Refreshing political style in U.S., not Canada

The recent English-language leaders debate between the federal candidates should have been watched by everyone who was considering not voting. The level of discourse was refreshing from the rest of the campaign where some of the leaders seemed to be bogged down in rhetoric and smear campaigns. In the beginning, this felt like every other election campaign, full of the same people, saying or apologizing for the same things as previous years.
With major, in-depth coverage of the year-long American election campaign, the Canadian election seemed feeble and out of touch in comparison to the new style of politics seen in America. That seemed to change once the debates began. Watching all five party leaders sit down at a table and discuss things rationally and face-to-face was invigorating compared to the doublespeak and buzzword-loaded speeches that Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama gave during the American debate. With the Green Party’s chances of at least one seat in the House of Commons very high, this election campaign has garnered renewed interest in the media. Harper’s considerable lead in the polls has plummeted since the debate and the reality of a Conservative majority government is slipping away. Canadian politics has new energy and that is what this country needs. This style of inspirational politics is taking over in North America, giving the electorate another chance to believe in their leaders rather than the cynicism of past years.
Much of the world’s attention has been focused on the presidential campaign in the United States. Canadian news agencies such as the CBC give it nearly as much coverage as our own country’s campaign. But this is not without good reason, as this race to the White House has immeasurable historical implications, not just with Obama being the first African-American presidential candidate with what looks like a sure shot at the presidency. The next leader of America faces insurmountable difficulties in terms of restoring the country’s former influence. A crippled economy, two failed foreign occupations, a truly democratic and left-leaning South America, along with an eight-year legacy of lies, brutality, secrecy and gross incompetence exposes the real America that has been bubbling under the surface for decades; a quiet empire of greed. The next leader truly decides whether this is the violent collapse of the American empire or the ushering of an age of common sense and decency. How come there doesn’t seem to be the same pressure riding on Canadian leaders’ shoulders?
In the beginning of the campaign in Canada, nothing seemed different from previous attempts to pander to the public. The Liberals whined about how they weren’t as bad as everyone remembers them. The Conservatives put out around three different smear campaigns. The NDP and Bloc Quebecois said nothing that came as a surprise to voters who have experienced this before. And, of course, everyone forgot about the Green party. This has all happened before and was disheartening to voters when compared to the hope and vitality of the American presidential campaign. Many voters had no particular care to involve themselves in our country’s politics anymore and many of the young voters were considering not even voting. But on the evening of October 3, our politics were discussed like rational human beings, rather than the political pandering of the American-style campaigns.
Elizabeth May was perhaps the most calm, balanced and articulate candidate at the table Thursday night and one could very well see why some party leaders would want her excluded. With her addition, the attacks on Stephen Harper seemed a little more rational and direct by not being personal attacks and even some of the leaders agreed on issues. All of the politicians were looking at each other face to face, within arm’s reach. Harper endured these attacks with dignity but his frustration was apparent nonetheless when he refused to actually outline his political platform, a topic that the other leaders brought up repeatedly. This is the reality that political leaders have had to adapt to in the wake of the Bush legacy: that voters are tired of being treated like children. They want truth and straight talking as Senator McCain has stated in his campaign. In Canadian politics, lack of respect for the intelligence of the populace is exposed quite readily. In the case of the United States and the Bush administration, not so much. But things are changing.
Interestingly, the English-language LEADERS debate occurred during the same time as the vice-presidential debate between Senator Joe Biden and the seemingly ill-equipped Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin. Although the American campaign definitely garnered more hype, in comparison the Canadian leaders seemed more trusting, rational and competent than in recent political history. Politics brought to a personal level seems to be the new deal. A democracy based on the collective wills of individuals rather than bickering ideologists. Now there is an idea.