There is something very familiar taking place in the largest country in North America – Canada. They are holding a general election. Joy of Joys they use almost the same system as we do except the constituencies are known as ridings. According to Wiki their official names is ‘Electoral Districts’. except no one seems to call them that. There might be more differences. However, from what I have observed so far, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

The reason why this is important is it will be a true measure of the Donald Trump effect. You see before Trumps took office the ruling Liberal Party was in serious trouble – so much so the Prime Minister resigned. The leader of the opposition Conservative Party was powering ahead. I almost called them Tories. His wife could start to think about the furnishings of her new home. I know it’s sexist, but it makes a point.

Then the great orange one south of the border started to suggest that Canada should actually be the 51st state of the United States of America and bottom fell out of the Conservative Party voting intentions. As things stand the Liberal Party could win a majority, they were a minority government relying on support on smaller parties in the previous parliament.

The final dagger in the heart of Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative party leader, is that Donald Trump dismissed him as though he didn’t know who he was. A real blow for someone who tried to pretend he was Canada’s Trump.

So there is just under a month to polling day and as with all elections nothing is decided until the last vote is counted. However, if the Liberals do win then that raises serious questions for populists throughout the non USA west. Many, like Poilievre have cossied up to Trump and now he is possibly proving a real drag where do they go?

Canada the world is watching.

On My Own…

For the last couple of days I have been riding the first rate public transport system in and out of Leicester. (I suspect if I rode the bus on a more regular basis I might have a different view!). Anyway as I sat there I noticed that I was the only enjoying the view out of the window. All of my fellow travelers had their heads buried in their phones. It is on days like this that I start to realise I am becoming and ‘old’ man.