The polls are certainly exciting but as the old adage says “the proof is in the pudding”. Until the votes are cast and counted there is no certainty as to which party is the electorate’s favourite. It’s been many years since the NDP have enjoyed such a surge of popularity and perhaps we can credit some of this to the electronic age. The message of the “minor” parties is getting out at long last. The use of Twitter, Facebook and other electronic media appears to be as successful in this election as it was in the latest Calgary election where Major Nenshi rode the wave right into the major’s seat.
For far too many years the power to sway opinion has been in the hands of the powerful (and greedy) owners of the newspapers, radio and television. To date we have the good fortune to have relatively unmanipulated access to internet, blogs, websites and other electronic media that can be utilized at little or no expense. Thus the smaller parties have an equal chance in getting their messages out to the populace, or at least the electronically savvy populace. Young people are becoming more and more involved in politics as a result and their minds are not affected by the smear campaigns currently on television ads and mainstream editorials.
This is going to be one interesting election come May 2nd.
Remember to vote as your vote counts and your opinion matters. Vote for yourself.
