#if you're in Ontario Canada and can vote please do

[ur-not-calling-it-the-enterprise]

There is an Election in Ontario, Canada on Feb 27 this year. Our Premier Doug Ford, who you have may seen recently sporting a "CANADA IS NOT FOR SALE" hat (while he gets a point from me for not being a total sell out traitor to the country, I still don't like his policies), has called an early election 'cause apparently having a Majority Government isn't enough for him to keep us out of the tiny grip of the Cheeto in Chief to the south. Anyway. while his motivations are illogical, we have to take this as a chance to do better for our province and elect someone who gives a fuck about all it's residents, the environment, and of course keeping us from having the War of 1812 Part II: Electric Boogaloo.

Please check out the sources above, you can find information on how to register to vote, check your riding, advance voting, mail in voting, pretty much everything.

Also, please don't let yourselves fall for any misinformation or disinformation during the campaign; or lead with your emotions. Think critically, go to the party websites and read about their policies, this is more important then you know.

If you are from Ontario yourself, have family or friends here, please inform them of this if they don't always pay attention to the news.

If you're from Ontario and currently live outside the country or are on vacation or deployment, there are still options to vote (info in the sources above).

[froggybangbang]

Fellow Canadians, if you are as worried as I am about what's happening in South Canada, I urge you to try to understand our own government.

We all know the Libs aren't getting in next year. People have forgotten why we protested-vote against the Conservatives all those years ago and the new findings on shifty usage of money (honestly nothing new here, look at the end of the last time the Libs were in power) and idk about your bubble, but mine wants to protest-vote to a party that litterally has no chance of getting elected (The Bloc is only for our Province, it's a stupid choice imo, but people seem to think wishfull thinking will work in this case🙄 go off i guess, but there'sno way to get majority with the bloc and last time we've had a minority government it didn'tlast 4 years before imploding.)

Here's two video to get you started:

This one is Ontario based and goes into the basics of who is in charge of what in our politics. You can apply what is relevant to your own province.

That one is pretty long but goes in deep. Good to know stuff but not vital, just thought I'd put it here because i haven't seen another video doing the same in so much details.

And this one explains what's happening right now, and what it actually mean.

I personally don't always align with JJ (mainly because he hates French speakers and quebecers, which i am) but it feels more like a level headed conversation on these subjects, rather than hitting your head against the wall, and i think that's a good thing to have in your life.

And last of all, please read about the party you're going to vote for. Not just their general lines, but look at what they did during the last 4 years. If they had minority votes, look at what they tried to pass, on top of the on the ground actions their reps have done. If they hadn't enough of a weight, then look at their litteral actions: where they on the ground? Did they help push a petition that is close to your heart? That sort of thing.

[beating-a-dead-plot]

Please Read If You Live In The USA

Hi! My name isn't actually Petunia, it's just a nickname, and I used it so I could maintain some level of anonymity on here and protect myself from shame and awkwardness. That is no longer an option to me.

I live in New York state, not the big city, a different region. If you are female, non-binary, or transgender and over the age of 18, living in a state that isn't so fun as mine, maybe you could come visit me? Maybe you finally decided that your random internet bestie should be your real life bestie and you just have to meet each other! After all, good friends are so hard to find these days! I live with family currently, so you would have to find a place to stay for your visit, but I would just love to finally get to meet you!

I mean, we could check out Niagara Falls, it's basically in my backyard, or we could take a little food tour of Western New York! If money is going to be tight, maybe it'll be on me if I'm in a decent spot with money, but if we're just two broke idiots, well, public parks are always a great option to hang out in, or we could hole up in your staying place and have some fun talking about all our favorite fandoms and characters! Also, we could take a little day trip to Canada, border's right there and and as long as you've got your documents and behave going through customs, it's fun! The butterfly conservatory is amazing, I bet you'd really love it! Think about how fun it could be to just have a little get-away with your internet bestie?

I don't care about my own embarrassment anymore, I will take being embarrassed for being a freak over not being at least offering to help people who need it right now. I'm nobody, I have like four mutuals and only one talks to me consistently (Which is my fault, NOT theirs, not playing the blame game here, not even close), but if someone needs a justifiable excuse to hang out in NY for a bit, send me a private message.

I don't care if we're mutuals or not, I don't care if you're even in the Star Wars fandom, I'll read up on something if you need me to. I can help with finding activities and resources in my area, I will gladly scope out the best hotels/motels/rentals in my area if you need me to.

Even if no one sees this post or takes me up on this, I just want to know, I tried. I tried to do something to keep people from being hurt when they shouldn't have to be. I'm currently a part-time college student and looking into getting applications in for jobs, but if you need help, if you need someone to be on your side when your own family isn't, come to me.

At this point, if you voted for the person hurting us? Still message me if you need help. I loathe your choice but I am not going to let you be hurt or worse because of it. Don't get me wrong, I am furious with those who voted him in, but if I let you suffer because of him, I would be no better than the hateful bigots on the other side from me.

And if immigration is what your goal is, I will gladly try to help you with Canadian immigration or coming to NY to explore your options. I will not help you cross with the intent to do so illegally, but a day-trip to check out Ontario? I will do it. I will not help with anything outright illegal, but if you need help and are willing to be close enough to legal not to get me arrested, I'm here.

There's this thing I saw people saying on social media "I could hate her more than anything in the world, and I still wouldn't leave her alone with that weird man at the party." You are now all in that first category, I don't care if you're a Trekie (I had to add humor, I'm losing it), you will never catch me leaving you alone at this party unless I am truly unable to, which would be if I'm arrested and/or dead.

Reach out if you need someone, there's none of you who should be left to the wolves now. <3

I am AFAB, cis-gender as far as everyone knows, I will now be referring to myself as straight but I used to go by bisexual as a label, and 23 years old. For more details, DM me and we can see what we need to do.

[yarnings]

So I had somehow missed that Ontario (please don't let it be all of Canada) now won't let you vote without ID. I know that there's a provincial law that says the government can do whatever it wants and you're not allowed to bring them to court for it, but what the hell?

[all-hail-trudos]

I need Reddit's easy block quote system.

Canada's underground church

Illegal Bible study

Persecution

I'd ask if they can hear themselves, but presumably that's one problem an echo chamber doesn't have. I'm genuinely appalled. You honestly think a blanket stay at home order is persecution? That you're rebelling in Jesus' name because you're getting together in person because y'all don't like Zoom or Skype? Until Canada has police raids on services, churches seized and demolished, and literally anything like what Christians face in hostile countries, y'all are putting on clown makeup. If you can just be patient for a year and a half, we'll all be back to normal and the so-called persecution will go away. Does our government favor businesses over churches and allow the usual minor abuses of authority? Sure. Is Canada a bit frosty towards the Church? Definitely. But when they're telling you not to go out for any reason except for essentials, and please, please, PLEASE don't get together in groups (and if you must, do it outside and follow the rules) for any reason, in a move that steps on the toes of nearly every person in the country, it's way too general to claim this is deliberate persecution.

Also, if you want to prove me wrong, go out and get vaccinated when you're eligible and see if the government isn't tossing out all the legislation that makes you feel personally targeted by the fall. Especially in Ontario, Doug Ford needs those Christian votes, because there aren't a whole lot of other people besides Big Business Interests and the socially conservative Christians who will be willing to look at him twice at the polls next year

Pray for Christians in Canada who must now meet in secret. (Link to tweet)

Persecution is persecution, even if you use an “emergency” as an excuse.