Politics of Zimbabwe

I have always suffered, if that is the correct term, from wanderlust. I have travelled across most provinces in Canada, except for PEI; I spent most of my life in BC, and parts of my summers in Newfoundland. I also taught school overseas, in an impoverished yet beautiful country called El Salvador.

Now the extent of my travelling is to Lethbridge, Calgary, and Stony Plain, with side trips to Vauxhall.

I don't mind staying here in Alberta, or even Canada, for that matter. I think I know the way its people operate; I am a third-generation Irish-Canadian myself and this is home. It has the variety yet similarity in language, geography, ethnicity, and culture. While there are days that I cannot honestly answer the question, 'What is a Canadian?', I don't think I wouldn't intentionally do anything to alter the fabric of this glorious nation, unless through bona fide, civil means.

A few weeks ago, I went to the polls, along with millions of others and voted for the people I thought would run this country most responsibly. Many of you know my views on politics, though you certainly don't know why. And had a different party been voted in, I would have been sad and disappointed. But at least I would have respected the voice of the people.

As I sit and write these words, days before you read them and days before the infamous December 8 budget deadline, I am shocked to learn that there is an extremely good possibility that the government that was duly elected is about to be dumped. (However, there are some clever and political maneuverings that could forestall that calamity. Please allow for this thing called a 'deadline' to make my column possibly obsolete.)

Replaced how? Replaced when? Replaced by whom? Well, I shudder when I try to answer those questions. The de facto leader of our country will be the same one who was basically thrown out of his own party for leading them to their worst defeat in the recent election. A contributor to this anguish is a leader of a party whose sole interest is the betterment of Quebec – nothing more, nothing less. Finally getting into the action this way, rather than any other way, is the NDP. Check out their record at the province level - any province where they have some power, for that matter - and see if they are fit to possess even one solitary cabinet post.

The apparent reason for the political sandbox pile on is the economic constraints that are plaguing the land. Let me understand this: Because of the serious economic situation in our nation, we are going to accelerate the uncertainty. In other words, we will add further financial instability to existing financial instability. That makes a lot of sense, especially if you are a left of centre or left of left of centre. (Maybe if they simply just left...)

I have no idea if this fiasco called a coalition will even get off the ground. I do know that if they sincerely mean what they say, and you will be hard-pressed to find common Canadians who believe that , they should demand concessions. Bad as that is, at least they would be acting like brats and not bullies. If that doesn't work, then call an election. As expensive and inconvenient as that option is, let the people decide. My, what a novel idea, especially in what was once a democracy. (Or, we could all sit down, hold our breath until we get our way. Oops, it looks like the Liberal-NDP coalition has taken that approach.)

Oh, Canada! Remember my interest in travelling? Part of it lay in going over to Africa some-day. I don't think that is any longer necessary. You see, Africa appears to have come here. Well, sort of.

It's called the Politics of Zimbabwe.