Political drama engages, outrages Canadians across the country

Political drama engages, outrages Canadians across the country

Colin Perkel, THE CANADIAN PRESS

TORONTO - The drama unfolding in Ottawa with all the intrigue of a well-crafted political thriller has riveted Canadians across the country - both political junkies and citizens who turned out in such anemic numbers for the federal election barely seven weeks ago.

While premiers like Ontario’s Dalton McGuinty weighed in Tuesday, Canadians weren’t leaving the talking to the politicians.

Talk-show phone lines buzzed with a seldom-seen fervour and media websites groaned under the weight of a flood of comments.

“Wow. Never have I seen more regular people upset at politicians,” a reader from British Columbia wrote on the Globe and Mail’s website.

Most everyone it seemed - those furious at the hijacking of democracy and those blissful at democracy working exactly as it should - had a strong opinion.

“This is what bullies in a school yard do when they can’t win a fight fair and square - gang up,” read another post on the Globe’s site.

Finally putting his feet up on his desk after a show Tuesday in which the phones lit up like Christmas trees, Bill Carroll, a veteran host at Toronto’s CFRB radio, called the high-stakes machinations in the nation’s capital a “dream” issue for talk shows.

“This is like a once-a-decade kind of story,” Caroll said.

“You don’t have to work to get phone calls . . . the story comes to you. The passion is out there.”

When people feel they have lost control, that’s when they turn to talk radio to vent, Carroll said.

The volume of calls was probably 10 times or more greater than typical, he said, adding people are both “engaged and enraged.”

“I’ve never seen people more motivated.”

Barely 60 per cent of those eligible to vote actually made it to the polling booths for the Oct. 14 election that saw Harper’s Conservatives returned to government with a bulked up minority.

The historically low turnout prompted many analysts to despair at voter apathy and fatigue - a malaise that appears to have been swept aside by political theatre at its best.

Spectacle aside, however, there were those who just wanted the situation settled, especially amid the roiling economic climate and gut-wrenching market volatility.

“While I am giddy at the sound come-uppance being dealt to Mr. Harper, I can’t help but think that enough is enough,” one person wrote on the Star’s website.

The country’s premiers seemed to share that view, with Saskatchewan’s Brad Wall saying earlier in the week it’s time for political leaders in Ottawa to get their heads “out of their kilts.”

Speaking at the Ontario legislature on Tuesday, McGuinty also urged an end to the political crisis, saying the feds need to get on with dealing with the economy, particularly the floundering auto sector.

“Whatever happens on the Hill, I hope it happens sooner rather than later,” McGuinty said.

“Let’s get back to the table. Let’s see what we can do together to support the auto sector, not just for the good of Ontario but for the good of the country as a whole.”

McGuinty was adamant the province had no desire to get involved in the political intrigue, saying only that when Ottawa is ready to talk to the province, the talk will be about the auto sector.

At Yahoo Canada, news editor Trevor Wilker said the “appetite for this story is huge.”

People, it seems, can barely wait for every twist and turn of the political plot.

“Whenever we do put up a new headline, you can just see the traffic come in,” Wilker said.

Content Provided By Canadian Press.