Just click your heels together

In spite of all the rave reviews I’ve heard and read over the years, I have never been a fan of the movie The Wizard of Oz.Yeah, I know, I obviously don’t have good taste. Maybe I’m culturally deprived. I just don’t like the movie and I usually don’t give it much thought. I have seen it once or twice, but only because I grew up with six siblings and you watched whatever was on television. And that’s about it. The movie frustrated me. It was way too long. Dorothy was way too wide-eyed and trusting. Yeah, I saw it on television in the ‘50s which meant it was in black and white from beginning to end. Maybe I missed something. Perhaps the sepia-to-colour thing was what I needed to up my “awe and wow” factor. Over the years, zillions of people have pondered the meaning of that story. Most folks who had time to spend on the question: “What does the author mean?” decided The Wizard of Oz was an allegory or metaphor for political, economic and social events of the United States in the 1890s. I guess if I squeeze my eyes shut and click my Adidas clad heels together three times, I would get the political thing.

And then? Well, and then the federal election was called and I gave the great and wonderful Oz much more thought. And, to be perfectly honest, it wasn’t until Harper pulled the veil across his face and put his campaign behind a piece of cloth that I realized who this country’s Wizard really is. Harper has unleashed the evil witch’s winged monkeys to ambush this country. He wants those silver slippers so badly, he’s hired Lynton Crosby to head up and advise his campaign platform of distraction and negativity. Crosby—one of the winged monkeys—is a world-class virtuoso when it comes to creating divisive political issues. We are busy watching the noise on the big screen and missing the noise behind the screen. We might hear a bit about the Trans- Pacific Partnership this week, but why haven’t we heard more about it until now? Harper will twist dials and distort his real voice while he tells us this partnership will create jobs. Wait a minute, does Canada need jobs? That’s not the line Harper’s been dangling in front of us for months. Besides, who are those TPP jobs for, anyway? I’m pretty sure they aren’t for Canadian food producers or Canadian automakers. Tell us again how we can maintain oil production related jobs when the price of crude continues to plummet. What about the budget? Will there be a surplus or a deficit? What about real jobs, right here jobs? While Canadian corporations rake in huge surpluses, Canadian consumers fall further and further into debt because of low wages, underemployment, erosion of programs and the soaring cost of living. What about keeping jobs in this country? What about taking care of our seniors and our veterans? Yeah, what about all the real issues, oh great and wonderful Oz?

It’s corny but true: Canadian voters are Dorothy in this election story. We are wearing the silver slippers (yeah, I know they were ruby slippers in the movie). Harper will continue to distort the image of the real issues. But, we have the choice when we get behind the little cardboard screen on election day. We had the power all along.

theresa@wellingtontimes.ca