The Horror of Harperland and the Arrival of Baby Freedom

Gawd. I was planning to go through all the posts I wrote this year, and write something about the deathly year of 2014.

So I could warn Baby 2015 what to expect, when he or she comes roaring through the door, with hope in its eyes. Into this dark Harperland, where hope goes to die.

But unfortunately although I thought I had written about 400 posts, which would have been hard enough to even skim through. I actually wrote more than 600.

So I almost immediately gave up. 

Because there's a limit to the amount of depressing stuff you can be exposed to at this gloomy time of the year eh?

Without going completely bonkers like so many people in this country.

And besides I would need at least a month to list all of this monstrous leader's imperfections...



Or all his crimes against Canada.

But then, as if that wasn't depressing enough, there was Michael Den Tandt predicting that Stephen Harper won't call an early election.

Because, wait for it, he's steady and predictable.

My reasoning is simply this: Harper likes to govern, and prides himself on steadiness and predictability. Barring a major unforeseen event, which can always happen, he will be inclined to do what he has said he will do, and govern through the end of this term.

Which threw me into a state of total confusion...



And made me wonder whether that sorry scribbler is talking about the same MANIAC?

But apparently he is, because Den Tandt is also predicting that Harper will win the election. And that the Liberals and the NDP won't topple his minority government. Because they hate each other more than they hate HIM:

When the election does come, the Conservatives will win it, narrowly, with a minority. The Trudeau Liberals will more than double their seat count, from the current 35, and replace the New Democrats as the Official Opposition. But there will be no immediate unseating of the Harper government by a Liberal-NDP coalition, as some have speculated will happen. 

The reason is simply that the current crop of New Democrats and Liberals viscerally dislike and mistrust each other, including at the leadership level, in a way the NDP and Tories do not. Given his druthers, Mulcair will be inclined to keep Harper in power, with concessions, rather than allow Trudeau to road-test himself as prime minister.

Which for a brief moment almost caused me to give up. Like so many others in this broken country.

Or prepare to pack my bags and head back to that other country. Where as I told you yesterday, I met a powerful movement last summer with hope in its eyes...



And it was BEAUTIFUL.

But luckily by then I had read enough of what I wrote this year to remember those who are fighting for their freedom and their humanity...



In the face of fascist violence. Brutalized, murdered, and worst of all so easily forgotten.

And I remembered how at the age of thirteen I made the solemn vow to fight the bestial bullies to my death if necessary, in the name of those who didn't survive them.

Which in turn made me remember that this was also the year the great Pete Seeger left us...



“This banjo surrounds hate and forces it to surrender.”

And how much I loved that old guy and his freedom songs. How much I admired the way he fought all his life to try to create a mighty progressive movement.

And that's when I decided I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to stay right here, and try to help build one in Canada.

My country ...



For better or for worse.

Because that's the best thing about a movement. It doesn't just help win elections. It can also keep progressive parties honest AFTER that victory is won. 

And force them to do what must be done. i.e. crush the Harper Cons, without hesitation or mercy.

As well as forcing a progressive government to make the radical changes we need, if we are to save this country and the planet.

For I can never forget that once there was a movement in Canada that filled me with the same kind of hope that I felt in Scotland.

It was humble, it wasn't big, it was easily crushed. And even more easily mocked.

But it did stretch from coast to coast to coast.

And it too was BEAUTIFUL...



And the one we will build to crush the Con regime and its depraved leader, will be the mightiest movement this country has ever seen

Later today I'll write my last post of the year. But for now I just want to say this:

Welcome Baby 2015 !!!  You are cleared to land. You will bring us hope.

And I think I'll call you FREEDOM...

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