Election 2006

The federal election in Canada is now well under way today in the
east and beginning in the west. Am I so detached from these
elections? or could one call me a run-away voter here in Taiwan?
I am very much interested in what goes on in politics no matter
where I am and including wherever I am.

It will be an interesting one I should correct myself and say that
all elections are exciting even those here in Taiwan and other
places. What will be interesting is all the negative campaign ads
that each party uses to defame each other. Does it work? Does it
affect the voter's final decision? Well to be honest It doesn't affect
my political decisions but even if it does affect voter decision I am
sure (at least I hope) it doesn't affect all the many people.

Whatever the results ends up being I am sure not much will
change because I find Canada like most industrialized countries to
be very conservative. The majority of people seem reluctant to
total/widespread change in government; therefore, parties like
the New Democrats, or the Greens may well just be another
minority in Ottawa.

During the last BC provincial elections there was the referendum,
which was defeated by less than 5% or whatever it was. I think
it was too bad that it was defeated because it would have made
some improvements in the way voters voted - they would have
more choice and even smaller parties would have more chance
of a seat in government. A bit closer to a more proportional
representation system. I've heard New Zealand (?) I believe
has passed a similar referendum but I find New Zealand to be
not as conservative as Canada. I think the reason why the
referendum was defeated in BC was because of a lack of
information provided to the voters because I worked as an
information officer during the BC election and I found a lot of
people had no clue what it was about and therefore destroyed
their referendum ballot. So there may have been an increased
number of destroyed ballots.

Another thing I am very much interested in is voter turnout.
Probably, will be much lower as expected as the younger
generation tend be more passive than in the past.
I honestly would be all for a manditory vote.

Well so much for that. We wait and see what happens then get
back to our routine lives as if nothing happened. Isn't that how
it is in most countries?