New Jersey, USA
JAN 12 - About 240,000 new immigrants land on the Canadian soil each
year. Almost half the same number become eligible voters
every year. All flock towards the city - the 90
miles swath of the North American border where more than 80 percent of
Canadians live - in large towns and cities, most of them in
the three centers (Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver) where
new immigrants settle. Their concerns are decidedly urban
ones, like gun control, crime and immigration. The focus of
city dwellers -- and the politicians vying for their votes
-- remains defiantly urban. The farmers are spread right
across the long barren stretches of rural landscape.
It's not so easy to appeal to the widely dispersed farm
vote. And in terms of electoral cost-benefit calculations, why bother? Not
even the promise of a cheque in the mail to every farm family would tip the
scales on Jan. 23. Politically, farm country is nowhere country."Not only does the farm vote not count for much, but most rural voters have long made up their minds on how they will cast their ballots. Particularly in the West, rural constituencies will overwhelmingly vote Conservative -- just like in every federal election. That is not a commendation of the Conservative Party's agricultural policies, but rather an ongoing rejection of the Liberals' urban-centric, multicultural focus." says an article in the Winnipeg Free Press today.
What it means is its the urban constituents where the immigrant votebank exists that will make the difference between a national win or defeat.
Given that only 18 percent of immigrants voted in 2004, all out efforts are being made to make them go out and vote, in favor of the liberals, i.e. for Paul Martin.
But new immigrants and their communities are being courted by all Conservatives too. Both the Liberals and the Conservatives have pledged to eliminate or reduce the $975 landing fee charged of immigrants when they first step on Canadian soil. Liberal Paul Martin and Conservative Stephen Harper both are wooing the voters by going door-to-door, with a battery of language translators, some who can speak as many as nine languages. Major policy decisions were made and programs introduced during the last one year, which have or will benefit the immigrants directly. Whether that will help incumbent Paul Martin or not, we got to wait and see as the immigrant voter casts his vote at the ballot machine.
A desi mind can be as cold as Canadian winter or as unpredictable as North American weather, said one Pakistani journalist and active campaigner.
"Chances are Paul Martin will win. He has made all the right moves, including dissing America and Bush even though he was perceived as pro-American in 2004. But then you never know. The silent majority out there may connect with the conservative Harper to deliver a surprise just as Bush won in 2004 and surprised all, " he added.
It's all a matter of Red or Blue, said an Indo-Canadian. "We are yet to understand a Canadian's political mind. But wait and see."
What that means, I asked. Wait and see, he insisted.
So what's the good word today, I called up and asked another friend of mine in Toronto. He replied "Nehari and door-to-door campaigns. What else. That's the good word my friend. We eat Nehari, Paya...or Pizzas..and we go door -to-door campaigning. We try to remember a voter by his first name. That impresses him. We connect and then it becomes easy to get him on our side." Just like back home yaar back home ! "
To be continued...
