I鈥檝e got a degree in political science. Today is the day I鈥檝e decided not to vote.
As I write this, the advanced polls are open today, April 18, and guess what? Not a single major federal party has yet released a costed platform. That is deliberate and unacceptable. I鈥檝e decided to take a serious position and not vote.
The Green Party, which did release its platform, actually has some decent ideas on national security. Surprising, right? But I can鈥檛 help but think the childish Conservative Party might be the slap in the face we need to shake things up. Don鈥檛 get me wrong, I鈥檓 not happy about it, but I can鈥檛 ignore it. On the flip side, I鈥檓 done with the Liberals, 10 years of style and zero substance? There is a serious and credible threat to our sovereignty, and the party is concerned about firearm control. Please explain that to me? And the NDP? Love the principles, but where鈥檚 the vision?
The thing is, no party gets my vote right now. This whole election is a dumpster fire. Shelter is treated like some luxury product, and the cost of living has absolutely wrecked a generation. You want to talk about capital gains tax on the homeowner class? Nah, let鈥檚 just pretend that鈥檚 not a thing. Oh, and a prime minister says the United States might try to annex us? Where鈥檚 the civil defence force? Who is protecting our sovereignty? If you think our military is capable of that, you are wrong.
I could keep going, but what鈥檚 the point? Many will say I can鈥檛 complain. Some will suggest I get involved. No, thank you. On top of my irrelevant university degree, I spent over two decades in government as an Infantry soldier and special forces operator. I鈥檝e seen enough to know that you can鈥檛 fix a broken system unless people are calling it out for what it is. Bren茅 Brown says it best: 鈥淎uthenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It鈥檚 about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest.鈥� I choose to call out this election as dishonest.
So, at this point, let鈥檚 put everything into education. If we want democracy to actually work, we need to make sure people aren鈥檛 set up to fail. Teachers? Yeah, they鈥檙e the real MVPs here. If we don鈥檛 start paying attention to them, we鈥檙e just one step away from becoming a full-blown ideocracy like our neighbours to the south.
Logan Spiegel
Squamish
