"I am too old for this bull shit" ME TOO

From: Chase, Steven (With the NDP)
Sent: Monday, June 21, 2004 9:53 AM
Subject: Bandwagon empty...

Oshawa, Ont. -- Everybody loves a parade, but few watching the Fiesta Week procession in Oshawa Sunday appeared in the mood for politicians of any stripe.

There were smatterings of applause for NDP leader Jack Layton, his wife Olivia Chow and local candidate Sid Ryan as they rode in the one-hour parade.

But there were also awkward moments of silence where Mr. Layton's car drove by people who may as well have been asleep - or watching a funeral procession.

Conservative candidate Colin Carrie, following in a separate car, didn't fare any better.

Onlookers seemed more keen on floats such as the Caribbean dance band -- which played a steel drum version of ABBA's Dancing Queen endlessly -- than the candidates.

While one man heckled Mr. Layton -- suggesting he was a loser -- most disgruntled onlookers simply muttered cynical comments to their friends.

'It's about time to give another guy a chance to rip you off,' one parade watcher said.

Griped another: 'You see them once a year and then they vanish.'

One eldery man watching the procession said he had no opinion on Mr. Layton or the election.

'I'm 80 years old and I'm too old for this bullshit,' he said."