Eternal Optimist

Posted on 1/24/2006 at 9:26 AM - Post Comment

I believe in hard work and dedication, not luck and wishes. I am also the eternal optimist.

Yesterday Canada elected a new Prime Minister - a Conservative government after years of Liberal corruption.

Now, I am the first one to declare that Canada needs major reform to it'selection process. For example, in Canada, one party can get more physical votes and still not win the election. It's about "seats" - the party that gets the most seats gets to have their leader as leader of the country. We don't actually vote directly for the Prime Minister. Weird. So even though my local representative of the party I wanted to run the country is a bonehead, I voted for him.

So, how does this vindicate the eternal optimist? Because nearly everyone I talked to said "Why bother! The east will just elect another Liberal government." To which I would always reply "maybe not". I had faith in my fellow Canadians to say to Martin's crooked cabinet "WE'VE HAD ENOUGH!"

Canadians are notoriously laid back. Some might even say apathetic. And as long as we get to live our comfortable lifestyle, most don't really care what the government is doing. "What's a billion dollar payoff to friends of the PM? I still get my Child Tax Benefit every month and free health care."

But many of us do care. And many of us acknowledge our role as citizens in allowing corruption and waste. We are a quiet bunch. And some of us remain optimistic.

Sure, it's another minority government - and the wacko BQ and NDP gained way too many seats - so very little will actually get accomplished. But my fellow countrymen stepped up and did what the democratic process allows: Removed a leader who didn't deserve the position.

I cast my small, Western vote with pride and optimism. I watched the election results with baited breath (that's a gross saying). And remained optimistic that things can change. And that the crooks don't always win.

And this time, I was right.