Beginnings, Ends and Changes

Looking at the last week and the week to come it is difficult not to feel as though we are in the middle of a transition.

Today, in Quebec, citizens are voting on the future of their province, and by extension, the country. One day I hope to see a Quebec election where the rest of the country does not have to worry about the fate of the Confederation. Sadly, this is not such an election. Despite a tense and bitter campaign the numbers have barely moved since the writ was dropped. The polls indicated the Parti Quebecois is poised to form a government, either minority or majority. The Liberals under Jean Charest will, in all likelihood be kicked out of office. The wildcard is the CAQ (Coalition Avenir Quebec). As an upstart party, contesting its first election, will it be able to form the Opposition, or like the Wild Rose Party in Alberta months ago, will its polling not reflect actual support?

So, in Quebec we will likely see an end to federalist rule in the province, and the longest serving Premier in the country will be defeated. Correspondingly, a period of tense hostility will return between Quebec and the federal government, if Pauline Marois, leader of the PQ becomes Premier and she maintains her promise to push for greater autonomy.

In Ontario the provincial by-elections in Vaughan and Kitchener-Waterloo will be held this Thursday. Polling and people on the ground suggest that the Kitchener-Waterloo by-election is a three-way race. This is particularly surprising given the relative position of the parties at the last election only months ago. From what I understand Vaughan is considered a safe (at least safer) seat for the Liberals and they will be expected to hold it. If the Ontario Liberals win both seats they will achieve the barest of majorities in the Legislature. Therefore the stakes are very high.

This week may signal the end of minority government in Ontario, or great a new political dynamic, depending on which parties win which ridings.

Today was the first day of school for children, educators and parents. I now have a number of friends who went off to learn, and went off to teach today. It is a bizarre straddling of life’s division I find myself in. On a personal note, August 31 was the end of my graduate program and I have completed my Master’s Degree in History. I have ended the formal education and now enter the ruthless field of employment (or more accurately, unemployment). I have also returned to my hometown of Brampton and have started to engage in local politics here. Shocking, I know.

This week I plan to add a new feature to this blog. I mentioned this a couple of months ago at the second anniversary of the Orange Tory. On Thursday I will begin posting a weekly piece aggregating interesting articles I have come across called Worth Reading. I find that since this is only a weekly blog a lot of news passes that I cannot cover. Therefore I can point my readers to some interesting thoughts I do not have time to write up. Hopefully it will add something worthwhile for current and future readers.