This has been, without a doubt, the most interesting election campaign I've lived through. It's interesting because for the first time in...ever, I think...I wouldn't even begin to hazard a guess how it's going to turn out.
Because of the vagaries of our first-past-the-post voting system, we could get anything from a huge Harper majority to an NDP minority. If either of those options frightens you--and odds are, one of them does, because they're polar opposites in terms of what they mean for Canada--get out and vote for the other.
I went for a bike ride around my city yesterday, noting with interest the relation between size of house and likelihood of lawn sporting a Conservative sign. It's common knowledge that money tends to turn you to the right, but it's sobering to actually see that principle in action. There were a few exceptions--one manse had not just a Liberal sign but also a sign saying "I don't trust Stephen Harper: visit unseatharper.ca". But the red was a tiny buoy in a sea of Tory blue.
The NDP surge does not appear to have reached my riding. I've seen exactly one orange sign that wasn't on public property; tellingly, the windstorm we had a couple of days ago blew it down. This is not all that surprising, given the NDP didn't even select a candidate here until eleven days into the campaign. The popularity of Layton has caught everyone, including Layton, by surprise.
It seems the electorate is considerably more engaged this time out. But the ballots still have to be cast...so get out there tomorrow and vote.
See you on the other side.
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