The Canadian Taxpayers Federation always struck me as frustrated Libertarians who compromised themselves enough to support Harper’s Conservatives on fiscal issues so they did not look extreme. Ironic don’t you think.
Well they have done some good work that Progressives like me have tended to overlook. The CTF work product that recently caught my eye at first glance looked like it originated with the Rhinoceros Party. To presume that would be wrong. It is the handiwork of the CTF and it underscores the depth of cynicism in the Canadian public over confidence in our political leaders to keep election promises.
This CTF sponsored poll was done way back in January 2008, when nobody was really paying attention, post Christmas and way before an election was anticipated. The poll asked at least one fundamental question that must have been judged as top of mind for every engaged Canadian by the CTF.
Q19 - Which is more likely to happen... Politicians will keep their election promises or Scientists will prove the existence of Big Foot.
The results will astound you. 58% of Canadians have more faith in science proving the existence of Big Foot than they do in politicians keeping election promises. Only 27% of Canadians chose the honest politician option.
This result is funny, then sad and finally, it is depressing, as you think about it. This shows just how inadequate we have come to view our democracy and the condition of politics in Canada these days.
The political cynicism about political leadership was consistent across the board, demographically and geographically. Only my Alberta and in good old Sask/Man, both Harper Conservative strongholds, was there any sense of some variation.
In Alberta only 51.5% of us favoured Big Foot’s discovery over trusting politicians. A full 18.4% of us were “Unsure or Undecided, so I am not sure where 1 in 5 of us is leaning (sic) to being unsure about such a question.
Sask/Man folks were split equally between believing in Big Foot or in believing political promises. Not sure what that says about voters there either but I will default to being "encouraged" that they took the question seriously (sic).
We already know Harper does not keep promises like Income Trusts and he breaks his own laws like Fixed Election Dates. Just imagine what Harper would do to us with the absolute power of a majority government! It is starting to look that that Harper majority will be the unfortunate outcome to this election.
You always get the government you deserve in a democracy. Cynicism is not an option this election.
Well they have done some good work that Progressives like me have tended to overlook. The CTF work product that recently caught my eye at first glance looked like it originated with the Rhinoceros Party. To presume that would be wrong. It is the handiwork of the CTF and it underscores the depth of cynicism in the Canadian public over confidence in our political leaders to keep election promises.
This CTF sponsored poll was done way back in January 2008, when nobody was really paying attention, post Christmas and way before an election was anticipated. The poll asked at least one fundamental question that must have been judged as top of mind for every engaged Canadian by the CTF.
Q19 - Which is more likely to happen... Politicians will keep their election promises or Scientists will prove the existence of Big Foot.
The results will astound you. 58% of Canadians have more faith in science proving the existence of Big Foot than they do in politicians keeping election promises. Only 27% of Canadians chose the honest politician option.
This result is funny, then sad and finally, it is depressing, as you think about it. This shows just how inadequate we have come to view our democracy and the condition of politics in Canada these days.
The political cynicism about political leadership was consistent across the board, demographically and geographically. Only my Alberta and in good old Sask/Man, both Harper Conservative strongholds, was there any sense of some variation.
In Alberta only 51.5% of us favoured Big Foot’s discovery over trusting politicians. A full 18.4% of us were “Unsure or Undecided, so I am not sure where 1 in 5 of us is leaning (sic) to being unsure about such a question.
Sask/Man folks were split equally between believing in Big Foot or in believing political promises. Not sure what that says about voters there either but I will default to being "encouraged" that they took the question seriously (sic).
We already know Harper does not keep promises like Income Trusts and he breaks his own laws like Fixed Election Dates. Just imagine what Harper would do to us with the absolute power of a majority government! It is starting to look that that Harper majority will be the unfortunate outcome to this election.
You always get the government you deserve in a democracy. Cynicism is not an option this election.
