I have voted in every federal election since I was old enough to vote.
I am voting in this federal election on
Oct. 19 and I hope that you will too.
Since my very first voting experience, I have enjoyed having a say in the electoral process and although I am an active voter, I am consistently a voter who votes beyond party lines.
I do not belong to any political party nor do I intend to align myself with a political party any time in the near future. Like many voters, I pay (a little) attention to the big election promises and try to read between the lines of what the leaders are saying and try to discern what they actually mean.
I read the biographies and statements from the potential MPs in my riding and I try to balance what I want nationally with what is needed locally through our representation in Ottawa.
I am very interested in the outcome of the next election and I hope we see some change.
People, in my experience, tend to surround themselves with like-minded views so we assume that most people "feel the same way I do" on any given topic.
For instance, as I was scrolling through my Facebook feed a few days ago, I suddenly realized that if I had different friends who shared different views or if I liked different articles, my Facebook feed wouldn't be filled with leftist, anti-Harper propaganda.
My Facebook reads like a socialist manifesto: "feed, clothe and house the people," "save the environment," "scientists are being muzzled," and, in some more extreme cases, "Harper is evil."
I realized that probably, some of my friends are conservatives and vote accordingly.
The world is made up of different people and it is important to remember that if we were all the same, or thought the same, about any given issue, then we would be living in a Smurf commune.
I believe that social programs, health care, education (at all levels) needs to have vastly increased funding.
I believe that we need a national strategy on social issues, health and education.
I believe that taxes should fund things are good for the community.
I believe that the job of the government is to provide for its people.
Good government exists at the will and interest of those who it governs.
Good government is supposed to protect its people, not create different classes of citizenship.
Voter apathy allows this to happen. Get involved.
I also believe in having a strong economy. I also dislike paying taxes as much as the next person because I also like money.
But when I remember that the money that I pay in taxes help support the programs and institutions that I love and value as a Canadian citizen, I am less annoyed.
When my children are old enough for school, I will complain about having to subsidize chronic underfunding of our schools but I am still grateful that I don't have to pay for my children to have a good education.
So, who am I voting for? I am still undecided. I am one of those people who haven't a clue who they are voting for and instead are voting by a process of elimination.
I will continue to read about my candidates while I am walking into the voting booth to decide who gets my lucky vote.
I'll be watching the polls on Oct. 19 and see who you voted too.
In the meantime, whether you share my views or not, your vote matters - so use it.
