Is My Choice So Bleak?

In this week's Economist there is a fourteen page survey on Canada. At the heart of the article is what the author refers to as the three "weather systems" that are currently plaguing Canada's current social, economic and political landscapes, namely; Alberta's oil, the resurgence in the Quebec sovereignty movement and Canada's political and economic separation from the United States.

The article's post election message; in the end, "Canada would probably not break up...But nor would it have a strong central government capable of mobilizing the country behind bold social or economic innitiatives."

Although bleak in outlook the article also does an impressive job of pointing out that all the major political parties have contributed to this fragmented political environment. In the end, the article suggests that whoever wins the election will still need to face a highly divided electorate.

How do these droomsday articles change the way I approach the ballot box. Ultimately, I am left wondering if these Debby Downer articles are a source of democratic disallussionment in Western Democracies, where, voter turnout has fallen in recent decades.

(Special thanks to Mr. Mackay for allowing me to

use his image. For regularly updated campaign cartoons check out his website http://www.mackaycartoons.net/)