Everyone has their top ten lists. Here's one of mine: Top ten moments in Canadian politics. This list isn't necessarily the most pivotal or controversial, and it only begins when I started to really pay attention to Canadian politics. So, here they are*, in chronological order:
1. Federal election, 1993: The Liberals sweep to power, reducing the once-dominant Conservatives to a mere two seats on the back of Brian Mulroney's personal approval ratings (low, I've heard) and a poor campaign by Kim Campbell.
2. The Delgamuukw decision, 1995: Forever changes Canada's relationship with our aboriginal population.
3. No to separation, 1995: The No side squeaks out a narrow victory in the 1995 Quebec separation referendum. I watched the results and actually wished I was in Montreal.
4. Jean Chretien grapples with protestor in Quebec, 1996: Can't help but like the guy for that.
5. Reform Party reinvents itself, 2000: as CCRAP, the Canadian Conservative Reform Alliance party. How do you spell shortsighted? They quickly changed the order of the words in their name to avoid the CRAP moniker.
6. Pierre Trudeau dies, 2000: Love him or hate him, he shaped federal politics more than anyone in the past 40 years. And Fidel Castro was a pallbearer.
7. Jean Chretien keeps Canada out of the second Iraq war, 2003: We narrowly avoid the worst and most useless military engagement since Viet Nam.
8. Martinites oust Jean Chretien, 2003: Eventually leading to the mess they're in now.
9. Jean Chretien shows his balls to the Gomery commission, 2005: His collection of golf balls, that is.
10. 2008 federal election: In the space of a few years, the once fragmented right returns to power while the once natural governing party is is reduced to one of three parties on the fragmented left.
*This is a work in progress, as new events pop into my head.
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