She read my mind - a fellow voter from my riding
My vote
Riding: Carleton - Lanark
And now, decision time. What began as a dull election campaign, overshadowed by Calgary's meteoric run for the Stanley Cup, is now winding down to its own exciting finish. Whatever the criticism of the New Conservative Party, its very presence has enhanced the substance of the election process. During the last two federal elections, there was hardly any opposition to the Liberals. This time around, many issues have been put forth to -- and debated by -- Canadians. And, we are all the richer for it.
I had started the election campaign ready and willing to listen to all parties -- especially the new Conservatives. Like many, I had become dissatisfied with the Liberals, and somewhat mystified by the fuzzy performance of Paul Martin -- a man I had come to admire for his single-minded focus of getting rid of the national debt, delivering budget surpluses, and having a passion for the fabric of this country.
As the weeks whittled by, there were too many negative features of the new Conservatives. First, and foremost, was their fiscal plan that promised tax cuts and enhanced spending on health care and the military. Such planning invariably leads to deficits and/or cuts in social programs. We've seen it happen under Mike Harris in Ontario. It has been a constant feature of all Republican administrations in the U.S. for the past 30 years. As Princeton economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman told a local CBC radio station, deficits are part and parcel of the plan by the Republicans to weaken the welfare state. Create a deficit on purpose, so that you can claim to have no money to spend on social programs. The new Conservative platform seems to be pointing in that direction.
In fact, Mr. Harper's statements of promising closer ties to our American neighbour are also disconcerting. In the post 9/11 era, yes, we must give serious consideration to enhancing our common security. Our trade with the U.S. wholly depends on it. Yet, the basis of Mr. Harper's closer co-operation seem to be more ideological than pragmatic. This is contrary to the trend of Canadians and Americans drifting apart ideologically, as described recently by Michael Adams in 'Fire and Ice.' The most alarming statements, though, deal with Mr. Harper's views of our Charter, and role of our courts in upholding our Constitution. He would like to devolve the power of the courts, and put contentious issues to a free vote in Parliament, where majority rule -- rather than judicial scrutiny -- would decide. This does not bode well for minorities, nor does it show much confidence in a constitutional process that is highly respected throughout the world.
Curiously, there has been absolutely no mention of aboriginal issues by any party -- which is shameful. More so is the fact that Mr. Harper's campaign chair is Tom Flanagan, who has been less than sympathetic to First Nations communities throughout Canada. What does this say about the party's policy toward aboriginal peoples?
Finally, I had hoped that no party would use the horrific slaying of Holly Jones to score cheap political points. Mr. Harper demonstrated a startling lack of judgment in the way his party handled the issue.
As of last week, I was undecided between the Liberals and the NDP. When faced with important choices in life, I often pray for guidance on making a choice that is right for me, and subsequently follow that "inner" voice. As the race between the Liberals and the Conservatives tightened, I realized that I would rather have the Liberals in power than the Conservatives. If the race were not so close, I would vote NDP for its role as a voice of social conscience in Parliament.
As anger toward Liberal government mismanagement subsided, I reflected on the many benefits provided over the past decade - such as budget surpluses and a strong economy. If Mr. Martin puts the same zeal toward fixing our health care system, as he did towards tackling our debt, then there is room for hope. I also took time to study the local candidates in my riding. The vision and energy of the Liberal candidate surpassed those of the others. Finally, my vote was cemented after having read about my childhood hero, Ken Dryden, in Roy MacGregor's column. Having been asked to run for all parties, Mr. Dryden chose the Liberals because it is the party that best appreciates the richness of our nation, or in his words, "likes this country best."
On June 28th,
I will be voting Liberal in the riding of Carleton-Lanark.
Sheema Khan
Ottawa
Technical Consultant
Sheema Khan was raised in Montreal, graduating from McGill. Ms. Khan holds a PhD in chemical physics from Harvard, and has completed post-doctoral research at MIT. She holds two patents in pharmaceuticals and is currently a technical consultant in intellectual property law. She writes a monthly column for The Globe on contemporary issues about Islam and Muslims. She is married with three small children.
http://www.globeandmail.com/special/federalelection/citizens/khan.html