Political Graffiti

The people have spoken.

Officially, Canada’s Election Day is Monday, April 28th. We have had early voting, with a record 7.3 million eligible Canadians making their choice over the Easter weekend (I was a part of this particular group, noting that I was doing so on Good Friday – see my poem). The race has tightened up over the last week, with the American presidency, tariffs and a general pro-Canadian feeling permeating the nation. We will probably have a minority government running things again, with the same two main parties – Liberal and Conservative – duking it out and butting heads over issues. My mother will go for the former; some relatives will choose the latter, or take a real shot in the dark and choose one of our other parties (New Democrats, People’s Party of Canada, Green or…?) One of the more amusing things about this nation is how many political parties seem to grow in the body politic every year (I remember one called the Natural Law Party when I was an undergrad; their party leader was our own infamous magician Doug Henning – look him up). I often wonder how a nation like the United States can possible cohere and run with just two political parties (yes, I know that there are independent candidates, they seem to just be a sideshow to the big tent events). I wonder how it works.

And I wonder if we have too many choices here.

I am looking at my phone’s “Gallery” app feature, staring down at all of the photos I have taken of posters around my particular neighbourhood. I know that there is always a particular party that always wins around here. So, what am I attempting with this piece?

Well, I have always had an interest in street art, and I realize that this is not the first time I’ve noticed just how timely the particular taggers in this city – Montreal – can be (the George W. Bush years are stuck in my head). I decided to comment on posters that we put up in my immediate neighbourhood. I think that I can provide some information on what all the stickers, scratches, stencils and slander mean.

So, let’s start here:

In Quebec, there is a separate party that does not really hold seats in the rest of the nation: Bloc Quebecois. Their candidates are devoted to the separation of the province from the rest of the nation, while their members of parliament draw salaries and pensions (yeah, it really doesn’t make any sense to us, either). The fact that most of the slurs here are written in English says it all.

A little disappointed with this one, I have to say. The Conservatives have not been popular in this province in quite a long time, so I expected more than just a sticker announcing the yearly May Day protest. I have had the dubious honour of being downtown during this event and almost being pummeled with bottles thrown by the protesters (one particular observer was not so lucky; the police had to bandage him up on the street). I guess with a lack of interest comes a lack of art.

Now, this is a hard one to take. This particular candidate is one of the most popular in my neighbourhood, and yet there is a great deal of disappointment in the party’s stand on the recent conflict in Gaza. I can understand the anger and disappointment with the violence, but to bring it into our local elections seems blatantly unfair (she is our Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship). She is most likely to win in this particularly diverse immigrant community, but the tension is there…and this is one of the milder expressions of anger that I have been able to find.

And then we arrive at this candidate and a very specific problem with her party: they have often run candidates that people have loved; would be willing to have a drink with; implicitly trust as people. And yet…they have never held federal power. No one wants to let her party control both the government and the purse strings (I still have memories of their disastrous years in my home province). And yet, take a look.

Not a single mark on it.

I suppose when you do run a candidate that resembles a distant cousin of Ana de Armas, the temptation to leave that face unblemished is overwhelming (I have only found one poster with a blackened tooth; note that I did not include it here).

*

So, I think I can call it for Monday. Will I do so here?

Not a chance.

I think that that people who have spoken expect us all to have a big surprise on Monday night.

I don’t think it will disappoint.

*

Thank you for reading!

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You can find more poems, stories, and articles by Kendall Defoe on my Vocal profile. I complain, argue, provoke and create...just like everybody else.

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