What is this election about? Affordable housing? The plunging loonie? Diversifying Canada’s economy, revitalizing its manufacturing sector, improving the mediocre growth performance of the past six years, while protecting its land, water and air base (aka our habitat)? Youth unemployment? Growing student debt?
Protecting Medicare’s universality and portability from step-by-step dismantling through handovers to the provinces? Preventing oil spills on the west coast? Debating a TransPacific trade deal that could allow foreign corporations to sue the Canadian government (i.e. us), and increase Internet censorship, copyright lockdowns, and cost of life-saving drugs? Fixing the unrepresentative electoral system? Integrity and transparency in public office? Improving veterans’ benefits? Investing in urban infrastructure?
Preparing for the unfolding ravages of climate change? Shouldering our global responsibilities by shifting to greener energy? Real reconciliation with Canada’s First Nations? Restoring the balance between national security and Bill C-51’s violations of freedom of speech, assembly and privacy? Maintaining a national public broadcaster? Unmuzzling scientists, reviving the long-form census, and basing policy on evidence rather than vice versa?
Aren’t we “lucky” to have a government that ignores such distractions, and focuses instead on demonizing headgear. Maybe then we won’t notice Canada’s slide towards an authoritarian petro-state.
Bob Hackett
