JANUARY 20, 2009

       I was a good American and watched with excitement the inauguration of Barack Obama. Oops, I mean Canadian. Yes, I’m a Canuck. Although, for a few hours this week I felt a little Yankee-ish.

       I know I wasn’t the only one glued to the TV on Tuesday watching the historic event in U.S. politics. Several Canadian friends with whom I spoke called in sick from work or took the day off school to watch it. In fact, some classrooms even showed the festivities in Washington, D.C.

       And while the confetti is still flying, people celebrate and I now understand and appreciate what all the fuss is about.

       You see, something we Canadians don’t understand is Americans take pride in politics and actually give a crap about what’s going on in their country. The people that rule the land are watched and scrutinized to no end – and it’s not just by the media. Everyday citizens rally and campaign and really back their candidates.

       In Canada, most people dread politics and certainly don’t celebrate it as a community. Millions of people don’t flock to Ottawa when a new prime minister takes office.

       I know several people who were in D.C. for a few days taking in the spectacle. When I was able to reach them by phone the background noise was tremendous and it almost sounded like they were caught in the middle of a mob.

       It was a mob – a mob of ecstatic revelers coming together, putting aside their differences of colour, class and belief, to realize they’re headed for good times with a good guy in office.

       Naturally we do the “But what about me?” thing. If our neighbours to the south are revitalized by the shift of power, it should give us hope that we also have the power to create change in our own country. Let’s start now by viewing elections as a privilege instead of a chore we don’t want to have.