Canada's Upcoming Election

I've noticed a trend over the last decade or so come election time, with more and more people of all ages passing on their right to vote. The question most often asked, 'who are you voting for?' has changed to 'are you going to vote?'.

I, for one, have passed on voting in past years because, like a lot of you, I've felt very uncomfortable believing in any one candidate enough to want to vote them in to run our country. 

The criteria a candidate needs to meet for me to vote them in really shouldn't be that hard to do.

I want a candidate who will listen to the people of Canada; ALL of the people, ALL of the time.

I want a candidate who will say what they mean, not talk in so many riddles it makes my head spin.

I want a candidate who will put our needs as a whole above their wish to run a smear campaign against each other.

I want a candidate who will honour the promises they made that got them elected in in the first place.

I want a Prime Minister who will, once elected; work with the other Parties to do the job of running our country on our behalf; respect the needs of every Canadian and carry forward that respect when they represent us on our home turf and on the World Stage; remember that he/she were hired by us and can be fired by us too.

When it comes to voting or not voting, I'm now looking at things from a new perspective. As a female born in 1962, I've never had to 'fight' for my 'right' to vote. My female ancestors didn't have that 'right to vote' handed to them on a silver platter as their male counterparts did, they fought long and hard to earn it for themselves and for future generations.

For that alone, I will at least do them the honour of researching who my candidates are and what they stand for, try harder to make a decision and on election day, I will vote.

Those of you who wish to research what the Party Candidates stand for, you can type their name, or their Party, into an internet search engine, it should bring you to a page or a link to their Campaign Platform.

Good luck!