Dogs have it right

John George Diefenbaker summed it up perfectly back on November 1st, 1971:  "Dogs know best what to do with polls (sic)." 

How right he was, judging by the Alberta provincial election results of the other day.  Everyone was way off!  I suspect a lot of people went into the booths with no clue how they were going to vote -- regardless of what they might have told pollsters the day before.  Minds were changed or made up on the spot, with voters on the left holding their noses and voting "red" PC to keep the far-right Wildrose out and those on the far right panicking and reverting to the more moderate PCs.

Apparently, it was not Alison Redford who swayed people; her personal popularity hovers at only 40%.  But I am sure she is convinced she won because of her personal popularity and the party's platform.  I think she may have another think coming.  Not that I am a fan of Danielle Smith -- someone else who needs to give her head a shake and get rid of the bigots who did her in at the last minute.  You simply cannot go around denouncing gays and telling voters you should be elected because you are a white male.  Albertans don't want that image anymore.  And frankly, cowboy boots and ten-gallon hats notwithstanding, judging by the multiculturalism that is Calgary, it's simply no longer reality.

Yes, Canada's 13th prime minister was a sharp old guy.  I would not have wanted to tangle with him in an election.