Why I'm Disappointed With a Liberal Majority

Tonight Canadians overwhelmingly voted for change. And they successfully put a new party in power. But I don't think anything is really going to change.

You see the change that I wanted, that I believe Canadians wanted, or even needed, was a change far greater than liberal over conservative or Trudeau over Harper. The change Canada needed was a core change in how our politics work. For his long as we've been a nation we've used this rudimentary and outdated political system which consists of partisan candidates vying for seats in a first-past-the-post system. Historically this system has had periods where it has worked quite successfully and periods where it has been a broken and stagnating machine.

Presently our machine is not broken and stagnating but broken and destructive. A fact acknowledged by the Liberals in their platform where they do in fact promise electoral reform. I had hoped tonight that a minority government would be elected and that electoral reform would change and possibly repair the system. Sadly, with Mr. Trudeau's big majority win, and the decisions and patterns of traditional party lawmakers over the course of my lifetime, I am skeptical that electoral reform (or at least the kind we need) will actually happen. 

You see my observation has been that the traditional parties and politicians are more likely to defend or consolidate their power rather then to weaken their position by doing what is right. With a majority government in place, Trudeau and the Liberals probably envision themselves ruling much like Harper and other majority governments before have ruled; without cooperation with the other parties. With just 39% of the popular vote, if the Liberals moved toward electoral reform now, than they would be loosening their control of the government. It would force them to cooperate with the Conservative and/or New Democratic parties in order to create new policy and rule the nation. 

I am disappointed and worried because my head and my gut tell me that Trudeau is going to follow the path of other majority governments gone by. He will also be an improvement on Harper, but in my mind the system is still broken. Maybe Mr. Trudeau and the Liberals are superior politicians and parties to others gone by; maybe they will stand by their campaign promises; if so sweeping electoral reform will mean Canadian politics looks VERY DIFFERENT in 3-5 years time. If not it seems Canadians must wait for electoral reform until the next time we get this frustrated with the party in power.  

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If you want electoral reform as badly as I do here’s something to do:

Write your local MP. Write him/her often. Start by asking them to pursue reform. Then ask about how things are developing on the topic. Don’t let ANY MP forget that this is one change Canadians want more than most others! 

For a quick video on why to write your MP check out:

https://www.ted.com/talks/omar_ahmad_political_change_with_pen_and_paper

Random Blog... 1 Trillion dollars

I realized that I really need to post a blog on here because it has been way too long.

So here it is and it is going to be me just randomly writing about whatever comes to mind as worthy to mention since I last blogged.

-Why did we have an election? Nothing really changed and every party lost. What if we took all the thought, energy and cash that went into that election and invested it into fighting the rich poor gap or some other more worthy cause?

-Someone just told me Stephen Colbert is Canadian... That would be pretty cool... Although I think he should be President and that would render him ineligible.

-How many members of my Youth group should it take to screw in a light bulb? Answer = 1 but the truth is earlier in September it took 3... One on a chair, another providing moral support and stability and one looking standing there looking very confused holding a ladder...

-The US has just or is about to pass the 1 Trillion dollar milestone... For spending on the War in Iraq. 1 Trillion is a lot of money... It could pave the US interstate in 23.5 carrot gold... ALL OF IT

so what else could the money have gone to? I did a little experiment with some mediocre sources but here's my first try at what I would do with 1 trillion dollars:

-I would build 120 airports in the most secluded and regions of the world to help with development in the areas. If you are familiar with Jeffery Sachs and his novel "the end of poverty" you will know why such airports are so important in areas without access to Ocean based trade. This will help countries establish trade to become sustainably in charge of their own development.
Calculation: Denver Airport cost $4 882 000 000.00 * 120
Cost: 586 Billion ($585 840 000 000.00)

-I would pay for operations on those with cataracts.
Calculation: China estimated to have 4.5 million in need of cataracts surgery, China is approx 1/5 of the world population... 4.5 * 5 = 22.5 *surgery cost $33.00 = $742 500 000.00
Cost: .75 Billion

-I would purchase a goat for 1 in 5 people in Africa (every family) providing sustainable source of nutrition and income.
Calculation: Africa pop (2005) 922 Million / 5 = 184 400 000 * cost of goat $150 = $27 660 000 000.00
Cost: 27.7 Billion

Hospitals!! 1170 or the equivalent of 6 in every country in the world Though these are meant for the 3rd World -> Hopefully those with a strong enough health care system with those in greater need...
Calculation: 1170 Hospitals * $41 300 000.00 = $48 321 000 000.00
Cost: 48.3 Billion

- - - - Current Total = 662.75 Billion...
That still leaves: 337.25 Billion
- - - or - - -
-281 of the New York Yankees Franchise-

So lets keep on going:

I would feed 1.75 million children average in the world's 60 poorest countries from birth to age 18. (According to UN estimates I read about 56-58 countries are listed as third world, I rounded up to 60)
Calculation 1.75 mill * 60 = 105 000 000 * cost $2160 = $226 800 000 000
Cost: 226.8 Billion

To help out in developed countries how about some affordable housing? 500 000 houses from habitat for humanity at $60 000 a piece! Housing for approximately 2 million people at 4-5 residents per house.
Calculation: 500 000 * $60 000 = $30 000 000 000.00
Cost: 30 Billion

Calculator's input: $80.45 Billion remains

Hmmm

I got it!! Education!! Education in 3rd world countries is vastly undeveloped. According to a site that is starting schools in Sudan $5 for books and $60 for a teacher (at class ratio of 20 students 1 teacher) so throw it $1o for building maintenance and upgrades and you have $75/year at a primary level. Lets pay for each student's entire primary education though at $600.00 for 8 years. How many? 125 Million!
Calculation: 125 Million * cost $600.00 = $75 000 000 000
Cost: 75 Billion

5.45 Billion Remains

This is where I buy all of the adult world a Coke :)

Yeah, just think of what this world could be if we realized the true cost of war.