It’s election day! It kind of snuck up on me.

You know, when this election was called I think the general thought was that it was unnecessary, with no important issues to discuss, and that it would be overshadowed by the drama of the American election. I’ve been surprised to see that there is a fair amount of passion out there, though. I’m quite curious to see today’s outcome — I feel like anything could happen, from a Conservative majority to a Conservative minority to the Greens winning more than one seat. It’s a crazy world!

Just a few blocks from my house, someone has made a huge sign out of brown cardboard that says this:

Dion + Layton
+ May = Economic
Suicide
WAKE UP!!

That last bit written in RED MARKER, just so you get the idea. Then the person who made the sign nailed it to a tree. I guess that illustrates both the Conservative economic policy AND their environmental policy. Two birds with one nail, I always say!

Also I read this article on the CBC website last week about vandalism attacks in Toronto on people who have Liberal signs on their front lawn. It escalated from spray paint on garages to slashed tires to people having their brake lines cut. That is some serious shit, right there. What the hell, Canadians? Cutting brake lines is dangerous and foolish and again, I was disappointed in the Conservatives (the spray-painted slogans were of a Conservative slant) for not coming forward immediately and being all TOUGH ON CRIME with these people. Like, I guess it’s TOUGH ON CRIME, only when it doesn’t serve their purpose?

Anyway, I must stop ranting now, the time for rants is really over.

A few days ago I was listening to the CBC and they aired a block of election ads, as they are required to do during elections. They aired four ads in this one block: one from the Progressive Canadians, one from the Neo Rhino Party, one from the Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party, and one from the NDP. I thought it was pretty hilarious — and telling — that the NDP got lumped in with these other fringe parties. Poor Jack Layton and his fruitless bids for legitimacy!

In case you were curious, the Progressive Canadian ad was a long, rambling missive accusing “Harper” of wanting to destroy health care. The ad ended abruptly with the mumbling man imploring the electorate to vote for “Anyone but Harper.” The Animal Alliance ad was actually pretty well produced and cohesive, with a nice-sounding lady outlining their platform of ending the seal hunt, protecting Canada’s forests, and putting the environment first.

The Neo Rhino ad was by far the best, though. You could tell that some guy recorded it in his basement and was barely able to keep from laughing all the way through. The entire ad was devoted to telling Canadians that they have the right to vote with a mask on.

Here’s how, according to the ad. Step one, get yourself a mask. Step two, get a neighbour who lives in your riding (who, presumably, will not also be wearing a mask) who can come down to the voting booth with you and vouch for the fact that you are, indeed, you. Step three, bring two pieces of ID and a document showing your address. Step four, go and vote in your mask.

Thanks, Neo Rhinos! I’ll get right on that. I wonder if Mr. Cardboard Conservative Sign is interested.

I’m leaving to vote in a few minutes. Think the voting booth will accept Little Miss Sunshine as my vouching person? Guess not.