What election issue is most important to you?

[Semperfi_dani]

As the forum fence sitter (ha ha), i usually vote based on the issues and the candidates with minor consideration to the party (hence why i have voted liberal, reform, ndp, pc....hahaha).

So than for me...I have to think of what is the one issue that will influence me in deciding where to place my vote.

At large though, even if you know who you are voting for, there has to be an issue that you will probably pay more attention to.

So what is going to be the defining election issue for you?

I think for me, the defining issue will be crime. But it will probably be the issue least spoken about, as health care and accountability will take the forfront. But whoever knocks on my door better be able to offer a solution to the crime wave. Anyone living in Edmonton these days can't go 1 day without the headline news being crime (gang, youth, domestic, what have you).

I guess my second issue would be taxes. It would be nice to take home SOME of my hard earned income without being taxed for dear life.

 

[no1important]

RE: What election issue i

Other than keeping Harper out of power, I would say health care and the debt. I would also like to see nationalization of the energy sector, legalizing marijuana, boost the military budget and fixing or even pulling out of NAFTA.

I do not mind paying taxes as they are a necessary evil. Some think we should have lower taxes like America, but when Katrina hit and all the cutbacks to FEMA that really worked out good. We need our social programs and our universal medicare.

edited to add: I would also like to see more done for the environment and toughing up pollution laws and vehicle emission laws and the banning of internal combustable engines in vehicles that are powered by fossil fuels.

 

[the caracal kid]

I also see keeping Harper out of power an important aspect of this election.

The other issues to me won't be touched on likely.

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: What election issue i

I think the environment should be the biggest issue this time around, with healthcare running a close second.

With those as issues, Harper will keep himself out of power.

 

[Ocean Breeze]

main issue. Keep Harper and his ilk OUT of power.

but others include...

Work at developing CA into a peacekeeping nation. ...with tools and personnel available to go into the world's trouble spots as required and in conjuction with the UN. Further the progress on the DART program.. Finesse it. Continue to shape the image of Canada as a peace loving and peace promoting nation....

environment. & energy conservation.

Enhance our sciences with a focus on developing transport less reliant on oil or products.

Stop following the US like a lap puppy......and start to develope our own clear identity. (around peaceful concepts) Maybe gradually move into being more 'neutral" ........like Switzerland. This would enhance our own objectivity too.

Enhance medical and scientific research.......

 

[Karlin]

Re: Global Warming GW GW

Most important issues - GWs !!

Global warming

It is starting to get away from us, to the point where we can't do anything to stop it. We haven't seen anything yet - its going to get really bad.
We can avoid "worse than bad",
a choice we will wish we had
taken.


[fix this poem please]

 

[#juan]

Keeping Harper out of power.....Of course if he gets in power, the country is screwed. Health care is important as well as beefing up our military, without Harper.

 

[Canucklehead]

RE: What election issue i

The ONLY bright side to Harper getting in is that we will not have to worry about conservatives getting back into power after his term for a very very long time :evil:

 

[PoisonPete2]

governance - ethics (and meaningful ethical oversight including criminal sanctions). See Broadbent's 7 planks.

social - protection of Health Care and close scrutiny of moves toward privatization (see ethics)

environmental - enforcing necessary targets to deal with global warming. Ensuring that those who pollute pay for the clean up. No shifting of responsibility from the corporations to the individual taxpayer. It's already happening.

legal - ending the prohibition against cannabis. Regulate and tax. No half-measures or deceit (such as the phoney bill the Liberals had draughted).

financial - bring balance back to tax sources (individual vs. corporate). No more hiding of assets such as the Liberals do continually. End the raid on the civil service pension and give us back the $30,000,000,000.

Foreign Affairs - Protect Canadian travelers (ie Arar), fulfill our promises and work toward fair trade.

 

[#juan]

I think we should all be disgusted with the irresponsible actions of Harper and Layton. These two clowns just couldn't wait until after the final Gomery report, and like a couple of morons they stood and cheered when the Liberal government fell, even though the election will still result in a Libertal minority. The only thing that is going to bring about significant change is the CPC coming up with a new leader and an honest and transparent platform. How long will the next Liberal minority last? tne one positive thing is that Harper will be gone sometime soon after this election.

 

[Ocean Breeze]

tne one positive thing is that Harper will be gone sometime soon after this election.

ya figure??? Gosh, sure hope you are right.... the last thing we need is an anal retentive , suffering from neoconitis..... :roll:

 

[Ted]

RE: What election issue i

CANADIAN SOVEREIGNTY

If we lose this, all the other issues and non issues will be moot points.

 

[ShadowClaw]

I was born with a disability (spina bifida) and have numerous other related health problems so, though it may seem selfish, health is of prime concern to me. Am I the only one who finds that disability issues in general tend to not even be mentioned in campaigns other than perhaps those relating to seniors?

ShadowClaw

 

[Ocean Breeze]

Am I the only one who finds that disability issues in general tend to not even be mentioned in campaigns other than perhaps those relating to seniors?

don't think so, The absence of disability issues is obvious by its ..........absence.

glad you raised this.....as it is something that certainly is not discussed enough, and is an important basic concern for many people with varying handicaps . Seems that the "glamorous" issues get all the verbal attention......but the bread and butter ones don't.

Will sure be nice to have a gov't ......doing the job we expect it to do........and that is actually GOVERN.-ie attend to these important issues. The silly games going on are just wasting precious time and good money.

 

[Colpy]

I was born with a disability (spina bifida) and have numerous other related health problems so, though it may seem selfish, health is of prime concern to me. Am I the only one who finds that disability issues in general tend to not even be mentioned in campaigns other than perhaps those relating to seniors?

ShadowClaw

My advice would be vote Conservative.

Do you know of their health critic?

 

[Colpy]

Reform

including empowerment of backbenchers, free votes, appointment of elected senators, officers of Parliament (auditor-general, privacy commissioner, ethics commissioner) appointed by Parliament as a whole, and responsible to Parliament, all-party oversight committee for the appointment of judges, requirement to run in a by-election if switching parties, study of options for electoral reform while keeping ridings reasonably small, and on and on.

And I will vote Conservative, which has retained enough (and just enough) of its Reform character to actually DO some of this.

Unlike the liars of MARTIN'S Liberal government.

 

[the caracal kid]

in contrast, i would never vote for the Conservatives because they maintain too much of those Reform roots.

 

[damngrumpy]

The major issue is still health care for all Canadians, and the most serious threat to health care is Harper and company.

 

[Colpy]

The major issue is still health care for all Canadians, and the most serious threat to health care is Harper and company.

The most serious threat to health care is a devotion to an ideology of health care that is shared by only three nations on earth: North Korea, Cuba and Canada.

All the modern progressive nations use a combination of private and public institutions to deliver health care. The Supreme Court has supported an individual's right to buy health care, if the nation can not provide.

Health care is a provincial area of responsibility, and the provinces should be permitted to experiment with delivery systems, with out having to kiss Ottawa arse.

 

[PoisonPete2]

Re: RE: What election issue i

CANADIAN SOVEREIGNTY

If we lose this, all the other issues and non issues will be moot points.

we largely lost that with Nafta.

"The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it comes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism - ownership of government by an individual, by a group," : Franklin D. Roosevelt