Oh (yeah, forgot about) Canada

Compared to U.S. elections, which mix a tiny dash of policy focus into a steaming brew of character assassination, feigned outrage and relentless appealing to the lowest common denominator, Canadian elections, with their focus on legislative agendas and their charisma-free leaders, are kinda dull. Thus, it is with some sadness that I have to acknowledge the fact that my home and native land has a vote for Oct. 14.

Whereas the Americans are talking about change and are, in one form or another, going to get it, us Canucks are being put through the democratic process for the purpose of reaffirming the status quo. Stephen Harper's still creepy - all the more so when he tries to go all family guy in his TV spots - but his performance thus far has been mainstream enough to pacify concerns that he'd turn Canada into a Bush-lite, neo-con state. Stephane Dion, for all his good intentions, is still a dork who comes off as though he's crying about Harper shaking him down for his lunch money (don't think Harper wouldn't do it, either). Jack Layton still looks like he just walked off the set of a late-70s porn flick and while he's managed to pull in some former Liberal supporters, he still represents what amounts to a fringe party. And speaking of fringe, there are the Greens, who will just count themselves lucky to hold onto their first ever MP.

In other words, we're still going to end up with a (perhaps slightly enlarged) Conservative minority. In the meantime, we'll get ads about Green Shifts, economic management and pulling troops out of Afghanistan. We'll also get some personal attacks, but far fewer than our southern neighbours. I guess we should be thankful that our political system remains, relatively speaking, focused on the issues. It speaks well for Canada and Canadians. Sadly, though, it just lacks the entertainment value of U.S. politics - the best reality show running.