{"id":4308,"date":"2009-10-18T05:15:26","date_gmt":"2009-10-18T10:15:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spacingmontreal.ca\/?p=4308"},"modified":"2013-01-21T11:38:22","modified_gmt":"2013-01-21T16:38:22","slug":"dimanche-democratique-give-us-a-sign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/montreal\/2009\/10\/18\/dimanche-democratique-give-us-a-sign\/","title":{"rendered":"Dimanche d\u00e9mocratique : Give us a sign"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Marc-Boris<\/a>
\nDemocracy is produced “as a matter of enterprise not [vision]…is designed to appeal to everyone” and “doesn’t come from any particular place or mark off any particular taste.” It is “not driven by any significant ambition except profit and commercial reward…and, in [ideaological] terms, it is essentially conservative.” It is “provided from on high rather than being made from below…Democracy is not a do-it-yourself political system but is professionally produced and packaged.”
\n– POP Democracy<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

There is an election happening in Montr\u00e9al?<\/p>\n

Has anyone else heard this question asked of them? At first it angers me; we are currently in the information age and there is no longer any excuse for ignorance. It is unfortunate that, despite the freedom we have over information, our laziness prevent us from informing ourselves. However, I will admit that something seems to be missing from this year\u2019s electoral campaign.<\/p>\n

As most of you know, democracy in Canada has become a vast marketing machine. Politicians don\u2019t give speeches, they generate sound bites. They don\u2019t foster visions, they fabricate photo-ops.<\/p>\n

Democracy can now even be boiled down to colour associations:<\/p>\n

RED<\/span><\/strong> = Liberal<\/span>
\n<\/span> BLUE<\/span><\/strong> = PQ<\/span> and<\/span> Conservative (strange bedfellows)<\/span>
\n<\/span> ORANGE<\/span><\/strong> = NDP<\/span>
\n<\/span> GREEN<\/span><\/strong> = Green<\/span><\/p>\n

Democracy has come to mimic the Wikipedia definition of advertising<\/a>:
\nThe most important element is not information but suggestion.<\/p>\n

\u00ab It makes use of associations, emotions and drives dormant in the sub-conscience of people (such as sex drive, herd instinct), of desires (happiness, health, fitness, appearance, self-esteem, reputation, belonging, social status, identity, adventure, distraction, reward), of fears (illness, weaknesses, loneliness, need, uncertainty, security), or of prejudices, learned opinions and comforts. \u00bb<\/p>\n

In democracy, image is everything. De facto and de jure. Don\u2019t believe me? Ask Robert Stanfield<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Stephen Harper performs at an arts gala in Ottawa<\/a>, and now everyone thinks he is Ringo, the misunderstood Beatle. The E, F#m, B<\/em> chord progression has secured the Canadian Prime Minister a future majority government.<\/p>\n

\"Trudeau<\/a>
\nAdvertising has become so important; I charge that the very lack of it may be causing this year\u2019s election to be lacklustre.<\/p>\n

If I weren\u2019t so invested in urban affairs in Montr\u00e9al, I don\u2019t think I would have any idea who was running for what, where and when. If I run to the press for answers, I\u2019m left with questions: Tremblay is crooked? Harel can\u2019t speak English? Bergeron, who? One must also not discount the role Montr\u00e9al\u2019s fusion-d\u00e9fusion-confusion<\/em> system of administration has in intensifying the fog of ignorance. Is Ville St-Laurent a city; Montr\u00e9al-Nord a r\u00e9publik; Mile-End a district of Brooklyn?<\/p>\n

Promotional material needs to be hit over the head of the electorate. It needs to be spat in their faces. It needs to be whipped across their backs. Only then, will people wake up and say: Oh! This thing that is happening seems to be very important. Why don\u2019t I take a look into it?<\/p>\n

In Montr\u00e9al, as with the rest of Canada, this task is usually accomplished by two things: wedge issues and election signs. The former is looking a little worse for wear, and the use of the latter has been curtailed for this year\u2019s election.<\/p>\n

The reason to reduce signs this year was, on the surface, a noble one. Environmentalism, improving the visual urban landscape; who can complain about these benefits?<\/p>\n

However, since democracy is advertising, a lack of advertising is a lack of democracy. It means people do not know their candidates; people don\u2019t know the issues. Research has shown that the electorate is generally conservative \u2013 not seeking change<\/em> \u2013 so if presented with the choice between the familiar and the unfamiliar, they will choose the former. Comme disent les Anglais<\/em> : Better the Devil you know. Fewer election signs only bolster results for incumbent or star-calibre parties.<\/p>\n

The signs of yesteryear that literally smacked people in the face<\/a> are all gone. Until quite recently, in my district, one would be forgiven if they believed that Marc-Boris St-Maurice<\/a> was \u2013<\/p>\n