Political promises

Today is Friday the 13. (At least it was, when I started typing this entry.) A day associated with bad luck, nightmares and horror movies. And also the day that marks the countdown to the last ten days of election campaigning across the country.

What a circus. I am not fond of politicians, and I am even less fond of the games they play. I have never voted in a Federal election, and that kind of pisses me off, because gosh-darn it, it's my right as a Canadian citizen to vote for someone that I believe will do a good job running the country. The problem is, I have yet to see a candidate and a party that I can believe in. Let's look at the options this time 'round.

Liberal: Current PM Paul Martin

On the heels of the scandal that brought about the non-confidence vote that resulted in the upcoming election, the Liberals have their work cut out for them. Here's an exert from the summary of their platform, as found on their website:

The Liberal Party’s platform, “Securing Canada’s Success,” commits to
cutting tuition for students, making child care funding permanent, adding 1,000
new family doctors and amending the Constitution to remove the federal
government’s ability to overrule the Supreme Court.

The Liberal platform commits to ensuring Canada will:

• meet the challenge of an aging population;
• remain competitive in a changing global market;
• build a safe, inclusive and environmentally-responsible society; and
• guarantee that government is accountable and efficient

Their whole campaign platform is a whopping 86 pages long. Not nearly as long as the infamous Gomery report, but then, that report wouldn't exist without the Liberals. Enough reason for me to not even consider them.

Conservative: Stephen Harper

Harper has outlined five priorities should we end up with Conservative government:

• Clean up government by passing the Federal Accountability Act;

  Provide real tax relief to working families by cutting the GST;

  Make our streets and communities safer by cracking down on crime;

  Help parents with the cost of raising their children; and

  Work with the provinces to establish a Patient Wait Times

Too bad the Conservatives are so cozy with our right-wing neighbours to the south.

NDP: Jack Layton

According to the NDP website, the comprehensive NDP platform includes:

• Help for seniors to stay independent as long as possible with improvements to home care and the creation of long-term care spaces so that quality care will be available when it is needed.
• Helping children get a good start in life with investment in the child benefit to reduce child poverty and more quality child care spaces along with legislation to ensure national standards for quality child care.
• Building opportunities by ensuring young people get the education they need without being burdened with huge debts.
• Legislation to stop the spread of private, for-profit health care and concrete improvements in the health care system including first steps towards a National Prescription Drug Plan and training more health care providers such as nurses and doctors.
• Cleaning up government with legislation to ensure politicians can be held accountable and reforming our democracy with a proposal to improve Canada’s electoral system.

Despite having been a member of two different unions, I'm just too anti-union to consider the NDP.

Green: Jim Harris

The Green Party's vision includes building a sustainable fiscal framework, building a sustainable, a healthy, and an inclusive Canada, and renewing our democracy. If only I hadn't been weaned on the bread of the pulp and paper industry, and my continuing debt-free eductation didn't rely on my dad's job in said industry. Too many jobs are at risk in BC if the Greens should get power.

...

I still haven't decided if I will vote in ten days time, although I will exercise my right to vote regardless. Due to my love for this beautiful land of ours, Green is the closest thing to an option that I feel I have, but, and I hate to say it, spoiling my ballot is a somewhat more appealing one. Maybe I'll add my own selection to the choices on the ballot, and vote for me.