Election Day - City of Regina

The line-up spilled out of the old brick building onto the sidewalk. A lovely autumn day, sun shining, a light breeze and patience seemed to be in force. Edging slowly to the front doors of the school house, casual conversations and old friends sprouted from time to time. Once past the front doors, up the ancient stairs, I was astounded! The line-up was not only long, but had snaked around, in at least four rows in front of the auditorium. Still everyone was calm and patient. Gave us a chance to look at the beautiful old architecture that had been restored and honoured. Oak banisters and moldings, high, high ceilings, old photos of children in the gymnasium and class photos from a couple of decades ago - or more - when teachers were still in suits and ties. Today, classes were in and, seeing kids in the halls, I wondered if we made a good impression about elections and voting. Our long snaky lineup was all ages, smooth skinned young people, middle aged, young adults, and a fair amount of gray headed folks. 

In the last month, I voted in a few elections. In the last many years, I have voted in many, many more. I  have not ever been in such a long lineup: 45 minutes! And when I left, the line had spilled out onto the public sidewalk and was half way down the block. Was this an anomaly or an indicator that this group of voters were serious about this municipal election

“Sometimes the wheel turns slowly, but it turns,”

~ Lorne Michaels

Post Election Shuffle

The election day shuffle has been completed. At least at the ballot box. Once the newly elected politicians shuffle their way to Ottawa and find their seats in the House, they can get down to the business of taking care of Canadians. There have been many pledges and promises made in the run up to the election. Some of them will be kept, some of them will not be kept but possibly none of them will followed be through in as timely as manner as most of us at home would prefer. But as we all know any bureaucracy moves slowly, and especially government when all the rules and regulations, laws and special interests are taken into consideration before the gavel sounds.

Sporadically, I followed the election results last night more than ever. (There’s that retirement benefit that keeps cropping up.) The best news, in my mind, from this election is that there were an increasing number of women running for this election. One report said that each of the parties have been more active in seeking out women to run for office. I have been unable to find, via a quick Google search, how many were actually elected this year. The individual that I voted for did not win the vote, however the individual that would have been my second choice did. It is pleasing that this male dominated balance is tipping albeit slowly. But that’s the way cultural changes happen ~ slowly and with the dedication of those who wish to foster change. Those of us at home will each have to decide what we can do within our own circles to be at least a tiny part of change.

My congratulations to all those that won in their riding and best wishes to those who were defeated, but are not down for the count. My gratitude to all those that volunteered, in whatever capacity. I hope to join your ranks in future.

“Somewhere inside of all of us is the power to change the world.”

~ Roald Dahl

Voting Day

I went to school today. My umbrella dripping, wet shoes squeaking on the tile floors of a hallway decorated with student art work. I passed an orderly classroom of boys and girls hard at work at round tables, their teacher circulating the room, pausing over their work. The gymnasium had been turned over to Elections Canada. I blame the cold, gray and dripping skies for our small turnout, although I do know that there were many, many Canadians who voted in the early ballots. My hope today, besides a successful election of politicians committed to the health and wellbeing of Canadians, was that those children will be inspired by this stream of voters to become the voters of the future. Time will only tell what those outcomes will be. Home from this drippy damp journey a couple of hours ago, it is still raining and cold. I am now warm and dry. Voting is important to me, and definitely more important than being warm and dry. That can come later. To add my silent voice, inked on this federal election ballot, feels just as comforting.

“Every election is determined by the people who show up.”

~ Larry J. Sabato,  Pendulum Swing

Free and Clear

I had my chance and took it. The lineup went around the corner of the old red brick building. White hair, brown hair, purple hair, braids, bobs, dreadlocks and plain stringy hair. I approached the lineup warily, uncertain of what was attracting the men and women heads bowed to iPhones, with pack backs, briefcases and purses. ‘Let’s stay outside’ A disembodied voice drifted on the cool early evening air. What was going on? Was I in the right place? I checked the address I had received against the address on the building. It was right. But where were the signs? There. Up on the wall. A slim blue sign with little letters. Elections BC. As the line shuffled forward to the corner of the building another sign, square and black with red lettering Vote here. ‘Anyone with a voter’s card?’ Hands went up waving voter’s cards. We moved to the head of the line directed into a gymnasium. People milled about finding their place. Tables set up around the room manned by volunteers checked needed ID. At table 53, I showed my voter’s card and ID. I had my ballot. The voter’s booth cleared. X marked the spot. I returned my folded ballot to the volunteer. He removed a tag and returned my ballot to me. I slipped it into the ballot box and moved easily through the crowd out into the cool evening air. The walk home was free and clear.

“Democracy is not just the right to vote, it is the right to live in dignity.”

 ~ Naomi Klein, Canadian journalist

Women’s Rights March - Victoria, BC

I’ll be honest. I was not going to go to the March for Women today.  I’ve never been to a march. I’ve never had any desire to attend any march. Today was different. Today, I wanted - no, needed - to see and feel this march. As I walked downtown, I expected to see women and men streaming to Centennial Square. But there didn’t seem to be much action. And then I saw them. Pink placards - Rights for Women! And pink hats - ‘pussy’ hats, and just ordinary - but pink or purple - winter hats.

