I don’t know about you, but last week’s federal election left me feeling kind of bummed out.
It’s not just the national results that are getting me down. It’s the local race, too.
My Conservative MP, the remarkably life-like Russ Hiebert, got re-elected. And I don’t believe he deserves it. Full disclosure: not a fan of the man or his party. But I’m all for awarding bonus points where applicable.
Not that the other candidates vying for his seat in South Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale impressed me a whole lot, either. Only one campaign office – the gang working for Liberal Judy Higginbotham – bothered to call me. When I informed the robotic young worker I was undecided, I was greeted with a curt, “Thank you” and click – the sound of the call being disconnected. Note to Judy, pondering your seventh federal election defeat: stop hiring bored teenagers to work the phones.
The Green party candidate, whoever it was, apparently decided it wasn’t worth the bother to write his or her name on any of the party’s campaign signs in South Surrey. I’m confused; what’s environmentally-friendly about that?
Although three different campaign offices were located within a few blocks of my home, nobody came door-knocking, not even the NDP’s Peter Prontzos, whose war room was literally steps away. Guess he took one look at his endorsement from U.S. media conspiracy theorist and linguist Noam Chomsky and decided it was in the bag.
The one bright spot in the six-week campaign was driving past a giant election sign at the corner of 148th and 24th that had been vandalized to read re-elect Russ “Hitlert.” I’ll admit it, that made me laugh.
It’s juvenile, yes, but he is a Conservative after all, and he’s got to expect that kind of thing.
Then again, maybe that’s exactly the kind of cheap shot Hiebert hoped to avoid by skipping an all-candidate’s forum in Ocean Park organized by a chapter of the Council of Canadians. (more…)
Spindrift 