Once upon a time, I did a fund-raising course, and the instructor said words to the effect, Who says it is rude to talk about money? Answer: Those with the money. Now I am asking myself, Who says it is scandalous to vote strategically? It is, after all, only a form of negotiation and compromise, which makes life in community possible.
As we go to press, the Canadian federal election has seven weeks to go, emotions are running high, and the polls show a tight race which could easily return the Harper Conservatives to power. This result would be disastrous for the environment, in Canada and globally. Unfortunately, none of the opposition leaders except the Greens’ Elizabeth May are showing any attempts at responsibility, negotiation, compromise, or consensus building – in other words, adult behaviour.
That leaves it up to us to follow Leadnow’s strategic voting suggestions (see page 9), stop Harper, and ensure a healthy mix in Parliament. While we are at it, we should remember that the NDP have promised to bring in proportional representation to make all our votes count, which will benefit the Greens more than any other party.
Time to grow up. We may not get what we want, but we could get what we need.
Delores Broten, Comox BC, August 2015