CANADA under attack
Democracy being challenged from the inside
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This Canada Day marks a time to observe and appreciate the value of our beautiful, diverse country. Yes, it is imperfect, but it ranks among the best places in the world for quality of life, public services, opportunities for individuals, and civil and political rights. We must unite and protect her for all of us.
Our Confederation is under attack from the inside. We are on standby, watching as provincial Conservative governments participate in desecrating the federation on which Canada was built. It is shameful. Some might call it an attempted slow-rolling coup. It brings grief to see fellow Canadians applaud this twisted ideology — the antithesis of what has made Canada the strong and resilient country she is.
It is no longer a badge of honour to proclaim oneself a Conservative. The Conservative Party of Canada has presented the country with an extreme, inept wackadoodle as the frontrunner in its party's leadership race. Sorely lacking in his understanding of the Canadian Parliamentary System, he actually claims to be running for Prime Minister on his Twitter page.
For those unaware, anybody wishing to throw their hat in the ring to become Prime Minister of Canada must first win the leadership race within their respective party. Poilievre has not done so yet. His proclamation of "running for Prime Minister" is patently misleading. Unlike the American system in which voters may vote directly for the individual they wish to become President, Canadians do not vote directly for their Prime Minister - ever!
There are 338 seats that represent ridings from across the country in a federal election. Voters go to the polls to cast their ballot for their choice of a local Member of Parliament (MP) in their riding. Once all votes are tallied, the MP with the most votes wins that riding and the federal party leader with the most MPs elected (seats) wins the federal election and becomes Prime Minister. Here's a simplistic but good explanation. In 2021, for example, the Liberal Party of Canada won 160 seats, and the Conservative Party of Canada won only 119 seats.
