the reformed reform party

so i haven't been talking too much about canadian politics lately because, well, it's a snooze. there are way more sparks flying in american politics these days so my attention has been diverted elsewhere. perhaps if stephen harper started institutionalizing torture like his american counterpart, it would worth writing about.

however, i did come across an amusing article from the globe and mail that indicates some discontent with various conservative supporters in regards to the centralist decisions harper has been making over the last little while. it appears many of them were quite excited that harper won because it would mean they would get a bigger voice in ottawa. or so they thought. now, harper - gasp! - is behaving like the prime minister of canada, forced to make decisions to accommodate the whole of canada, not just western canada. who'd a thunk it?

at any rate, there is talk of possibly resurrecting the former reform party of canada. if you don't remember, the reform party was a western-centric party, borne out of the supposed "western alienation." well, if they want to bring the reform party back, i'm all for it. that way they can syphon out all the intolerant, homophobic, racist, bigoted elements that remain in the conservative party as a result of the merger years ago with the reform and the old progress conservative party. maybe then the conservative party can be the way it used to be, conservative, yet progressive, with all the selfish caveman elements marginalized in a separate party, that was, and always will be, unfit to rule for a nation based on tolerance and multiculturalism. by doing away with the more extreme, fringe elements, the conservative party may be able to restore some faith in the party and gain some respect from non-conservatives.

as a side note, i never bought the whole western alienation slant. i've always thought of it as nothing but selfish leanings by various backwards-thinking westerners. yes, ottawa has screwed over the west in the past, but it's not like the west is the only part of canada that has received the short end of the stick before. canada is about unity and taking care of your fellow citizens, and sometimes that means sharing your oil profits and other natural resources, and generally making sacrifices for the good of the nation.

here is the article.