Most politicians have at least one or two photo-ops with children involved. It is interesting to note that they tend to be unsuccessful in calming the child, let alone achieving a smiling, happy final product.
Needless to say, this blog post is just for fun. But I guess you could decide based on the happiness and willingness of children to be in the arms of said politician whether he/she would make a good leader of our nation. After all, the youth is the future, eh?
Mr. Jack Layton:
Mr. Michael Ignatieff:
Our PM Mr. Harper:
Mr. Gilles Duceppe
And Ms. Elizabeth May (unfortunately I wasn’t able to find a photo of the Green Party leader with children, but here she is with a dog – a close substitute IMO):
More here: http://politicianswithbabies.tumblr.com/
But do vote.
Sure it’s our right to choose whether we want to vote or not, but think about it: people all over the world are literally dying to fight for what we already have. We are privileged to vote, and the power invested in our vote is not to be undermined by apathy and laziness.
I’m not trying to swing you guys in either direction of the political spectrum, but please just take 10 to 20 minutes out of your day and show up to vote on May 2nd (or at advance polling stations that are available on April 22nd, 23rd, or 24th from 12-8pm). If you’re apathetic because you just don’t like any of the leaders, they don’t listen to youth and address issues that we care about, and you don’t think your vote will make a difference, that’s all just bull. If you don’t vote because you don’t want to vote for who your parents and grandparents have always supported, know that who you actually vote for on election day is your business, and please reconsider.
If you don’t like the leaders, and it’s personal (like Harper has squinty eyes or Ignatieff [used to] have a unibrow), try to take a brief but important glance at the party’s platform and what each leader stands for. Looks can be deceiving.
The leaders don’t care about youth voter turnout because it has never materialized. Most youth between 18-25 stay at home or even walk right past polling stations on election day. Although you may feel that you are too ‘uninformed’ to be voting, you’re wrong. Imagine the average ‘adult’ person you stand behind in line at the Safeway cashier, do you honestly think that if the two of you began chatting about the elections, 100% of the time the other person would know more about Canada’s history as well as current affairs than you? You and I both know that the answer is no, we actually know a lot about Canadian politics and even if our knowledge is honestly limited, it’s still enough to make a decision – whether based on what has worked in Canada’s past, or what you hope to change for the future of Canada.
It’s not uncool to vote, it is in fact quite the opposite (besides, we are past the stage of worrying about what the ‘cool kids’ would say or do). Voting on election day or earlier shows that you’re an engaged, active, and intelligent member of the community, which you all are, and that’s why I am trying to appeal to you to pass this ‘word’ on.
Your vote matters. There are many people like this columnist trying to convince youth (and people in all generations) otherwise, but they’re wrong. Prove that the younger generation in Canada can make informed decisions by showing up and voting for what, not just who, you believe in.
I will leave you with this short video. Thanks for surviving my email rant. Good luck with exams if you still have any!
Warmest wishes,
Liz
I myself am unabashedly against the CPC’s leadership, nontransparent practices, and unaccountability. I will vote for the Liberal party in this election, in hopes of a Liberal majority, especially with the newfound youth enthusiasm for voting. I have yet to read all of the political party’s platforms due to finals season, but I will be responsible for doing so before the elections to ensure that I am making the choice that I believe in. I want to be voting for positive change in Canada’s future. I want Canada to be able to embrace its esteemed international status as peacekeeper, environmental leader, and human rights ambassador once again. I want our veterans to gain benefits after serving our nation (in particular with PTSD, as suicide rates are unacceptably high amongst officers after they return to Canada). I want education to be supported by the federal government because we no longer have enough natural resources to sustain our economy, only skilled labour can allow Canada to remain economically viable. I want our healthcare system to be enshrined – its admirable success thus far needs to be recognized, while steps to improvements to the public program need to be taken to promote a long-lasting legacy. I am Canadian, and I believe that comes with a list of traits such as free, peacekeeping, tolerant, and diverse that all need to be upheld.
To argue why this election is taking place, I quote from a freelance journalist’s blog:
As for the election not being necessary, that, too, is debatable. Since the 2008 general election the Conservatives have broken a campaign promise not to run deficits, has prorogued parliament twice and been found in contempt of that same institution, an unprecedented black mark for the government. It seems prudent to me that the electorate of Canada be properly consulted as to their confidence in this political arrangement in Ottawa.
Many people do not understand “contempt of Parliament”. Harper’s tactics of brushing the topic aside as something that “does not matter” and “something that Canadians don’t care about” is repulsive and supports the notion that Harper is purposely vouching for voter apathy to regain his minority control of government. Harper doesn’t want us to be informed of current affairs, and counts on youth to be uninformed and thereby choose not to practice their democratic right.
Our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is sanctified in our Constitution Act of 1982. Canadians not only have the democratic “right to vote”, but we have the right to a “democratic form of government”. With Harper’s regime, we have blatantly been shunned from such a form of Parliament, and the CPC’s continued ignorance of its past electoral promises mentioned above is disgraceful. Canadians need to choose what’s good for Canada as a whole nation. We need to unite, demonstrate our opinions through voting, and effect much-needed change from our current dishonest Prime Minister.
Thank you.
Classified’s Oh Canada
Edit: Whether you are voting for the Liberals, NDP, or Green (and Bloc in Quebec), you will appreciate this site.
Although millions of people around the world will see this face for much more than 3 minutes on April 29, fame will not result from his role as officiator of the Wedding of the Decade.
The most reverend Rowan Williams is obviously one smart man, but unfortunately, viewers (myself included) will likely only acknowledge his best feature during the live broadcast of Prince William and Catherine (Kate) Middleton’s much anticipated wedding ceremony: those eyebrows are attention seeking, eh?!
Interview with the Head Chef responsible for the Wedding Reception Cake:
~
On a slightly more fun and interesting take on this whole wedding deal…would it not be one of the coolest moments in history if this actually happened???
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kav0FEhtLug&feature=player_embedded
Although overly time-consuming and a bit too long (two hours a week from 3-5) in my opinion, I enjoyed this term’s Business Communications course.
From accomplishment statements in resumes to Pia’s information interview request tips, I learned a lot about job searching and a lot of skills will hopefully prove useful in the future.
One of the most enlightening takeaways from this course for me is the method of approach letters. I never realized that taking half an hour to write an engaging and forward letter followed up with a phone call could actually create a job opportunity for myself, in any sort of firm.
The lectures were always informative, although some of the information can be ambiguous so a final exam seems inappropriate. And I was fortunate to have a funny (supplemented with Youtube videos), nice, and extremely experienced TA in Pia. She was always helpful and gave us great advice from her own previous encounters in bizarre situations (elevator pitches, information meeting dinners (with booze), and CCS client tricks).
The unique feature of a job interview to a real-life job posting was a special part of Comm 299 this term. I’m glad to have experienced the stress, pressure, and questions involved in interviews and preparation ahead of time was an obvious factor for success, I realized. The feedback I received after the interview was also very helpful.
I hope I remember all of the advice I learned from Comm 299 because I know it will be useful in the very near future.
![Ignatieff [used to] have a unibrow](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_pS7sKjlzwFg/SYOLbn4v3ZI/AAAAAAAADUw/WsVi1ULv7Jw/s400/scary+iggy.jpg){kind=link}