Canada has held its 40th National Election.
The outcome?More of the same.
Is it time for a change?
Yes.
By speaking of small minds, am I referring to the intelligence of the electorate of Canada?
No.
Am I referring to the intelligence of our elected representatives?
No.
I am speaking about small imaginations.
And in this case, I believe it is the duty of our leaders to imagine a way of life that is bigger in one or more important ways than the way of life that we as a nation lead now.
I am thus referring to a failure of imagination at the leadership level of our country.
And I am coping with my disappointment at the outcome of the election by attempting to articulate more precisely what it is that has failed, and how Canada's 40th Federal Election has signalled that failure.
I will begin with the failure of imagination of the Conservative Party of Canada. But I will not end it there. The problem is bigger than the small minds of the leaders of the Conservative Party alone. As the discussion progresses, I will address the deficits of imagination of the other parties as well.
I will not spare the question of the scope of imagination of the electorate.
And I will thus endeavour to stretch my own imagination as well, or my plaint will be of little benefit in lifting the level of the ongoing flow of the dialogue of the nation.
I'll have more to say later.
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Time for change - I agree. Respectfully - we will disagree on the required change.
ReplyDeleteHowever it certainly appears that a large number of our fellow voters don't agree with either of us - or they are so impressed with us that they leave the actual voting part in our hands.
Very sad.
Kevin,
ReplyDelete(1) Please permit me to state my position before you arrive at the certainty of disagreeing with me.
(2) On the night of the election, each person I spoke with was voting for a different party, and none of them the same party as I. That didn't really trouble me (even though I subscribed to the ABC movement promoted by Danny Williams of Newfoundland).
(3) I can see points that are right and points that are wrong about the positions of each party. Even with my ultimate distaste for the Conservative Party, based on its failure of vision for Canada's resource and small investor (as opposed to big investor) sectors, I have often found myself proud for Mr. Harper and what he has done for Canada. We are all Canadians, and each of the leaders represented vital aspects of Canadian values.
(4) Thus, I think the failure has been one of fundamental vision. I don't think any of the leaders began to stretch their "eyesight" far enough (I found Elizabeth May most imaginative, though I did not vote for her party). Thus, no matter what the vote, imagination would still have remained the loser in Canada's 40th Federal Election.
This is my fundamental concern.... The 21st century will be a far different century than the 20th. Canada will thus have to be a very different country. I think we are slow on the way to getting there. The new century is a-wasting, and we have to get somewhere that is not the place we are now!
My disagreement was with ABC.
ReplyDeleteI do acknowledge you did point out several good things about the Cs.
While walking across the base yesterday with a rucksack and helmet on, my boss and I were talking - it is too bad all of the parties see every issue as a boxing match or UFC match that must be won at all costs. Too bad they cannot actually step back and look at each issue for the good of the country.
I look forward to reading more when you post.