So I thought that the day I and three other people combined efforts at a set of double doors to manage to each hold one door for the other three on our quick trips in and out of the local Post Office was the most Canadian thing I'd seen this year. Today that was easily eclipsed.
Our General Election is scheduled for September 20 and today was the first of four days of advanced polling. I always like to vote early to avoid a possible issue on the day. One never knows what any given day may hold and I'd hate to have my work truck break down (or whatever) leaving me far from home and unable to get to the polling station in time.
As I lined up and took note of the 100% masked, 100% socially distanced crowd, I was pleased to see that once I passed in to the main area of the polling station (the local hockey arena, what else?) that they had set up (socially distanced) chairs in the line so folks could sit if they needed too.
The lady in front of me was leaning on her cane as we inched our way (in six foot increments) towards the main area with the chairs. As we got to the door to the main area, an election volunteer came up to her with a lady from further up the line in (socially distanced) tow. Having seen the lady with the cane, this other lady had graciously offered to switch places in line with her so she could use one of the chairs in the arena.
Nobody had to ask her to give up her place, no one complained about favouritism, in fact it went pretty much unremarked. Just someone doing something nice for someone in more need than they. Make no mistake though, we ALL saw it and I'm certain that everyone in line was just as pleased by it as I was.
Yeah, we have occasionally seen tempers flare during this (thankfully, mercifully short) election campaign but at the end of the day, it's still Canada.
Long may it remain so.
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