If we look at our day to day lives, we have to be aware of how the climate crisis relates to politics. The term “politics” sparks many mixed feelings from people. Some love politics, while others hate it. Many hate politics, and don’t vote because they feel that those who have been and are currently in power are abusing their power for evil. They have given the term “politics” a bad reputation. My aunt once said to me that all politicians are the same. For one, that is not true; but two, it was already explained just above why she would have said that. The good people in politics don’t get elected because the liars, the bullshitters, and the fake people in power put a smile on and say everything is going great and that they’re doing great things, when really, it’s all false. Their political game gets pushed by the media. For example, The Peterborough Examiner published during our election build-up about voting strategically, and many other media sources did the same. Obama said to vote Liberal, and the media published it. There are plenty more concrete examples that can be listed as supporting “strategic voting,” not to mention the big media companies that control the information that you receive to make you think a certain way. I’ve come across an immense amount of it. I am very aware of the negativity, misrepresentation, and the skewing of information. Google, Toronto Sun, Toronto Star, even CBC. Let’s not even talk about American media.

It’s hard to find true information that is not negative and bullshit these days. Well, if you understand my understandings, then continue to read Arthur and my articles and the other great articles that are being published. Arthur is an Independent Student Press. Look at the first word closely. Independent.

Now, about strategic voting. The Liberals and Conservatives are on the same coin. Imprinted on that coin is a history of scandals with so many different facets; financial mistakes; lies to get your vote; bullshit words with a smile; making the rich richer and the poor poorer; human rights violations against Indigenous peoples; and irrelevant climate change mandates. Here’s a new word: greenwashing. The Liberals and Conservatives have no climate action plan and never will. They may say that they do, but, as per usual, they are lying to you. Stephen Harper did nothing but mess everything up. Justin Trudeau keeps on saying “we are moving forward with me as Prime Minister, from the Harper days.” Nope. Trudeau is continuing the “Harper days,” now called the “Trudeau days.”

And here is the illusion with strategic voting: the Liberals lie, bullshit, and say things differently than the Conservatives. That does not mean that they are better than the Conservatives. The Liberals are a pile of garbage just like the Conservatives. Conservatives do their evil one way, while the Liberals do it another. So where is the strategy in voting Liberal? Yes, voting Liberal stops the Conservatives, but it does not stop bad things from happening. It does not even make good things happen. Remember the 2015 federal election where the Trudeau Liberals promised to bring electoral reform so strategic voting would end? Once they got into office they claimed that “no one wanted that.” So now we’re stuck with Trudeau again after this year’s election. So either way, whether you vote Liberal or Conservative, your vote is a vote to help them do evil.

Harper and Trudeau never helped Indigenous peoples. Trudeau is building a pipeline through Indigenous land (read my previous article in Arthur titled “Building Pipelines: Why It’s Not Okay”). Andrew Scheer wants the same thing too. And now, the NDP and Jagmeet Singh are part of the coin, the small edge between the two sides. All three parties are not prioritizing the Climate Crisis. Only the Green Party is. And the Green Party is not a one-policy party. Look at the still-downloadable 90-page 2019 Election Platform. So really, “voting strategically” is strategic for chaos.

The Climate Crisis is manifested in concrete examples: Australia is having wildfires that are engulfing the continent. The Amazon rainforest is devastated. Cyclones, floods, and landslides are rampant across Africa. Air pollution in India is at an all-time high. I went to Venice during my studies in Nantes, France for my third year in French Studies, and was blessed to see the city on the water taxis and see San Marco Square – which is now all flooded.

We have the technology for green and renewable energy that would create a strong financial economy at the same time. Listen to the Green Party and their political equivalents around the world, and the climate scientists. Continue to engage with community members and your local politicians to communicate the severity of the climate crisis. Vote for those that actually have a serious concrete climate action plan, like the Green Party and their equivalents.