All Good Things...

"The Good Times Are Over!" (23kb .mp3)

So, it's the day after the election. The conservatives won a minority, however it's not a strong minority. The NDP, while winning more seats than last time, did not win enough to have a balance of power within the minority goverment. However, having said that, I don't expect another election very soon. As bringing the government down would have to include the Liberals, we will be election free for a while. With Paul Martin planning on stepping down from the leadership of the Liberals, a race for his position will be on. A new leader won't be chosen for a few more months, and then, I would assume that the Liberals would want to have their leader in his (or her?) position for a while before facing an election. I think this minority will last for 3 years.

However, I must now express my sadness with the defeat of Roger Gallaway in Sarnia-Lambton. With the Gallaway's being family friends of our, and my mom working in his constituency office, I certainly enjoyed some good times with regards to federal services, etc over the last 12 years. For example, I have my official House of Commons daily planner on my desk right now as well as House of Commons magazine holders holding old copies of National Geographic and ITE Journal. I suppose what I'm most grateful for the co-op term I spent in Ottawa in 2000 when I had my job for the then Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carlton. Not that he got me that job, because I got that myself through the University of Waterloo co-op program, but I did get to rent out the spare bedroom in his downtown apartment. An apartment that was the third floor of one of those nice heritage homes... it was sweet. Not to mention, since it was going unused, I got to park my car at his parliament hill office, instead of paying through the nose for downtown parking. That was also the term where I got to attend the Liberal Christmas party, during which I got to pee beside Paul Martin.

Yeah, I had it sweet. I know that. But another side effect of all this was that I actually got involved and interested in politics during the last 12 years. All in all, I'm pretty thankful, and wish my mom, Roger, and everyone else who worked in the constiuency office and in Ottawa a happy retirement or good luck in what they do next.

Sure, I'm a little disappointed. But all good things must come to an end.