Murray Wood: April is the most frustrating month on the prairies
As much of Saskatchewan deals with another spring snowstorm, Murray Wood says we're all asking the same question: This i...
The biggest game of the year is coming up.
On Oct. 21, Canada is staging its federal election. And for everyone who tells sports reporters to “Stick to sports!” it may drive you crazy that sports reporters have political opinions. The sports media actually understands politics. They know politics are a game. It’s all about winning and losing.
The winning team has the best strategy and the best people, just like the best hockey team or the best football team.
There’s team unity, pulling together for a cause. There’s sticking to the message set by a party’s leader, just like players have to buy into their coach’s philosophy. Political parties recruit supporters in the same fashion as pro sports teams, by selling them memberships, er, tickets. You can’t make mistakes on the campaign trail; turnovers cause losses in pro sports.
OK, there are five or six political parties in this race. Most sports leagues have at least that many teams. They will be covered extensively by the media. It’s survival of the fittest. When the season ends, a champion is crowned.
When this 40-day campaign is over, a prime minister will be anointed. It may be a back-to-back winner, it may be a new champion. But the next political season lasts four years, not six months.
