For whom to vote...?

For the first time in my life, I can be filed under the “undecided” category. I’ve ALWAYS known who I was going to vote for (for whom I was going to vote?) well before the writ was dropped. But this time, I’m stymied. Let me explain.

Paul Martin: While I have been a partisan Liberal for as long as I’ve been wearing a collar (except for a brief return to the NDP for 3 three torturous months in 1997), I’ve never been Paul Martin’s big fan. While I applaud his fiscal record, he always struck me as soulless, caring only about power for power’s sake. No comprehensive vision for the country

He wears the “Dithers” moniker with an astonishing degree of comfort.

Stephen Harper: If I ever voted Conservative, 3 generations of Powells would revolve quarter turns in their graves. Having said that, Harper has been running an excellent campaign. It’s been smart, policy driven, and moderate. Personally, I couldn’t care less if Harper doesn’t smile. All I’m worried about is whether he can run the country effectively. However, Rick Mercer has a preview of what a Conservative cabinet might look like.

I REALLY like Harper’s child care package. It works better for our family because it has the option of part time day care. My wife and I decided that one of us will be home with our kids until the youngest reaches school age. Under Martin’s plan, we’d be penalized for my wife not working outside the home. Recognizing that for some families, full time day care is an economic necessity. For us, it’s a hindrance to how we want to raise our children.

Jack Layton: Jack has breathed new life into the party. Alexa is an excellent MP and did a fine job as leader. And despite Libs and Tories ridiculing the NDP’s mantra “making parliament work,” the NDP did.

Locally, I think we have a fine NDP candidate. But in this riding, barring some bizarre re-ordering of the universe, the Conservative candidate will win handily. I don’t know if I could pick the Liberal candidate out of a line up.

The Greens? Maybe I’ll take a look at them when Harper’s minority parliament falls in 2007.