Friday, February 07, 2014

Oh no! Canadian Democracy is Doomed!

Our democracy is doomed!

For all the gory details of its demise, check out this column by the Toronto Star’s Chantal Hebert.

She explains how the Conservative government, in its “Fair Elections Act”, plans to – are you ready for this? -- forbid Elections Canada from launching “outreach campaigns”.

Imagine that! No more Elections Canada outreach campaigns!!

It’s outrageous! It’s scary! It’s Orwellian! (Note: George Orwell was a noted political writer who penned the classic anti-totalitarian novel about a wild college fraternity called Animal Farm House.)

If this news doesn't terrify you, it must be because you don't know Elections Canada’s outreach campaign is a campaign whereby Elections Canada tries to “reach” “out” and motivate people to vote.

This is similar to other government motivational campaigns such as its stop smoking campaign, its stop taking drugs campaign, its do more exercise campaign, its recycle your garbage campaign, and its pay more attention to government motivational ad campaigns campaign.

Technically, such government campaigning is known as “nagging.”

At any rate, an important part of that Elections Canada “outreach” campaign is its effort to convince young people that voting is cool and hip.

Now you might be thinking there’s no way middle-aged Elections Canada bureaucrats, whose idea of fun is coming up with “spoiled” ballot jokes, could ever be “groovy” enough to effectively reach out to today’s youth.

Well, if you watch this youth “outreach” ad you’ll see exactly how much Elections Canada is “with it.”




Yes, sir, with this ad airing on TV, it’s no wonder young people vote by the dozens.

Although admittedly some studies suggest that when young people are exposed to these hip Elections Canada ads, many of them not only don’t vote, they actually renounce the very concept of democracy.

But whether or not these ads work really isn’t the point.

The point is without the government telling them what to do at election time, an entire generation of young Canadians will lapse into an X-Box induced apathetic coma.

That means only non-cool old people will vote!

But wait, there’s more bad news.

As we all know, if young people don’t vote in large enough numbers, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau might (gasp) lose the next election.

And Hebert fears despite his Teenbeat model looks, despite his promise to legalize marijuana, despite his idealistic persona and despite his party’s sophisticated GOTV measures, without Election Canada ads to energize apathetic young  people, Trudeau won’t be able mobilize his Liberal Youth Legions.

In other words, stopping Elections Canada from advertising to help Trudeau probably violates the British North America Act, because surely the Fathers of Confederation never meant for us to have non-Liberal government!

So what can we do to protect our democratic values from this vicious assault?

Well, there’s only one thing we can do: wait for guidance from a hip and cool government ad.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Brilliant post. The wit reminds me of Dave Barry's writings.

But the EC outreach program has been so successful. When they started it, voter turnout was way down at 71%. Now those brilliant and hip middle aged EC bureaucrats can proudly point to a voter turnout of ... well ... um ... oh 61%.

Anonymous said...

Whether or not you agree with the type of ad that was created, the point does remain. Reminding people that voting is important, is important despite how many exclamation points you use to feign indignation. The fact that voting has dropped from 71% to 61% could be in fact be due to the outreach campaigns. Perhaps it would have otherwise dropped below 50% already? If we don't come up with some good ideas fast on how to re-engage voters, including young people, those very same young people may grow up to think that elections held where only 20% of people actually voted doesn't mean very much and therefore neither does our government. I, for one, hope we never see that day. Voter outreach is important in today's society where everyone and everything is constantly competing for your time.

dz alexander said...

Hebert's column states the "how" & "why" very clearly & points out how this fits the pattern. Fewer ejactulations than you, but more information.
The polls show the Liberals ahead -- & youth is part of their image.
Phoning selected people to misdirect them is no longer available.
And marketing Steve as a hockey man & rock star is not going so well.
So hide some regulations in one of their big fat bills that prevent Elections Canada from encouraging the strategically wrong people to vote.
Fits the pattern, eh"
<< Andrew Coyne on decoding the budget: What Jim Flaherty didn’t want you to know >>
Not quite as bizarre as auditing Environmental groups in case they might politic in favour of the environment.
Still ....

dz alexander said...

Hebert's column states the "how" & "why" very clearly & points out how this fits the pattern. Fewer ejactulations than you but more information.
The polls show the Liberals ahead -- & youth is part of their image.
Phoning selected people to misdirect them is no longer available.
And marketing Steve as a hockey man & rock star is not going so well.
So hide some regulations in one of their big fat bills that prevent Elections Canada from encouraging the strategically wrong people to vote.
Fits the pattern, eh"
<< Andrew Coyne on decoding the budget: What Jim Flaherty didn’t want you to know >>
Not quite as bizarre as auditing Environmental groups in case they might politic in favour of the environment.
Still ....

Anonymous said...

i can't believe i wasted as much time as i did to read this tripe

Anonymous said...

Junior Trudeau will be so upset. The "Lie" brals will have to spend their campaign funds on these election adds. Toooo bad!!!

Anonymous said...

Elections Canada has identified cheating by the Conservative Party. Harper doesn't like it so he will diminish our democracy by neutering the head of elections canada. Harper is predictable.