Door to door to door

[sabotabby]

I did my first night out canvassing (for the NDP, if anyone's wondering—my local incumbent MP who's been pretty decent). Always an interesting experience going door-to-door.

I met mostly nice people, including the other volunteers. As you might guess, the party grassroots are a lot more progressive than the top brass.

I met a rabid Thatcherite who wanted to, quote, "crush the unions and send them back to hell where they came from." She was scary. She slammed the door on us and I thought she might spit.

I met a scary guy who looked like Walter White from Breaking Bad but with more piercings and tattoos. Which was pretty funny actually.

I got all the volunteers talking about the purge of pro-Palestinian candidates. I was the most knowledgable about the issue, so it was good that I was there when it came up—surprisingly—at the door. But since no one seemed to know much about it, I sent along some information and I think I got people thinking and debating at least. This, along with the community policing policy and a rightward turn on economic issues is my main beef with the party at the moment, but I truly believe that the perfect is the enemy of the good, and if we have a chance to defeat Harper, we need to jump on it.

Going out again next Tuesday. I think my riding is pretty safe, but to be honest, the current regime is so terrifying that if we get another Tory government I won't be able to look my kids in the eye if I don't do everything in my power to prevent it.

Comments

[sabotabby]

Hey, no need to be shy, I'll leap on any excuse to talk politics.

This is a pretty good rundown of what happened. Basically, candidates were asked to step down because they'd said vaguely pro-Palestinian things. And by "vaguely pro-Palestinian," I mean, "repeating uncontroversial facts that the UN said."

I think the decision was pragmatic rather than ideological—they don't want it to be an election issue, and among individual party members, the NDP is still the most progressive on Palestine. (And in fairness, the Liberals also purged their pro-Palestinian candidate and the Tories never had any.) I disagree with the decision both strategically and politically; I think the NDP are falling into the same trap as the Democrats and Blairite Labour, which is trying to win votes by making themselves indistinguishable from the ruling party. But at least if the NDP get in, we won't have Canada's government disregarding democratic elections and serenading Benjamin Netanyahu.

Electoral politics is an ugly business, which is why I do other stuff between elections and consider it more important in the long run.

Also, hey, welcome to Canada!

[luckweaver.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the long explanation ;) I can't vote (yet - I'll be a permanent resident, soon-ish) but my fiancé talks about the NDP a lot so it's good to have one thing I'd suddenly worried about their policies cleared up. I'll admit, they're the only party who've come knocking on my door or approached me at all, which makes a much better impression than the Tories or the Liberals (and yes - I've been in the country long enough to want rid of Harper!).

And again, thank you. It'll be 12 months in a couple of weeks. Scary stuff... from Old Scotland, to Nova Scotia!

ETA: Don't get me started on British politics. I've been jaded for a long time...

[sabotabby]

Hah, I don't think you even need to be in the country at all to want to get rid of Harper! He's the worst PM we've ever had, which is saying a lot. The NDP are still the best of a bad lot; the grassroots is still largely very progressive. When I let my membership expire for the last time and they asked me why, I told them it was because they took the word socialism out of their party platform, and the staffer said she completely agreed.

British politics. Sigh. I've got a few friends in the UK and I am well and truly terrified for them. Cameron's the sort of monster that Harper fantasizes about being.

[luckweaver.livejournal.com]

"Cameron's the sort of monster that Harper fantasizes about being." that put shivers down my spine. I mean, I agree, but.... ugh. Being a Scot, the Independence Referendum's been a horrible source of stress and horror, too.

Also, hugely relevant icon is relevant.

Do you mind my asking where in Canada you live?

[sabotabby]

One of the things about Canadian politics is that we're all about importing failed experiments from other countries. I can easily see the mass surveillance and DWP catastrophes happening here; we've had trial runs and it's proven too complicated for your average Canadian to understand and therefore oppose.

I'm still cautiously optimistic, though. I had a heartwarming experience going door-to-door last night, where a woman told me that she was a lifelong Conservative but voting NDP in the next election because Harper had to go. There were two college-age kids with her, and I got to tell them how to register to vote for the first time.

[luckweaver.livejournal.com]

It must mean a lot when you get to make that kind of impression on someone; both the kid, and the lifelong Tory. (:

And oh, gosh. That's... not good. I still remember the day they rolled out the "Big Brother is watching you" security cameras in Britain, it was a bit of a depressing day. I hope that doesn't follow me out here. (I seem to recall telling someone once that 1984 wasn't meant to be an instruction manual.)

[sabotabby]

Sometimes I think we should stop writing so much dystopian fiction. It's just giving them ideas.

P.S. Mind if I add you? You seem cool.

[luckweaver.livejournal.com]

The way I see it, part of the appeal of writing dystopian fiction (*kicks nanowrimo plot*) is getting to enjoy it as fiction, since we're suffering with it as fact.

PS: Of course! You seem pretty rad, too.

[sabotabby]

I'm in Toronto. Centre of the universe!

[luckweaver.livejournal.com]

I'm in a little town outside Halifax in NS. Much smaller part of the universe, but I like it. Toronto is very much on my to-visit list; my fiancé and I are planning on a slow drive across the country for our honeymoon (ending in Banff National Park).

[sabotabby]

Halifax is great. At one point I contemplated moving there, but I figured I couldn't take the small.

[luckweaver.livejournal.com]

With the exception of a few years where I lived in Manila, I've always been a small city or country girl, so I expect Toronto would be lovely to visit, but too much city for me to live in. So, I feel ya!

[kryss-labryn.livejournal.com]

You're in Nova Scotia? Cool; me too! Annapolis Valley. You?

[luckweaver.livejournal.com]

Hubbards :) The valley is lovely, though, I'm very fond of Wolfville.