Election Canadian Style!

There are a few things that we Canadians are pretty good at. We brew really good, potent beer, give birth to our fair share of awesome hockey players and of course we are always there right behind the Americans to do general “Invasion Cleanup” detail.

But there is one thing that we perhaps excel at more than any other nation in the world and that is….ELECTIONS!!

Yes, we surpass every other country due to the fact that basically we get a lot of practice. We sometimes have elections even when we don’t need one. It’s like well…it’s kind of slow around here…I know lets have an election!

Look at the state of other countries who attempt to hold democratic elections. Riots, terrorism, outright assassinations take place in other places in the world when people simply exercise their right to choose a leader.

Then there is the American template. Their elections should be considered a 4 year sporting event. The stories, political mudslinging and the intrigue makes for some excellent reality T.V., yet we are able to make the whole process look like a walk in the park. Even the swearing in of a new cabinet, takes about an hour and only pre-empts an infomercial somewhere.

We have the whole election process down to a fine art. We have the capability to throw out one leadership, create smear campaigns, listen to both sides of the issues, debate platforms and vote in a new government - all within 30 days or less. If elections were an Olympic event, we would have the gold. You know with the demise of our fishing industry and softwood lumber, we could actually make our ability to hold an election an export of sorts. We could offer to go into a country, do a little campaigning, organize the polling stations and “Voila” new government and be out there inside of a couple of weeks - no violence involved.

Usually our government calls an election when all the infighting has gotten out of control and everyone has forgotten what the fight started over to begin with - or if we have exceptionally good summer weather and the hill wants to get out early

This week's saber-rattling between Michael Ignatieff and Stephen Harper over a summer election has all the makings of an epic battle over which leader has the biggest, um, sword.

Forget the worst economic crash in decades, the collapsing industries, the thousands of Canadians losing their jobs, their savings, their pensions, their homes.

If the political jousting between Iggy and the PM is any indication, the country is at risk of being dragged out of the pool and off to the polls in July over dueling egos. Harper, of course, is no slouch in the larger-than-life department, having spent the past three years successfully muzzling his ministers, and generally trying to put an iron grip on everyone and everything government.

Today, the Conservative administration remains predominantly all Harper all the time. But make no mistake, there's a new ego-slinger in town with the potential to make "l'etat c'est moi" s(the state is me) an understatement in both official languages.

But this time, instead of the usual Hewie, Dewie and Lewie, Mr. Harper and his gang have actually got some stiff opposition. So this time it looks like we could have ourselves one “Humdinger” of an election, a good old fashion shoot out! (not the O.K. Corral type - Hockey - we're Canadian remember)

So right now they are doing a little square dancing - everyone eyeing up the partners to “Doe-See-Doe", and I am sure an announcement will be forthcoming. I however will do what the rest of the country does when it really wants to know what is happing in the Canadian political climate - wait for Rick Mercer to make the announcement.

Til later