Friends,

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.

Until recently, my country was having an election too.  

In Canada, however, we elect a prime minister, not a president, and have a queen, not a president.  

Oddly enough, the Queen of Canada doesn’t actually live in Canada.  She makes her home in London, and is more commonly known as the Queen of England.

Embarrassing, I know.      

There were five people running to become Canada’s prime minister, not two like run for the American Presidency.

Let’s start with the man who won, Stephen Harper.  The most notable part of Harper’s campaign was the sweaters he wore in an effort to convince Canadians he wasn’t creepy. Harper’s party, Canada’s government, is the Conservatives – they offer a blend of neo-conservative, regressive reform politics.

Stephen Harper

Harper won a minority of the 308 seats in Canada’ s House of Commons.  He will be asked by the Governor-General, the Queen’s Representative in Canada, to form the next government of my country. 

The main opposition candidate was Stephan Dion, the leader of the Liberal Party.  He was portrayed as a weak leader who was regularly pooped on by birds.  His English is halting.  Dion was arguably North America’s most aggressive, progressive candidate.  Or, as Harper described his ilk to an American audience some years ago, the very worst of European Socialism.  Dion led his party to its worst election defeat in two centuries. 

Stephan Dion

There was also a man named Jack Layton of the New Democratic Party (NDP).  He accused Harper of storing his hidden agenda under his sweater.  Layton looks insane and has a moustache.  Some of you would call his politics communism.  The NDP increased its share of seats in the House of Commons.

Jack Layton

All Canadians could otherwise cast a ballot for American born Elizabeth May, a lady who ran her campaign as if she was Dion’s running mate.  Unlike him, she actually speaks English and people like her.  She ran for the Green party and didn’t win her seat.  Over seven per cent of Canadians cast their vote for the party, but not one Green was elected.

Elizabeth May

Finally, for some Canadians, those living in Quebec, there’s the Bloc Quebecois – a party led by former communist Gilles Duceppe.  His party’s raison d’etre is to partition my country.  The Bloc Quebecois won more seats than expected in the election.        

Gilles Duceppe

I can’t help but notice that your election isn’t about sweaters at all.  Rather, it seems to concern itself more with the general fate of our planet.  

And while I’m just a neighbour, and you didn’t ask for my opinion, I’m going to offer it any ways.  

Put simply, Sarah Palin is (ridiculously) unqualified to be even the vice-president of the United States.  So much so that her very candidacy has made it irresponsible for any American to cast a vote for the Republican party.    

You don’t want a hockey mom one old man away from the most powerful position in the world.  Believe me,I know.  This is a Canadian blogging, after all. 

The same night as the vice-presidential debate in your country, we had an all leaders debate in English after one the night before in French.

Our neo-con candidate took it on the chin from the European socialist, the moustached socialist, the man who found purpose in working to deconstruct my country’s awkward confederation and a green Facebook widget.  Yet, Harper still won.

If I could vote in your election, I’d cast my ballot for Obama.  One, because the way he speaks make me giddy.  Two, because he’s a better candidate.  And three, because he’s the only candidate with a qualified vice president.  

(I also think his use of social media is revolutionary).

I can vote in my election and did for the Liberal candidate in my riding.  

For all the ridicule there was of Dion, I was excited when he won the Liberal ticket and excited about his campaign. I’m in the minority who thought he was terrific.  All the same, he has since been forced to give up the leadership of the Liberal party. 

Word on the street is Americans like to relate to people.  My hometown, 33,000, just lost 2,500 full-time jobs and has an ineffective civic government.  

It’s time to give audition to every other idea than those introduced over the past eight years.

Even though this last idea was pooh-poohed in the Canadian election, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for my American friends to improve our collective future.

Your neighbo(u)r,

Paul Jenkins