Let me begin by saying I think voting is the most important and powerful right a person can have in their country of residence – but sometimes the process gets utterly ridiculous.
If you haven’t heard yet, Dalton McGuinty, the Premier of Ontario is promising (see: Bribing) all Ontarians a new Statutory Holiday in February for all the “hard work” we all did in Ontario to help with the deficit left by the Progressive Conservatives. And surprise surprise there’s an election scheduled for this October 10th.
I bet in grade school McGuinty was the guy that promised if you were friends with him and not some other kid he’d let you borrow his bike and video games anytime you wanted. Only that when you agreed you’d find out he owns a girl’s banana bike and an Atari.
Here’s are 2 brief articles from The Hamilton Spectator and The Toronto Star today summing up the latest in the evolution of this new phantom holiday.
My favourite argument against this holiday is the BILLIONS and BILLIONS of dollars that will be somehow drained from the Canadian economy if all of us little working monkeys have one more day away from the office. Can you fathom if we had -gasp- another TWO days off? Perhaps the province might simply implode? Or maybe that would invoke the second coming of Christ? Fire. Brimstone. “BACK TO WORK!!”
If you look at some European countries, they have many more statutory holidays, not to mention their minimum paid days leave starts at 20, where ours is a paltry 10. As I’m sure everyone can attest, when you’re overworked you’re usually useless at the office anyways because all you feel like doing is strangling everyone around you.
Canadians need another day off. And for us men who usually suffer at the hands of Valentine’s Day, we could use another day to consider if its necessary to buy that $75 chocolates and flowers combo or maybe its time to hit the singles bars again.
People used to petition for another statutory holiday in June, even Labatt’s started a petition a few years back. And I’ll be honest, during that time you better believe my fridge was stocked with Blue and Blue Light. At least now the Liberals are getting a little more creative and promising a February holiday so most people won’t notice they’re using the same tactic as a beer company to swing votes.
I’ve always valued my vote dearly, but the direction politics has taken the last few years has me thinking I may want to re-evaluated my own voting process. Essentially, I can’t remember the last time I voted in a specific direction and received anything for my troubles. With this in mind, I think its time I started treating the election process like the first week of University and look for the party willing to give me the most “free shit”. Or maybe I should treat them like the beer companies they’re stealing their marketing ploys from. Ya, that’s it, whatever political party provides me with the most humourous commercials, news, and entertainment has my support.
So far the Liberals far and away have my vote this October 10th. But if the Conservatives come out with free Ipods for everyone, I may have to re-evaluate my position.