So what have I been reading today? What else but party websites. Not the good type of party, the political party. God this election is depressing me. Happily though, I can say in all honesty that the NDP website kicks butt on the other two leading parties, not in terms of design (because they all suck design-wise) but in terms of language. Whether or not you agree with with the NDP content, they have presented their ideas in the clearest and most personable manner.
The Liberal website was so full of political schmoozy language - basically stating "we're vague and we're proud of it!" Anything to avoid making actual statements about issues, and being as general as possible. It read as though a computer programmed with "placating the public" had written it. It was charged with so many political cliches that it was entirely impersonal. It irked me, it irked me bad. The only thing I liked about it was the blog, just because at least it sounded like a real person was behind the liberal party.
The Conservative party was ...well this is difficult for me to review impartially as Stephen Harper does drink blood and own a dragon (mercer report, click the liberal ad). Though I guess for a fantasy geek, these should be good things. Hmm...
Basically I can't say anything nice about a man who hates queers - it's self-destructive and would not allow me to continue my whole ass fucking thing. I know he's probably going to win, but if he gets a majority government I'm stating now that I will leave good ol' Canada until the next election. It's not a threat, it's a promise.
I will say that the amount of times "canadian values" came up on the site rivals Bush's use of "american family values." I have come to realize that the word "values" only has a negative connotation for me now, though I do support family values (and good taste in general) by refusing to dance to My Hump in clubs. And it was a little depressing to see that he has no policies on education on the main pages of his site, other than saying he will make it easier to get an education as a tradesman. The site was fairly specific about their policies and plans of action, but not particularly thorough in their explanations.
The NDP site was way more personal, but still professional. And it addressed issues with a directness and thoroughness that the others didn't. I didn't feel like anything was being hidden or like I was being patronized, which was nice. I have never voted NDP before (and surprise, surprise, I have voted conservative once before), and I know Jack has not been doing great in the speeches and stuff, but they seem to have some policies in place. They placed education right up there as an issue and they also talked about something that no other site is even mentioning - aboriginal issues, not that they have the best ideas, but at least they still acknowledge it. Have people forgotten about this issue? I know walking the streets of this city, I can't ignore it. These peoples have been destroyed, as Chris Rock would say, when was the last time you saw an entire family of natives eating at IHOP? Or an entire family of natives anywhere for that matter.
I just read a fabulous book about the subject actually, called Wasase: Indigenous Pathways of Action and Freedom by Taiaiake Alfred. It's so incredibly well written and proposes some fairly big changes. He's basically stating that all the money and land claims we've thrown at this issue has done nothing, the problems with alcohol and homelessness are still raging. He believes that the only thing that can help is for the aboriginal people to feel like, well, people. It seems to me that no one, including myself, refers to them as people anymore, but as an "issue." In order for this happen, some radical action is required, they need to feel responsible and like a real community, and he's proposing that giving up all government aide might be the only way for aboriginal people to fight their way back up and feel like human beings again, taking responsibility for their own fight. He recognizes that most are not the warriors they once were, and that as a people they might not be strong enough right now, but is starting to encourage the path of the warrior as an option rooted in their culture. I don't know yet if I agree with all he had to say, but he certainly had an excellent way of saying it. I hope the success of this book will bring this "issue" back up to the forefront.
Anyway, such are my thoughts on election day. May the least heinous man win, though I don't know who that is yet, I think you all know who the most heinous man is and I have confidence that you will not vote for him and send Canada into the same family values vs open-mindedness civil war that the US is waging right now.
The Liberal website was so full of political schmoozy language - basically stating "we're vague and we're proud of it!" Anything to avoid making actual statements about issues, and being as general as possible. It read as though a computer programmed with "placating the public" had written it. It was charged with so many political cliches that it was entirely impersonal. It irked me, it irked me bad. The only thing I liked about it was the blog, just because at least it sounded like a real person was behind the liberal party.
The Conservative party was ...well this is difficult for me to review impartially as Stephen Harper does drink blood and own a dragon (mercer report, click the liberal ad). Though I guess for a fantasy geek, these should be good things. Hmm...
Basically I can't say anything nice about a man who hates queers - it's self-destructive and would not allow me to continue my whole ass fucking thing. I know he's probably going to win, but if he gets a majority government I'm stating now that I will leave good ol' Canada until the next election. It's not a threat, it's a promise.
I will say that the amount of times "canadian values" came up on the site rivals Bush's use of "american family values." I have come to realize that the word "values" only has a negative connotation for me now, though I do support family values (and good taste in general) by refusing to dance to My Hump in clubs. And it was a little depressing to see that he has no policies on education on the main pages of his site, other than saying he will make it easier to get an education as a tradesman. The site was fairly specific about their policies and plans of action, but not particularly thorough in their explanations.
The NDP site was way more personal, but still professional. And it addressed issues with a directness and thoroughness that the others didn't. I didn't feel like anything was being hidden or like I was being patronized, which was nice. I have never voted NDP before (and surprise, surprise, I have voted conservative once before), and I know Jack has not been doing great in the speeches and stuff, but they seem to have some policies in place. They placed education right up there as an issue and they also talked about something that no other site is even mentioning - aboriginal issues, not that they have the best ideas, but at least they still acknowledge it. Have people forgotten about this issue? I know walking the streets of this city, I can't ignore it. These peoples have been destroyed, as Chris Rock would say, when was the last time you saw an entire family of natives eating at IHOP? Or an entire family of natives anywhere for that matter.
I just read a fabulous book about the subject actually, called Wasase: Indigenous Pathways of Action and Freedom by Taiaiake Alfred. It's so incredibly well written and proposes some fairly big changes. He's basically stating that all the money and land claims we've thrown at this issue has done nothing, the problems with alcohol and homelessness are still raging. He believes that the only thing that can help is for the aboriginal people to feel like, well, people. It seems to me that no one, including myself, refers to them as people anymore, but as an "issue." In order for this happen, some radical action is required, they need to feel responsible and like a real community, and he's proposing that giving up all government aide might be the only way for aboriginal people to fight their way back up and feel like human beings again, taking responsibility for their own fight. He recognizes that most are not the warriors they once were, and that as a people they might not be strong enough right now, but is starting to encourage the path of the warrior as an option rooted in their culture. I don't know yet if I agree with all he had to say, but he certainly had an excellent way of saying it. I hope the success of this book will bring this "issue" back up to the forefront.
Anyway, such are my thoughts on election day. May the least heinous man win, though I don't know who that is yet, I think you all know who the most heinous man is and I have confidence that you will not vote for him and send Canada into the same family values vs open-mindedness civil war that the US is waging right now.
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