Now is the busy time at Kansai Gaidai! I can’t believe that the semester is almost over, and we still have so much to do. However, it has been a really exciting semester, and my students and I all got to think about a lot of really important things.

One thing that I have been thinking a lot about lately is democracy. Today was the day for the Federal Election in Canada. I didn’t get myself organized in time, so I wasn’t able to vote in this election because I am living overseas. However, I should have voted. I feel awful that I didn’t vote, because everyone should vote. Democracy can’t work if people don’t vote. Also, this was a very important election for the Canadian people. There was a serious danger that the Conservative Party might win and form the government. That would just be one of the worst things that could happen for Canada. The Conservatives are a right wing party, and they would most likely do many things that are fundamentally opposed to everything that I believe in. For example, the Conservatives would have moved Canada closer to the United States in both economic and military issues, they would have allowed for private health care (in Canada, private health care is illegal), they would have increased military spending, and they would have infringed upon bilingualism, women’s issues, and minority rights – and that is just the beginning!!! It was a very scary scenario.

Luckily, the Conservatives didn’t win. My party didn’t win either (I support the New Democratic Party – they are a left wing party). The party that got the most seats in the House of Commons was the Liberal Party. They are a centre party. However, the Liberals didn’t get enough seats to form a majority in parliament. That means that they have to form a Minority Government with the support of the New Democrats. That is good news for me because it means that the party that I support is going to be very influential in the new parliament. If the Liberals don’t get the support of my party, they government could fall, and they would have to call another election.

Despite the Liberals forming a minority government with the support of the New Democrats, it was very close. I really wish I had been in Canada, or that I had gotten organized soon enough to cast an overseas ballot. It is so important that people get involved in the political process. Soon all of my students are going to be 20 years old. I certainly hope that they exercise their democratic rights and vote. Just think of all the countries where there is no democracy, and people are not able to choose their governments. Don’t take your freedom for granted!!

Love and Peace,

Scott