A year before what would’ve been Canada’s next election, PM Stephen Harper dissolves Parliament, and calls an election for October 14. He’d been running a minority Conservative government for 2 1/2 years.
For me, the best part about Canadian election season is simple: It’s short! I mean, in the US, we had people declaring their intentions to run for president in, what, 2006, during midterms? Next door, MPs — current ones and wannabes alike (not to mention the party leaders, who all have seats in Parliament themselves) — have just thirty days to convince the citizens of their respective ridings (similar to congressional districts) that they suck the least out of everyone.
Another good part: Although each party gets commercial spots within regular programming on TV, the CBC (at the very least…don’t know about CTV or Global) designates about five minutes of airtime just for political ads. And not just for the Big Four (Liberals, Conservatives, New Democratic Party, Bloc Quebecois); the smaller parties there get airtime, too! When’s the last time you saw an advert by a party that wasn’t represented by an elephant or a jackass? (Cue crickets.)
And lastly: Canadians know how to mark an “X” or a checkmark. No need for voting machines there. Oh, and they can count their ballots in one night! Remember 2000? While their election was done and Canadians knew the Liberals would have a third go-around at screwing stuff up, we in the US still had no effing clue if we would be dealing with a Bush or a Gore.
For a short time today, $1 CAD = $1 USD, for the first time in just over three decades.
Who’d have thought?
140 years old, eh? Not to mention it’s the 40th anniversary of Expo ‘67. A while back, you marked the 90th anniversary of Vimy Ridge; and at the end of the year, you’ll acknowledge the 90th anniversary of the Halifax Explosion. Are you all marking events left, right, and centre or what?!
Anyhoo. In honour of Canada’s b’day, I have a Not-So-Random Ten featuring some of my favourite Canadian acts, along with a few video links (again, connected to the US’s big neighbour to the north). First, the Ten…
1) The Constantines ~ Soon Enough
2) Sarah Harmer ~ I Am Aglow
3) Feist ~ My Moon, My Man
4) Broken Social Scene ~ Canada vs. America
5) Metric ~ Succexy
6) Stars ~ Soft Revolution
7) Sarah Slean ~ My Invitation
8) Bif Naked ~ Lucky
9) Emily Haines ~ Doctor Blind
10) Yonder ~ Let You Down
And now for some YouTube loveliness…
* William Shatner does his take on Molson’s “I Am Canadian” ads
* From Rick Mercer Report: Former Ontario NDP leader and then-federal Liberal leadership hopeful Bob Rae and Rick Mercer share a…well, very special moment (may not necessarily be work-safe)
* The original theme song to the now-defunct teen consumer series Street Cents
* From Royal Canadian Air Farce: A sketch describing ex-Prime Minister Jean Chretien’s rise to “shame”. One of my favourite bits from the series. (audio and video are a bit out of sync)
* A “Heritage Minute” on the preparation for Expo ‘67 in Montreal
* A “Heritage Minute” regarding voting on what would become the new Canadian flag
From 2008 till at least 2012/13, there will be no more CFL on CBC.
This summer, TSN (Canada’s answer to ESPN) inked a deal with the Canadian Curling Association so it can broadcast all of Canada’s major curling tournaments (Canadian Juniors, Tournament of Hearts (Women’s Championship), and the Brier (Men’s Championship)) and the Worlds. Before that, CTV (it and TSN are part of the Bell-Globalexpress family) picked up the rights to air the 2010 and 2012 Olympics in Vancouver and London (respectively). What’s next for them? Hockey Night in Canada? That’s, pretty much, all the Ceeb has left of any major significance in regards to sports programming!
139 years old and you all don’t look a day older than 98. ;) But then, the US will be turning 230 on Tuesday, sooo…yeah.
Anyhoo! Time for a little fun. From the Air Farce Archives (from 2002 or 2003, IIRC)… the politically correct version of O Canada.
Oh, Canada,
Our living quarters and aboriginal persons,
including Inuit, Metis, all First Nations Land;
True patriot love–
Implying affection, but not in a sexual way–
Our gender non-specific spousal offspring suggestion!
With glowing hearts, we get horny,
The True North strong and free!
From far and weight-challenged, oh Canada,
We stand–or sit–on guard for thee!
Non-denominational gender-unspecified
Supreme Being keep our land glorious and free;
Oh Canada, we stand
Ready to sit down and discuss our differences in a civilized manner
For thee!
(I still think you guys can do waaay better than Stephen Harper, though.)
.png "blog.demiurgiclust")
