Home / Commentary / Political Similarities Between Ontario, Brazil And Antigua

Political Similarities Between Ontario, Brazil And Antigua

People want the same things from their governments 

By Lincoln Depradine
Pride Contributing Writer

The truism that people everywhere want the same things from their governments was all so evident last Thursday, June 12, as I witnessed three events – in different countries and cities.

One, in which I was a direct participant, was the Ontario general elections; the second  was the opening of the 2014 FIFA World Cup of soccer,which I viewed from my television set at home;  and the third was the general elections in Antigua and Barbuda – I followed on the Internet.

In Ontario, people were casting ballots to decide on the party and leader they believed would best deliver on job creation, public transit, healthcare and other economic, social and political tangibles.

Some public opinion polls had suggested that it was going to be a close election race – even a win for the opposition Progressive Conservative (PC) headed by Tim Hudak. The pollsters were dead wrong.

Kathleen Wynne, dogged by scandal inherited from her predecessor Dalton McGuinty, returned the Liberal Party to government with a majority. The results prompted an announcement from Hudak that he is resigning as PC leader.

Wynne’s Liberal Party captured 58 seats. The PC finished with 28 and the New Democrats took 21.

Wynne is the first woman ever elected premier of Ontario and Canada’s only openly gay first minister.

Altogether, a record 38 females was elected to the legislature, including Liberal Mitzie Hunter. The Jamaican-Canadian will continue in her role as MPP for Scarborough-Guildwood.

Another Liberal Party member, Trinidad-born Bas Balkissoon, also held on to his riding, Scarborough-Rouge River.

The list of other victorious male Liberal candidates includes black political newcomer Granville Anderson, a business owner and former school board chairman; and British-born Grenadian-Canadian Michael Coteau.

Ontarians voted without staining their index finger in ink at polling stations, as voters in Antigua and other third world countries in the Caribbean and Africa have to do at every election. These countries consider the ink-stained finger a safeguard against one person voting multiple times.

However, with improvements in the registration and voting systems in most countries, I believe the concern about multiple voting is more fantasy and fear-mongering than reality. The dirty ink-stained index finger is outmoded and archaic. It should be abolished.

But, pardon me, I digress.  Let’s get back to the real issue, with a look at Brazil.

World Cup Soccer is the largest global spectacle each time it’s held every four years. However, to host a World Cup, a country must fork out billions of dollars to spend on such things as stadium building and refurbishing; accommodation for hundreds of players, coaches and soccer officials; and also on security.

Notwithstanding Brazilians’ deep passion for soccer and their unbelievable talent in the sport, Brazil’s poor – and they are many who are disapproving of their government’s spending on the World Cup. They think the money could have been better spent on helping them out of their poverty.

So, thousands of Brazilians have been protesting. Protests were held even at last Thursday’s World Cup opening.

Commenting recently in Caribupdate Weekly on the Brazilian situation, lawyer Arley Gill wrote: “For merely sporting reasons I can understand why Brazil would want to host the FIFA World Cup. After all, they have given the world some of the most treasured footballing moments and footballers.’’

Gill added that, “Jamaica deserves to host an Olympics, based on their athletic prowess; but, their economy just simply cannot afford it. The world is not even, neither is it fair. As we witness the games of the soccer World Cup, and as we cheer our favourite teams during the competition, let us spare a thought for the poor and dispossessed in Brazil. They may not be enjoying the games as much as we do, as they cannot afford the tickets.’’

In Antigua and Barbuda, people there protested too – but with their ballot. They tossed out Baldwin Spencer’s United Progressive Party and threw their lot in with Gaston Browne, hoping that his Antigua Labour Party will be better able to take care of their needs – economic and otherwise.

It was a different story in Ontario where, in a manner of speaking, voters determined they’ll stay with the devil they know instead of turning to a devil they don’t know.

As a Caribbean and Black community, there are some issues that plague us more than they do others. We can easily point to our onerous high unemployment and underemployment; high level of police stops and arrest and the troubling matter of police “carding’’, and other unfair treatment meted out to African-Canadians by public servants and public institutions.

We must congratulate and celebrate with Hunter, Balkissoon, Coteau, Anderson and the other brave men and women from all the parties that made the sacrifice to run for office and succeeded.

Now, we must let them know clearly, unambiguously and forcefully, that we expect them to correct not just general wrongs in our society, but specifically also, wrongs that hinder our personal and collective development as Black folk living in Ontario.

After all, the Liberals were re-elected to take care of the needs of all Ontarians. That includes African-Canadians.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Scroll To Top