“The RoseBouquet”

I don’t discuss politics too quickly as it tends to divide even friends. However, you might be interested in our level of involvement in our Canadian federal elections.

In the previous election I had agreed to have a lawn sign, and act as a scrutineer at our local polling station, on behalf of our conservative candidate, Maurice Vellacott. (I used to go to the same country Sunday School years ago, as his wife, Mary).
So when their campaign office called and asked about taking a sign again, I agreed. When it was delivered I was surprised to find it was about 4 times the size of the previous one. I guess everyone who has gone by on our street in the last 5-6 weeks knows where we stand.

That is not so hard to take though, for I learned when I was the scrutineer the other time, that our town and rural voters are almost 100% for this same candidate too. The ones who are not would stand out if they let it be known which side they are on.

I declined the request to be scrutineer as I knew I had a commitment to the mission, for work that had a deadline.

Monday morning Dad went for his walk and made sure to go vote. I voted as part of my after-lunch walk to the post office.

The woman just ahead of me turned around and said, “You’re lucky to be alive. They have me marked down as dead.” Fortunately, she’d brought her voter registration card, so the clerk was able to resurrect her in a hurry.

I did get the impression though, things were not as confusing as last time when the electral boundaries had been changed, and people were frustrated to discover they had to go vote in another town. Some had to bring proof of their land location, etc.

Monday night, Dad, who normally doesn’t care for TV, hinted several times that they might be showing the results soon, so about 7:30 I turned it on, and glanced over my shoulder at it fairly often while I did my work on the computer. It didn’t take long to see that our Conservatives were winning more seats than the Liberals. Dad caught on that if he kept his eye on the number in that one blue spot, compared to the red spot beside it, he could tell who was ahead.

Well, they are not far enough ahead to have what is called a majority government. If the other parties join together to out-vote the Conservatives on any issue in parliament, this new government crashes and we have to go through all this again.

Personally, I believe that any party that gets into power can easily let it go to their heads and they can get arrogant and foolish, however, I sincerely hope that this one will be wise and sensible, and bring good solid ethics back into how things are done. I hope some stupid decisions promoting immorality will be overturned, and real justice done.

Our whole province of Saskatchewan is mostly conservative, and I got the impression on the radio yesterday that there is a collective sigh happening here, as people begin to hope once again!