Pity the child who’s dragged along to political events.
They’re usually attended to by doting parents who trot out their pride and joy to exemplify that today’s political party “stands for the future,” i.e. the kid.
The trouble is, most children could care less about politicians and even less so for their speeches. Our first example of the campaign is found in NDP leader Adrian Dix’ opening election address in Vancouver (www.bcndp.ca/video/adrian-dix-campaign-launch). Dix is surrounded by smiling party faithful, but it doesn’t take long for one little girl in a pink shirt and jean jacket to steal the show. At exactly one minute and 11 seconds into the six-minute, 21-second video, she lets out a huge yawn followed by a full-out body stretch to indicate the full extent of her boredom. More yawns and fidgeting follows as her mother, apparently unaware, listens intently to Dix’ speech. I can well imagine the mom’s mortification when she sees the video. Let that be a lesson to all parents who think that boring their children at political events – which they can barely comprehend – is a good idea.
My first reporter’s job was in Clinton, a small farming town in southwestern Ontario. And the last stories I wrote there were about the 1990 provincial election.
It was a strange time. The Liberals were doing quite well in the polls, especially after ousting the Progressive Conservatives which had ruled for 42 years! But then Liberal Premier David Petersen committed a fatal mistake. He called a snap election, just three years into his mandate, and voters turned on him.
They were suspicious of the motives, put off with the arrogant behaviour and ticked off with the waste of taxpayers’ money. On a dark and stormy September night the winds of change literally blew through Ontario in one of the greatest political upsets in Canadian history: The NDP won a majority government while the Ontario Liberals suffered its greatest defeat; even the premier got the boot from his own riding.
It was a stunning victory for the NDP and perhaps most stunned by the win was the NDP candidate for Huron County. Paul Klopp was in his early 30s, married with three little kids, and his late corn crop was due to be harvested in a week or two. But all that had to be put aside because his new job was in Toronto at Queen’s Park.
As lighting flashed, thunder boomed and rains washed away the red Liberal banners, Klopp stood in a century-old creamery and ranted about David Petersen’s government. When he stepped down from the speakers’ platform I tapped him on the shoulder and said, “Criticism is fine when you’re in opposition, but YOU are now the government.”
Here in B.C., I think today’s NDP is far more poised to govern than its old Ontario counterparts.
But even when it appears certain the New Democrats will form the next government, nothing is for sure, especially when the voters howl and the winds of change scour the land.
paulr@campbellrivermirror.com
