Silly season begins

So it seems that we are having a federal election here in Canada.

I’m a little interested in democracy and as I\ve had two phone calls today, I thought I might as well keep some notes here about my experience with the local candidates.

Today John Weston’s comapaign called me.   Weston is running for the Conservatives here in West Vancouver – Sunshine Coast – Sea to Sky Country.   So I’ll admit upfront that I’m prejudiced here – I haven’t ever voted Conservative, and that isn’t likely to change in this election.   I did however find the experience of communicating with Mr. Weston’s campaign a little funny.

I got called around 4pm to ask if I\d support Weston in this election.   I usually at least ask some questions – and in the last election I had a long conversation with the Conservative candidate on my pet federal issue – Aboriginal rights and titie.   This time I felt like just cutting the crap and I told the caller I wouldn’t be supporting Weston at all.

I figured that was the end of it, but it wasn’t.   An hour later I got a call back from a call centre asking if I supported Weston.   Intrigued. I took the bait and asked the caller why I should support John Weston.   She didn’t really know.   SHe pointed me to his website, which I have also done and said I should look there for more information.   Then I asked her why she liked Weston.   She said that she couldn’t really answer that question, that she just worked at a call centre and that was that.

So the guy who wants my vote can’t even find people who support him to call me?   He has to hire a call centre with people who don’t seem to care one way or another to do his ground work for him?   This is a little strange and a little sad.   One of the things I enjoy about election campaigns is the rabid support that campaign staff and volunteers exude for their cadidate.   It makes for fun sport and often really great conversation.   In this case, the whol thing defleated before my eyes.   Will John Weston’s campaign call centre continue to call me over and over with dispassionate invitations to visit his website, or am I going to get to talk to someone about the Conservatives change in policy following the residential schools apology?

To be continued I guess.