lonely Liberal) stronghold there.
I was reminded of Canada’s relatively beautiful electoral process by my father’s travel schedule in India. He was going to visit Assam, his home state, but knew there was an imminent election. Elections in Assam often come with violence, bombings, intimidation. So he changed his flight to avoid election day. Voters don’t have that choice.
