Imagine for a minute that the people who run the government of Canada just disappear. All of the MP's, the prime minister, all of the head bureaucrats at all the ministries and crown corporations one day just decide to quit their jobs, maybe leave the country for more sunny climes. What do you think would happen? Eventually it would look something like what is happening in the former Soviet Union right now.
Since the fall of the soviet union in 1992 Russians have been searching for 'stable 'government, but all this has amounted to is just a good old fashioned struggle for power.
Today, about 170 people were were arrested for attending a street protest in Moscow.
170 people! This is huge - Protests are relatively rare in Moscow due to government crackdowns on such unpatriotic behaviour. Hundreds of protestors - is this the start of a revolution? The people are pissed and they want their state assets back! Hell, even Garry Kasparov was arrested! GARRY KASPAROV! - The famous international chess champion! Gary's no activist.. .what the hell is going on here!
Oh but Kasparov is an activist. It turns out that for the past year or so he's been leading a group called the United Civil Front. So there he was, protesting in the streets with hundreds of other Moscovites... trading in his chess pieces for political strategy.
Amazing.... I have to wonder where this will lead. Will other cultural icons join the party? I can see it now... Anna Kournikova goes on a tennis tour for political prisoners of conscience. The girls from Tatu join the protests wearing designer gas masks.
Will Putin's government be toppled? Will there be reform? Maybe after Putin's gang of raiders are finished pillaging the country's oil assets... I bet they would sooner relinquish their political power than give up their unearned wealth.