Before the advent of the world wide web, a dedicated political observer and eager to learn citizen of the democratic process would have to ask the various political parties to send them a copy of their platforms. The main political thesis of each of our political parities, a document that include each parties hope, dreams, boasts and bravado.
Securing four such platforms prior to the election in the pre Internet world, would surely provide for many a workers’ compensation claim at Canada Post as letter carriers across the nation would no doubt succumb to the heaviness of their loads.
Now however, with modern times and the click of your mouse, the entire blueprint for each of our political parties is readily available. Page after page after page of policy wonkage, totals to spend irrelevant it seems to the desire to show just how different each party is from each other on the way to their day of destiny on October 14.
For those with an inquiring mind and more than a bit of time on their hands, below find links to the official platforms of each of the parties seeking your vote.
The Greens were first out of the gate with an official platform on September 17, an introduction and primer to Elizabeth May and the rest of the merry band of enviropoliticos. Apparently thankful to be part of the process and hopeful of an electoral breakthrough, they overwhelm the servers with 160 pages of not so lean, but definitely green offerings. Had it been on paper we're sure it would be recyclable, you can view it here, but we strongly recommend you register for carbon trading shortly after.
The NDP have been reading from the platform page for a couple of weeks now, all designed to reinforce the prospect that Jack Layton will be the next Prime Minister, just ask him. Having released their 46 page agenda complete with costing tables on September 28, they seek to sideswipe Stephane Dion while taking the centre left attack to the Conservative agenda. You can peruse the view from the left and see what a socialist orange hued Canada would look like from here.
The Liberals, ready to spend, spend, spend (we suspect that means tax, tax, tax as well) on any number of projects, filled up some 72 pages released on September 22. From some early stumbles during the campaign, they seem to have steadied their path over the last couple of weeks, their 72 pages offering any number of themes, with something for everyone, (especially those wayward Libs toying with the idea of voting with the NDP or Greens) you can weigh through it all from here.
The Conservatives waited until a week before election day to release their official platform, providing their 44 page interpretation of what a Conservative government would look like after October 14th. The late in the game delivery released today, leaves you wondering why they would wait so late to outline what they plan to do. Perhaps they were still reading Stephane Dion's 72 pages, trying to figure out what was the best strategy to counter the Green Shift and those other Liberal offerings .
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The Harper doctrine can be found here, for many it will be the blueprint to the future, for others a full reading might be best left until Halloween, when all the horror stories are told best.
That’s around 322 pages of policy, predictions and finely processed political pablum, all to make your task that much easier (or leave you too exhausted to vote) on election day.
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And While Canada Post will miss the volume, a total like that surely makes your letter carrier thankful that you have a reliable internet connection and lots of space on your hard drive.
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