[politics]

You know what? Out of all the emotions I thought I might feel when the election results were announced – anger, apathy, annoyance – I did not expect to feel this way. I feel embarrassed. I feel absolutely embarrassed to be an Albertan.

I mean, come on, let's be honest. There was no way we were coming out of that one with anyone other than Harper as PM, and I can handle a weak Conservative minority while the Liberals elect a new leader. I can deal. I'm not happy, but I can deal. And the make-up of Parliament is – not bad, actually, given the circumstances.

But every other province elected a mixture of parties (the territories only have a seat each). Every one, except Alberta. Even "Redmonton" let us down.

I feel like I need to start walking up to people on the street and saying "You know we didn't all vote for him, right? You know we're not all rednecks, right? We're not all Conservatives here! Really, we're not!" And while intellectually I know that there are as many reasons as people who voted why the conservatives swept the province – redneck is the word that the media uses. I heard it over and over last night – only before all the results are in, it was in the context of "Usually it's up to Edmonton to prove that not all Albertans are rednecks." But apparently we are. We just want our tax cuts – oh, and let's make sure those uppity queers and chicks don't get too complacent there, eh!

And yes, I'm a Westerner, and yes, I occasionally feel "alienated" from federal politics, but just because Harper is from the West does not mean he represents me. This is not the Western PM I want to elect (and let's just leave aside the actual sense of revulsion I felt, listening to the CBC speculate last night on "the next Western PM – could it be Ralph Klein?") and these are not the Western values I want him to espouse. This party marginalizes me, this party disrespects me, this party does not stand for me - and yet you can't tell that by looking at polling results, and because this party is in power who knows when that'll change.

So yes. I am angry. I am annoyed. I am even a wee bit apathetic – because honestly, I'm just marking time until this government falls. But most of all, I am embarrassed, for the very first time ever, of where I'm from. And I hate that. But I don't expect to get over it any time soon.

[politics]

You know what? Out of all the emotions I thought I might feel when the election results were announced – anger, apathy, annoyance – I did not expect to feel this way. I feel embarrassed. I feel absolutely embarrassed to be an Albertan.

I mean, come on, let's be honest. There was no way we were coming out of that one with anyone other than Harper as PM, and I can handle a weak Conservative minority while the Liberals elect a new leader. I can deal. I'm not happy, but I can deal. And the make-up of Parliament is – not bad, actually, given the circumstances.

But every other province elected a mixture of parties (the territories only have a seat each). Every one, except Alberta. Even "Redmonton" let us down.

I feel like I need to start walking up to people on the street and saying "You know we didn't all vote for him, right? You know we're not all rednecks, right? We're not all Conservatives here! Really, we're not!" And while intellectually I know that there are as many reasons as people who voted why the conservatives swept the province – redneck is the word that the media uses. I heard it over and over last night – only before all the results are in, it was in the context of "Usually it's up to Edmonton to prove that not all Albertans are rednecks." But apparently we are. We just want our tax cuts – oh, and let's make sure those uppity queers and chicks don't get too complacent there, eh!

And yes, I'm a Westerner, and yes, I occasionally feel "alienated" from federal politics, but just because Harper is from the West does not mean he represents me. This is not the Western PM I want to elect (and let's just leave aside the actual sense of revulsion I felt, listening to the CBC speculate last night on "the next Western PM – could it be Ralph Klein?") and these are not the Western values I want him to espouse. This party marginalizes me, this party disrespects me, this party does not stand for me - and yet you can't tell that by looking at polling results, and because this party is in power who knows when that'll change.

So yes. I am angry. I am annoyed. I am even a wee bit apathetic – because honestly, I'm just marking time until this government falls. But most of all, I am embarrassed, for the very first time ever, of where I'm from. And I hate that. But I don't expect to get over it any time soon.