City Notebook: Watching down there makes you appreciate the process up here

By COLLIN GALLANT on November 7, 2020.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant

There was a time when a large part of Canadian Culture revolved around pride in not being American and worrying that we were becoming more American.

Not so much anymore, but the case of the American election presents an interesting case.

Half of the 330 million people are out of sorts that the election took so long – three days and counting on Friday afternoon.

It’s also led to a no-longer smug wondering in this country about how elections seem to work much smoother north of the border.

This goes against general consensus of the dominion, which increasingly finds things to grumble about and apply to their own set of problems.

For example, it only takes about an hour on election night in Canada before social media starts rocking and rolling, demanding answers from reporters about not getting the results fast enough.

For the record, the local record for tight elections might have been in 2015 when Bob Wanner won a three-way race to become MLA by about 300 votes.

But even that one was in the bag by 10:30 p.m., when opponents arriving for handshakes shortly after the final poll was reported.

We also hear how hard it is to vote here, at your local gym or church basement or wherever, and maybe that’s the reason behind low turnout in Canadian elections.

Still, one wonders how long the U.S. can proceed without standardized, nationwide election rules for national positions.

You can’t forget however, that the U.S. is a republic of states, and the states play a much bigger role not only legally, but also in general perception than in other countries. “States Rights” have been a point of debate and legal challenges for almost 250 years now.

And reforming the Electoral College or nomination process for the U.S. Supreme Court would seem to require a Constitutional amendment – which appears to be a non-starter due to a newly developing gridlock between the branches of the federal government and states that have to ratify changes.

Maybe we’re not so different up here in Canada, what with equalization logjam, after all.

Big business

The News is the only source locally to give much of a look at CF Industries move to become carbon neutral over the next 30 years.

Say what you will about environmental plans, the length is notable as most folks hear carbon neutral and think “shut down” but a 30-year plan presupposes they intend to stay in business at 2050.

There’s more coming on this, perhaps sooner rather than later.

Also, there was some consternation among local chemistry buffs about how the News described how hydrogen-use aligns with climate goals.

When it’s used as a fuel, burning hydrogen produces water not carbon dioxide.

We said another exhaust product was oxygen.

It’s not, but what wasn’t clear in the article was that “green hydrogen” production uses renewable power to separate the element out of water, thereby releasing oxygen.

Also, for what it’s worth, cannabis stocks went bananas late this week after several states, including Montana, legalized pot.

A look ahead

City emergency management officials have scheduled a COVID-19 response update for Monday morning to address rising infections in the province.

A controversial plan to raise property tax default penalties is back at the committee level on Tuesday.

Wednesday is Remembrance Day though most of the usual public ceremonies will have restricted access. There’s no rules against private and personal observance, however.

100 years ago

The ongoing U.S. Presidential race broke all records for the number of ballots cast, the News reported in Nov. 3, 1920, owing to the inclusion of “lady voters” for the first time.

Senator Warren G. Harding built an overwhelming lead to win though results were not fully tabulated.

In “a most unusual outcome” of the U.S. election day, a prisoner in Kentucky was elected county judge over the man who had sentenced him to six months for punching the town sheriff. The man, Fish Whiteaker, was also the warden of the jail.

In Medicine Hat, a coroner’s inquest resulted in an order for the city to close in leaks around the armoury gas well after a First Street resident was badly burned and died following an explosion in her cellar.

Collin Gallant covers city politics and a variety of topics for the News. Reach him at 403-528-5664 or via email at cgallant@medicinehatnews.com.