Some of you may not be aware that Canada is having an election too. Isn’t that cute?

The cool thing about Canadian elections is that they can happen practically anytime. Well, not any time, but when whenever the ruling party decides that it can win another election. Yep, you read that right. The people in power get to look at all the data — the polls, where we are in the hockey season, the relative curl and humidity of the beaver-shavings found in Ottawa — and decide, “yes, we can win an election, let’s DO IT!” (Even if you’ve promised that you won’t call an election for another year.)

But the really cool thing is that the election only lasts a few weeks. That’s right, loyal readers from the US, weeks. Not months. Not years. Weeks. And there’s more than two parties from which to choose. (I believe the rest of you native English speakers probably hail from a Commonwealth country, where the system is similar.)

Unfortunately, that is where the coolness ends, and the childishness begins, as so ably pointed out by Rick Mercer:

Update:
If you want a nice collection of quotes on the nature of democracy, check out Head Wide Open. Here’s one of my faves:

“Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.”
–George Bernard Shaw

And if you want to prevent a Conservative majority, here is a website that can help.

Thanks to Corey for finding this one. More childishness (the funny kind) at humor-blogs.com and alltop.