Don’t be too disgruntled dear diary, I’m only here for a brief time, sort of filling in a gap so-to-speak. Next week you can be gruntled again.
I received a call containing an opportunity to crawl back into the journalistic trenches and, well, who can resist that temptation?
The last few months have been a bit crazy doncha think?
The provincial government finally hit the financial brick wall of reality and shut down the Saskatchewan Transportation Company bus service, did a check off on health regions with promises of a new tomorrow on that horizon, which, of course, will not happen and started to flex muscle on the elementary and secondary education systems by declaring they would now be calling the shots, even though regional school boards would remain in place. The board members would be available to field calls and complaints from the panting public, but according to the plan, as we understand it, school board autonomy is going to disappear.
Of course library services will have to be cut by about 60 per cent. I expect that will signal the demise of more than a few small library sites due to the lack of cash.
Those well noted cuts, plus a few lesser recognized slash and burns have set the stage for a new world order for the governing Saskatchewan Party. But it has been a fine 10-year romantic stretch, especially here in what the pundits like to refer to as “rural Saskatchewan” where the Sask. Party reigns supreme, and probably will continue to do so, only with lower approval ratings heading into 2018.
On the federal front?
Well, we still have Sunny Ways, the Sequel tapping into his good looks file. He’s the best selfie party leader we have although Rona Ambrose could be considered a close second, but her time as a party leader is coming to a close. She’ll be handing those reins over to Kevin O’Leary (Trump Light) within the year, or so it seems.
The Conservatives aren’t the only party desperately seeking a fill-in leader. The NDP started a race for the top rung of their particular ladder. So far their dance card contains just four names while the Conservatives have now whittled their list of leadership contenders down to Kevin and 134 wanna be leaders, or something like that. Just think, we were mocking the Republican Party in the U.S. for their huge candidate list before they settled on Donnie.
At least they have a leader, or something resembling one for half a day each week. The poor Democratic Party has nobody. Hillary went into hiding after her humbling loss and they have no natural heir waiting in the wings. Of course, political leadership situations both here in Canada and especially in the United States do not necessarily hinge on actual leadership qualities but rather on how much money the hopeful has, or can raise. We try to put a curb on it in Canada, but it only works moderately well and the poor American politicians, well, they’re on the fundraising treadmill constantly. You now need to be independently wealthy to even consider a run for presidency there and then the winner (and losers) still need to continue to feed at the Super Pac trough just to stay alive and somewhat relevant.
Of course the current U.S. president is no longer relevant, but it seems nobody has the courage to tell him that because they don’t want him to get angry and start calling them bad names.
So, on the national scenes, I believe we can count ourselves lucky for the time being.
I’d much rather have the smiley, sunny ways selfie star as opposed to grumpy and grouchy Donnie.
It’s a sad state of affairs, but keep voting dear diary. We’re bound to get lucky one of these years.