There were, apparently, about 4000 people gathered with some peering from the tops of buildings. This march was organized by five different groups, spearheaded by the Raging Grannies. There was music by local musicians and, in chorus, many of us sang along. Speakers included Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party, Carole James, MLA for the Victoria-Beacon Hill electoral district and Lisa Helps, Mayor of Victoria.

I could see the hundreds of people around me, but the crowd spilled down Douglas Street to Pandora a distance of several blocks. When the march began, we edged slowly out onto the street, filling it, blocking traffic on the cross streets as we wound down to Store Street and back to Centennial Square. Workers and staff coming out of their places of employment clapped and cheered as we passed.

I'm uncomfortable in crowds, especially big noisy crowds. This big noisy crowd did not scare me. The big noisy crowd told me that women, men and children in Victoria, as everyone south of the border and around the world, are paying attention. Paying attention to the threat to not just women’s rights, but to human rights, from the new leadership in the United States. People willing to stand up for their principles and to the source of these threats. Another disclaimer - I have not been clear about how a march will provide the resistance needed for change, however today I saw a critical mass of power. Visible and tangible. The power of citizenry that translates into votes and continued challenge to those who believe they hold all the power.

“I raise up my voice - not so I can shout but so that those without a voice 

can be heard…we cannot succeed when half of us are held back.”

~ Malala Yousafzai

Author's note: Edited February 03, 2024

The Right to Vote

“On this date in 1919, the Texas Legislature ratified the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, guaranteeing women the right to vote.” June 28, 2010 By Hillary Sorin 

In October 2015, I cast my vote in the Canadian federal election. In Canada women got the federal vote in three stages from 1917 through 1919.

A dual citizen, I again was privileged to cast my vote in a federal election. Today I participated in the U.S. Global Presidential Primary. While I have no expectation that my one vote will sway the results in any specific direction, I am definitely confident in my right to vote.

“Human rights are women’s rights, and women’s rights 

are human rights. Let us not forget that among those rights 

are the right to speak freely - and the right to be heard.”

~ Hillary Rodham Clinton

Book Review: Nellie McClung by Charlotte Gray

Nellie McClung, by renowned biographer Charlotte Gray, is one of a series of Extraordinary Canadians. This book provided food for much interesting discussion this afternoon. It was difficult for Charlotte Gray to develop this biography as most of Nellie McClung’s diaries had been destroyed. The reason for this destruction is not apparent, but did limit the author. Despite this, Nellie McClung is an easily read and well paced book outlining the strong role that she played in winning women the right to vote. Manitoba, where Nellie McClung resided, was the first province to legislate the vote for women. She was also involved in the Temperance movement at the time. As she and her family moved into Alberta and then into Victoria, Nellie maintained the strength of her beliefs, not all of which are acceptable today. According to Gray, Nellie McClung did support the eugenics movement when it was popular in 1928.

Regardless I am grateful for the bravery of Nellie McClung, the Famous Five and other suffragettes both in Canada, the U.K., the United States and around the world. This at a time when women were seen as non-persons. It truly was a world run by men, for men and about men. Women were, because of that, completely economically, socially and even politically dependent on the other half of humanity. Thank you Nellie, and thank you to Charlotte Gray for this book.

“The economic dependence of women is perhaps the greatest injustice 

that has been done to us, and has worked the greatest injury to the race.”

~ Nellie L. McClung

Title:  Nellie McClung
Author:  Charlotte Gray
Publisher: Penguin Group
Publication Date: 2011
Format:  Soft Cover
ISBN: 978-0-14-305455-9 (pbk.)
Type:  Biography
Series:  Extraordinary Canadians (Series Editor: John Ralston Saul)

Canada's Election Changes Things

A short evening, dragging myself away from the CBC election results
A change is certainly under way!
All the votes aren’t in yet but
the guy they said was ‘too young’ seems to be doing pretty well.
An interesting turn of events.
But…..an early morning begs that I close this window and head to bed.

“The wheel of change moves on, and those who 

were down go up and those who were up go down. “

~  Jawaharlal Nehru

Expecting Clarity

“We can’t staff for 'just in case' scenarios.”
When asking for more staff from a supervisor several years ago this was the response. Young and  intimated by supervisors, I considered that she maybe knew much more than I.

Listening to the news and the political rhetoric in today’s climate there many double messages. To double up the messages:
‘We expect that terrorist’s will destroy us’
And 
‘We can’t afford to increase funding for social programs’ (until election time)

I definitely do not minimize the dreadful threat that terrorism poses globally.

Social programs like child care, senior’s care, health care and many other forms of care for Canada’s citizens if not funded and developed effectively, pose a greater threat on a daily basis.

For purposes of voting, we need only to gaze into a crystal ball to divine how to vote.

“Don’t set your goals by what other people deem important.”

~ Jaachynma N.E. Agu, The Prince and the Pauper