Thursday, October 2, 2008

Canadians More Likely To Watch Palin-Biden Debate Than Own Election Debate

Canadians are wacky people and as one myself I say this with the greatest of affection. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation scheduled Canada's five party leaders (Conservative, Liberal, NDP, Bloc Quebecois and the Green Party) to have their English language debate the same night as the duel between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden. What could they have been thinking?

Despite Canadian content rules, we maple syrup lovers get most of our TV from south of the 49th even if many Canucks don't have nice things to say about Americans. This means Sarah Palin who in the eyes of many makes Britney, Paris and Lindsay look boring. Palin is must see TV and that means there will probably be more Canadians tuned in to Palin versus Biden/Ifill than the CBC debate. Canadian politics is far from dull but many Canadians don't get very excited about our politics. When compared to American politics and specifically this Presidential election it is especially true.

Perhaps if Palin were to make a Wayne Gretzky or Sidney Crosby reference. Mario Lemieux would be fine as well. However, she should steer clear of any discussion concerning the Toronto Maple Leafs-Montreal Canadiens rivalry lest she start a civil war between English and French Canadians. But an elaboration of her hockey mom experience would be worthwhile to those Canadians who otherwise cannot participate in an American election but wish they could.

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