It seems significant that we launch this 6th Volume of SpiderWebShow on the first day of the post-Harper era. Our long, long election is over and Canadians have turned their back on many of the policies and ideas that defined our Federal Government for the past decade.
This Edition was curated by asking two other theatre artists to join me in responding to the election itself, before knowing what the results were. Fannina Waubert de Puiseau has written on the contradictions and complacencies that are inherent in being an artist caught up in this electoral system, Kevin Loring provides historical context and some hard truths about how the election relates to divisive and racist politics from 100 years ago, and I have written on the implications of a Liberal victory for arts and culture policy.
A new era is upon us. Power has been passed between competing parties and interests peacefully and no major incidents of fraud or violence have been reported. As we continue to have a government modelled on the British Parliamentary system, it is probably best to quote Winston Churchill on what these articles reinforce for me cumulatively:
‘Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.’
