I usually refrain from writing these overly serious posts because, by the time I get around to it, everything has been said anyway. Not to mention that every source of Canadian news is bombarding us with election facts, photos and posturing, much of which I disregard as repetitious and the rest of which often seems plain silly.

But still, it bears mentioning that this is the second election in two years. Yes, we had a minority government. I understand what that means. But I also am not sure that toppling it at this point will either change or improve things. To be perfectly frank, I expect that we will come out with the same minority government with which we went in.

One run to the polls every four years is just plenty, thanks. Chief among the reasons that I can see for waiting four or five years between blessed events is to save us money. I’m not sure I want to know how much an election actually costs the country. The second obvious reason is voter apathy. Folks, you need some recovery time between elections. We mere mortals who don’t sleep, eat and breathe politics need to have a respite now and then. Instead, we rolled straight from the last federal election into the whole Gomery thing and now into another round of picking who’s least objectionable. Frankly, it feels like one two-year campaign that makes absolutely no one look good.

So we’re back to the same old debate again. And again.

When all is said and done, Stephen Harper is still Stockwell Day with a library card; a man of conservative Christian values, but with some brains and enough education to seem effective. Although I have to admire the tenacity and fortitude of a man who can stand up in the 21st century and repeated say that he’s going to try to can gay marriage, there’s no way in Hades that I think he should run this country. I think he’s wrong about gay marriage, too, btw, but I respect any man who can stand up for something in that way, especially while wearing ridiculous clothes.

I have no real quarrel with Paul Martin. He’s a suit, but seems to be a fairly hard-working suit. I get the feeling that he goes home at the end of the day and genuinely worries about the country. (Actually, he’s the only one of the lot I’ve met in person. While we lived in Fredericton, he passed by our breakfast table in the Farmer’s Market and complimented John on his pancakes.)

Jack Layton’s biggest problem in the east is that we see the NDP as having an untenable ideal. Their focus on social stuff, while reflecting the historical roots of the party and being damned important, makes them look like kids with their parents’ credit cards. I’m not sure the country is ready to trust them with running it yet, but it’s great to see their increased influence.

I wish there was something that could be said to forever molify those in Quebec who want to leave. It’s a part of Canadian culture that is being tarnished by their repeated diatribes against forming a part of a whole. Gilles Duceppe may have the trust of Quebecois, but I find him just plain disturing.

The interesting stuff that’s coming out of this campaign is not the political rhetoric, but rather the odd media write-ups and polls and the tidbits on how the election is affecting the lives of indivuduals. For instance, there’s a CBC article on which leader would return your lost wallet, another article on how a Christmas campaign will be treated in Saint John, NB and another story of how the Bloc think that Quebec should have its own national hockey team.

On a more personally relevant note, the announcement of the Canada Council funding has election bait written all over it, but its still money for artists and arts organisations. Not to mention that the Newfoundland and Labrador Craft Council’s CIDP grant just came through a week or so ago. Fortuitous timing, eh?