Barking Space

You Were Expecting Something Different?

The dust has settled from the election for the most part. Mr. Harper is the new Prime Minister.

There is a lot of doom and gloom associated with this. People paint Mr. Harper as the devil (or worse). While I don’t like him, I would expect that we would at least give him a chance to screw up. This takes more time than just being in office for five minutes*.

Given how much of an uproar there is about this (at least from everyone I’ve spoken to), I wonder how we got to this point?

First, we must delve into my thoughts around this election…

The Election – A Jorge-centric Story

I’m not very politically-minded. I’m the first to admit it. I did a bit more reading this time around. Not just the platforms put forth by each of the parties, but also various other interesting tidbits. I used the internet to learn about what the parties had to offer. I chatted with locals to get their take on the local representatives.

As I was doing this, I wondered why I had never done it before. It’s quite enlightening.

After all of this research, I decided to vote locally rather than nationally. I placed a vote, not for the strategic purpose of filling the cabinet with a particular party, but rather for improving the immediate area in which I live. I wanted someone who could step up to the big table and voice concerns of the folks in my neighbourhood.

I’m glad she won.

Where the Problems Begin

Again, I’ll repeat that a lot of people I run into express surprise that the Tories even got in. They regard this as a step in the wrong direction.

Well, we all deserve it.

Part of the problem is that people don’t really give a damn about their country anymore. I can make this bold statement because from what I’ve heard and read, voter turnout was only sixty-four percent.

We, as Canadians, have no right to whine about how unfair our government is when we don’t even take the time (ten minutes – no lie) to vote.

Quite a number of people that you know will tell you how much they love our country. They will tell you how Canadian they are. Well, chances are that two out of every five people you know are not pulling their weight.

Knowing the national anthem and waving a flag around is only good if you’re cheering Canadian sports teams who participate on the world stage. Being Canadian is more than just eating maple syrup and being able to reference unimportant trivia**.

Would it Have Mattered?

Certainly there would be those that would question whether a higher percentage of voter turnout would have made a difference.

It might not have changed which party attained power. However, it would have offered a clearer indication as to what the preferences of the country were.

If everyone voted, you would have a crystal clear picture as to what thier perception of the best choice was.

Sadly, we are nowhere near this point.

Back to Me

While I don’t think that a Conservative government is the end of the world, I also don’t like a lot of items on their agenda.

But this is where things don’t look so bleak.

I will wait to see what they do. If I don’t like it, I can make my stand by presenting my case to others and voting at the next election.

After all, as a part-owner of this country, I have the power to effect change.

* – So everyone should calm down.
** – Try taking a real Canadian Citizenship test. It’s not easy.

Filed under: Ponderings, Spaces Archive | 12 Comments »

The Weakest Link

I don’t normally make New Years resolutions. This is because I never follow through on what I tell people at the beginning of the year.

Getting into better shape is one of those thigns that I tell people that I want to do.

And yet, I never do it.

Which is stupid, really, considering that I am in a Karate dojo that emphasizes physical endurance along with everything else.

And it’s not easy.

Once in a while we will have an intense exercise class, in which we really push ourselves to the limit. It’s more than just aerobic exercise. It’s torture.

But it’s a good kind of torture.

Even though I’ve moved up to Brown Belt level, I still attend the Orange/Green/Blue class on Tuesdays to help out. It’s tucked in between the children’s class I assist in and the Brown Belt class.

When the time is right, exercise classes usually carry on all week in most of the adult classes. For example, yesterday there were two exercise classes in a row. I decided to tough it out and try and do both toe Orange/Green/Blue and the Brown Belt Classes.

How embarassed was I when I was ready to heave at the end at the end of the lower-level class?

Very much so.

I don’t think I will be hearing the end of this.

Considering I’ve been doing martial arts for fourteen years, you’d think that I’d have built up some kind of stamina. Granted, it’s been fourteen years of different martial arts, so different types of endurance. But still…

My problem is an inability to push past a wall. This permeates all athletic activity that I do.

I can’t swim more than one length of a pool without stopping. Running is torturous, as is practically every other exercise.

I’ll approach this wall and the feelings of nausea and fatigue seem to overwhelm me.

I have an athsmatic friend who can run circles around me. He runs 10K races without sweating. He is an inspiration. He also is convinced that I am a wuss because I can’t think past this wall.

And he is right.

With every failed attempt to surpass this barrier, I seem to be losing a little more ground.

Well, no more.

I figured I would write this down here, on my blog, as an incentive to kick some ass.

I have a half marathon that I will be running with Dave next year. I also have a canoe trip coming up where I have to really kick some ass.

I’m not writing this as a fishing expedition so much as an admission of inadequacy. Please don’t bother trying to be complimentary. I really do appreciate it. However, I would much rather have people comment on how they push past their own barriers to improve themselves. This might help me figure out things for myself.

Consider this a life resolution rather than a New Years one.

Filed under: Ponderings, Spaces Archive | 12 Comments »

Why Am I Proud?

I recently asked people why they are proud to be Canadian* and I have received a lot of really great comments. Thank you all so much for your contributions to the discussion.

Of course, I yet to list the reasons why I am proud to be a Canadian…

• There are many countries with massive rates of immigration. The US used to be called the melting pot, while Canada was nicknamed the mosaic. These names reflect the mindset of the past. To become American was almost more of a total assimilation than to become a Canadian. This is no longer the case (and has not been for a while). While the idea of the US being a melting pot no longer really applies (people are proud of their origins and don’t hesitate to say where they are originally from), our country has a bit of a head start in terms of cultural diversity and celebration. Note, I am not saying we are necessarily better. We are just a little ahead due to how we came to be. I’m proud of the fact that we are a young country with a lot of potential, and that we embrace change much more readily than other countries in the world.
• We have our share of evil in Canada. Crime, racism and all sorts of negative aspects of human nature are apparent here, as they are everywhere else. I am proud of the fact that for every negative, there are positives. Certainly there will always be racism as long as we have diversity. It is the type of racism that is a concern, and the results of it. I’ve seen people that embody the worst in terms of what racism can be. However, I also notice that there are those who live in harmony. I do have to say that there are a few places where I know I am being stared at. I definitely feel like an outsider. But there are so many more places where I feel like I belong. I am proud that we all try to work towards a more utopian society (or something as close as possible). It’s not the easiest task, as not everyone knows they are working on it, but it is only a matter of time…
• I am proud of our creativity. A lot of incredible ideas have come out of here. So many have taken root all over the world. Basketball, the electron microscope, IMAX and the zipper are but a few of the amazing inventions that have happened due to folks that live here.
• I am proud of our talent. Every year we export or retain (sometimes both) incredible artists, scientists, thinkers and more! These people bring their Canadian flair to everything they do.
• I am proud that we live in such a majestic landscape. There is beauty all over the world, to be sure. Canada, though, has a rugged, untamed quality in its vistas. It’s hard to explain, but check out some of my photographs to see what I mean.

These are just some of the reasons that I am proud to be Canadian. I hope that this particular post is worthy, considering the most excellent responses I have received from the original question.

Cheers.

* – Without bashing our southern neighbours.

Filed under: Ponderings, Spaces Archive | 3 Comments »