This election, more than any federal election before it, is proving to be the most difficult for me.
There's only three days left to figure out who gets my 'X' and I still don't know whose name my two pen strokes will go beside.
Usually by this time I have decided which party is emitting the least stink and which candidate is the strongest.
Not this time.
Marc Bombois and his party are making very interesting allegations and floating what seem to be reasonable solutions.
Andrea Goldsmith and the Green Party are coming out of the political fringes and making a credible run in this election. This is a party that has candidates running in all 308 ridings across the country. Goldsmith is a very sharp individual who, if elected, will work hard to advance her party's agenda.
Nicholas Simons is one of those good guys who, according to legend, always finishes last. I liked what he had to say at the all-candidates' meeting and his party plays an extremely important role in Canadian politics. A Canada without NDP MPs is a Canada that seriously lacks a social conscious. He won't finish last in this election.
Blair Wilson of the Liberal Party is a guy who appears to have given 120 per cent in this riding through this campaign. John Reynolds, the experienced Conservative candidate in our riding, also worked hard on his campaign in a whole different way.
Reynolds has to be respected for his experience and stature in his party while Wilson has to be respected for his youthful all-out attempt to bring down the reigning champ. If Reynolds is returned we get a respected statesman who gets things done easily. If Wilson gets the nod we get an energetic young keener who will work hard and try to gain a reputation as someone who is an effective politician.
The main thing holding me back from choosing Wilson is the fact that I can't forgive the Grits for lining the pockets of Quebec advertising firms and squandering unimaginable amounts of money on a gun registry that was doomed to fail from the minute it was launched.
The main thing holding me back from voting for Reynolds is my worry that his new party just isn't ready to run the country.
The idea of the new Tories taking up a big chunk of the opposition benches is appealing to me.The only thing left to do now is to review the party platforms over the weekend and then go with my gut.
I have a feeling my gut won't give my the answer I'm looking for until I step into the voting booth on Monday and actually put the pen on the paper.
