Before noon Wednesday my in-box handled enough information from readers on the First-Past-The-Post and Mixed Member Proportional referendum to put out several issues of True North.
I haven’t had the time to relay all this to you. However, I’m sure it would be redundant anyway because the literature campaign alone seems to have intensified during the past few days. Or maybe I’ve just become more sensitive to the issue. Anyway, now that I’ve had a mindful of information I’ve concluded that Mixed Member Proportional is the way to go. So I’ll vote YES on Wednesday, October 10 without spoiling my ballot (although in my heart of hearts I’ll still be grumbling about not having a two-election trial.)
The street I live on (for more than twenty years now) has proven to be bell-weather for election results in my riding, Ottawa Centre. If there are more than 50 per cent lawn signs for the Liberals, the Liberals will win the riding. If there are 40 or more per cent New Democrat signs the riding will vote accordingly. This year, so far, New Democrat signs are in a clear majority. So unless candidate Bill Murray sprouts horns, it looks like a New Democrat sweep in Ottawa Centreon Wednesday, October 10. (Ottawa Centre is now a federal NDP seat.)
True North embraces Internet magic
You’ll find a new feature in this issue, bringing True North further into the 21st Century. Webmaster Carl Hall has fine-tuned it so that it will work on the oldest and slowest computers. Just click on where it says and you’ll hear and see one of the best political satirists in the United States. If it doesn’t work for you, please let Carl Hall know instantly and, if at all possible, he’ll get it working. The satire is just a little raw but we’re counting on your sophistication overcoming your sensitivity.
Humour can be dangerous
Speaking of sensitivity. I’m sad to report that we lost two readers because of our elderly citizens comedy series. For your information the jokes were critically considered and approved by an elderly crew and one was even filed by an 84-year-old, a most serious person who maintains a sense of humour. But that series has come to an end so if the humour angered, annoyed, or simply made you feel uneasy, you needn’t brace yourself for more.
We try to keep a balance in True North between light and heavy. We are all volunteers who must engage in gainful employment to keep the wolves from the door. But we do our best and from time-to-time we slip and stumble. When we cause you to frown and wrinkle your brow we urge you to practice that ancient Mongolian adage, “You don’t kill your friends because they make a mistake.”
Taking advantage of the Thanksgiving Holiday, we won’t publish Monday. Have a pleasant weekend. See you Wednesday.
Looking forward
Carl Dow
Editor and Publisher
True North Perspective
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