The Last Exile

Thanks to Elections Ontario I discovered what probably everyone but me in the province already knew – that a by-election date was set in Toronto-Centre – my home riding for February 4th. And full kudos for Elections Ontario for having an online process so you can check to make sure your name is on the voters list; otherwise I would never have been known my name was stricken from the voters list after 15 years of residency and regular voting.

This is rather a special election and not just because the Elections Ontario scrapped my name for the list of eligible voters but because its the first election my daughter the Last Amazon is eligible to vote. Registering to vote will now be a mother and daughter activity slated for Friday – just in time before the advance polling opens.

This started the search for who is running to replace Liberal MP George Smitherman who has stepped down to run for mayor of Toronto. Go figure. Of course, this is a by-election and the political fate of the provincial government doesn’t rise or fall on this seat. On February 5th, whoever wins the riding, means not much of anything will change at Queen’s Park.

For the first time, I am faced with a personal political moral quandary. Usually voting means I take a look at the candidates and their respective political parties position and pick the one which closest mirrors my own values. This time I know one of the candidates – not as a friend but as someone who has been deeply involved in my community for its betterment. She’s a woman of honour and integrity and dedicated her life to tirelessly fighting to improve all the lives of those who have lived in this community and the dilemma – she is running under a party banner I have never once in my entire life considered voting for – not even in my worst nightmares.

In searching for information about the other candidates and their respective positions on the provincial issues which directly effect the quality of life in this riding I discovered an all-candidates debate for tonight at the 519 Community Centre. Xtra, a free weekly magazine directly primarily to the Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual and Transgendered community was hosting a live video feed of the meeting.

And kudos for them for hosting this service. I have spent the better part of the debate watching the online feed. Its been a somewhat surreal experience listening to most of the candidates emphasizing their ‘GLBT’ creds which flies directly opposite in my experience on how all-candidates debates usually go. But I am nothing if not adaptable – after all, I am a resident of Toronto-Centre. Now Toronto-Centre is probably the most diverse riding in the country and I mean diverse in the fullest sense of the word. Its a riding of extremes and the most part is works after a fashion.

I suppose Glen Murray, former mayor of Winnipeg, and Liberal nominee wins the ‘gay’ cred given he’s the only gay candidate running and darts to Pamela Taylor, the Progressive Conservative nominee for giving an opening introductory speech by outing herself as straight. Lame. Of course, the lameness didn’t end with her outing herself as ’straight’ 5 seconds in her introductory speech. She also took pains to point out the provincial conservatives are a completely different party from the federal party and she is not her ‘leader’ Tim Hudak.

I have no idea who the woman was who is the moderator but some smart television exec needs to sign her to host a television show immediately – or at least let her moderate the next federal political debate. She’s polished, witty and urbane in addition to keeping the debate running relatively smoothly.

As Cathy Crowe rightly pointed out the Liberal government has a horrendous six year track record of mismanaging housing, health care, education, environmental and fiscal portfolios so Glen Murray was coming from behind right out of the gate but if there is anything which convinces me than anything about his general unfitness to represent me as MPP for Toronto-Centre it is simply this. He may be the the candidate the most able to represent the GLBT community and their needs but he gives the distinct impression he could not care less about the rest of the 80% of the community who live and vote in this riding.

Listening to Glen Murray I was struck by how all his answers and solutions all revolved more around municipal matters and municipal solutions rather than provincial ones. Perhaps it would have been a better fit for him to throw his name into the ring for the mayor’s office.

Biggest boos of the debate -when Glen Murray reminded the audience of Conservative leader Tim Hudak’s promise to disband the Human Rights Tribunal. I guess I am not only one who remembers the bad old days when discrimination against women, GLBT, and the disabled ran rampant and was the norm rather than the exception. Second biggest boo of the debate – when Glen Murray invoked a memory of rampant homophobia in the NDP. The adjective ’sanctimonous’ got flung which strikes me as incredulous coming out of the mouth of a Liberal.

I have a confession to make. I watched the debate to see if any of the candidates could present a viable alternative to having to embrace my secret darker nature and take a walk on the dark and scary side of the political spectrum. Did I find it? No. So there is nothing else for me to do but put on my big girl panties and say – damn the torpedoes and GO CATHY!

Of course, cognac will probably help; it helps most dark nights of the soul.