The tutor offers reflections about the coming election.

According to my voter’s card from the mail, the Canadian federal election is October 19.

In a busy life like mine, with a ten and a thirteen-year-old, you never know when, for any given task, a “good” time will present itself. Therefore, when something important comes up, you probably do it at the first reasonable opportunity, knowing then it will be done.

On Friday night at around 6pm we drove by an advance polling station which showed a long lineup. Sunday around 1pm we did the same and saw the same. After some shopping we headed back, my reasoning being that the line would shorten at the time of Thanksgiving Dinner. At around 4:30 pm my wife and I cased the advance poll station a third time, and saw a shorter lineup that looked promising. We joined it.

I didn’t notice any young people in the line, but of course our town is known to have an aged population. The election volunteers were smiling, but all business. We were brought to our proper table, where my wife signed in, took her ballot, marked it behind a cardboard blind, then brought it back to slip into a ballot box. Next my turn came. From when we joined the line, until when we walked out again, might have been six minutes. I thought we really lucked in.

The lineup outside the advance polling station tells me that people are serious about this election. I wonder what voters are hoping for. Are they basically satisfied with how things are, or seeking change? I guess we’ll see.

I might give my take on the various platforms in the coming days.

Jack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane, Campbell River, BC.