The Burden We Must Carry
Comrades. I wanted to reach out to all of you in solidarity ahead of what will surely be a very stupid day in the history of our Canadian democracy. I'm not talking about the Yellowknife municipal election where your hero is boldly seeking a seat on council. No. It's referendum day tomorrow in Alberta. That place we go for medical travel and where our road comes from. The fate of our city is tied to Alberta, and tomorrow we will know a little more clearly just how rough of a ride awaits us.
When I hosted the first ever public meeting of our glorious movement back in February of 2025, I mentioned something in my presentation that went on to become a regular refrain. The UK, US, and Canada are the only western democracies that still use First Past the Post. The US got MAGA. The UK got Brexit. What will Canada get? What will be our moment of national self-sabotage? About a month after that first meeting I had my answer. Just like Brexit, the Alberta Separation referendum is a product of our electoral system. A fringe group that would never have had a chance of making progress as a distinct party found a way to infiltrate and take control of the United Conservative Party, get rid of their leader, and replace him with someone they could bend to their will. If you're interested in a blow-by-blow account of how this happened, this 5th estate article does an excellent job. Tomorrow will be a milestone but, whatever the outcome, it won't be the end of the movement or the turbulence that surrounds it. Then there's the Quebec Separation referendum that a PQ government with 28% of the vote has imposed on our country. But even two separation referendums isn't the end of the unneccessary First-Past-the-Post fuckery that we have to navigate when we could be focussing on shit that matters like housing or a liveable planet.
A few weeks ago, I cautioned that David Eby's cynical decision to call a snap election in BC could backfire. Well what do you know. Election day is the 24th of this month and polls are showing about a 75% chance the the BC Conservatives will form a majority government. The same David Eby who said that he has no interest in pursuing electoral reform is now publicly pleading with green voters not to split the vote. The audacity of this fellow just blows me away.
So why am I telling you this? Well comrades, we've been on this road together a while now. It's been my honour to be concierge on your journey towards electoral reform fanaticism, but I must tell you now that your enlightenment comes at a cost. I'm sure many of you already know what I'm talking about. Once you start to see the mechanics of FPTP in the background of every shortsighted and foolish political decision, you can't unsee it. Patterns emerge and the foolishness becomes eerily predictable. You must carry the peculiar burden of always being right.
On a side note. I say we're overdue for a CHOOSEday. How about it? Beers at the BK this Tuesday Oct 20th at 8? There'll be plenty to talk about.
Don't forget to vote tomorrow.
J
