Wow. Donald Trump defied expectations, polls and the ruling classes, to become President-Elect of the United States on November 8, 2016. Admittedly I was amazed.
When the New Democrats under the diminutive Rachel Notley formed government, in conservative Alberta, I new the ruling classes and political dynasties were on eroding beach heads. The status quo was not acceptable anymore. Trump ended the eras of the Clintons, the Bushes, the Kennedys, to name but a few and brought in the age of protectionism for the underclass.
Brexit was the result of ignoring the general population living more than a mile from London’s city centre. The signs were there all around us, Europe, Alberta, and in town halls all across the states but the results were still enough to dumbfound the most imaginative political junkie. Trump’s win is not the anomaly many will have you believe but a sign of awakening of the suppressed and ignored underrepresented working person.
In Red Deer, will this development give impetus to the underrepresented working class resident living north of the river, too long ignored and too long deprived of the facilities and high schools freely offered to residents south of the river.
Will the city’s ruling class sit up and take notice and learn from this quiet revolution occurring south of the border, across the ocean and in our province?
The rumblings are there, but will it erupt into an anti-status-quo move in the municipal vote in 11 months time? Will the residents north of the river galvanize around a group of candidates, like the working class did in the U.S.? Will the inequities forced onto the residents north of the river, be addressed?
I would not be amazed, after watching Donald Trump, anything is still possible. I still have hope.