Mark Leahy is by far the best candidate in this riding. It’s too bad he has no chance at all of winning. This is one of those ridings where the NDP strategic vote will count. I hate to say it, but a vote for the Liberals actually helps the NDP here. (It decreases the possibility of a Conservative majority, thus giving the NDP more power.)

I agree that Mark Leahy is the best candidate for our riding. While he speaks passionately and eloquently in both official languages, Royal Galipeau can’t open his mouth without offending someone or saying something untrue, and Marc Godbout has all the passion of his party’s main opponent, Stephen Harper (perhaps because after years of Liberal rule and them doing nothing for our riding, he has nothing to be passionate about). Also, Mr. Leahy seems to be the only candidate (aside from Alain Saint-Yves) who has his priorities straight: financial help for students, seniors, and workers, not mega-corporations; and cleaning up the environment instead of lobbying for a cabinet post (like Galipeau). The part I disagree on is that the NDP doesn’t have a chance in Ottawa-Orleans. In 2004, Crystal Leblanc got more than 10% of the vote for the NDP, and she lived in Nepean. Now, the NDP has a much stronger candidate, and people are fed up with the Liberals. I highly doubt that M. Galipeau will be able to woo many of these party-less people, but Mark Leahy can.

Attending debate after debate, listening carefully, I know Ottawa-Orleans is ready for a HIgh-Tech East Centre. This strength is viable, feasible, and can not be turned down. This economic pillar can influence new business, new investments, new careers to Orleans. We already have the houses built along Innes and its growing. Its time for Ottawa-Orleans to start living in Ottawa-Orleans. My vote is for Royal Galipeau.

Ottawa-Orleans IS ready to become a High-Tech centre, but Mark Leahy and the NDP support environmental technology, unlike Royal Galipeau. What is the point of courting the same type of businesses we already have in the west end, when environmental technology is the wave of the future? That is the problem with the Conservative platform: it doesn’t look to the future. Sure it’ll be nice to have tax cuts now, but where’s the money going to come from if I get sick in 10 years. As Toronto NDP candidate Paul Summerville (former Chief Economist for RBC) has stated, the NDP is pro-business, just in an environmentally-friendly way. When our fossil fuel supplies run out sometime in the 21st Century, wouldn’t it be great if Orleans was looked to as a Canadian, or even world, leader in alternative energy technology? We can start preparing for that day now, with a vote for Mark Leahy and the NDP.

Matthew: I’ve walked around this riding talking to residents and the fact is that about 40% of people will vote Conservative. It’s pretty obvious to anyone who went to the debates that that Mark Leahy is the most qualified candidate – but only about 600 people went to the debates. I’m sorry, but in a riding like Ottawa-Orleans Leahy is not going to get over 40% of the vote. So as I explained above, the best outcome for the NDP is if the Liberals win. It’s perverse, I know! But under our current election system that’s how thing work.

I hate to say it, guys, but it looks like we the NDP are going to have to bite the bullet and vote Liberal. We can all agree that the worst possible thing that could happen to Canada is a Conservative majority government, and to prevent that (and, by the way, give the NDP a little clout) we have to elect a Liberal. The good news; there are enough of us that we can.

Dans une élection serrée, chaque vote compte énormément! Quelles sont les valeurs importantes auxquelles tenons-nous? À plus ou moins long terme, dans quelle sorte de société voulons-nous vivre avant-tout? Cette fois-ci le parti libéral fait face à un adversaire sérieux et ce dans l’ensemble du pays. Nous devrons donc nous prononcer.
Si le NPD correspond à ma façon de voir le monde, vu les résultats anticipés dans Ottawa-Orléans, ma tête l’emportera sur mon coeur puisque je voterai selon mon deuxième choix c’est-à-dire pour M. Marc Godbout.

DJ, I understand you wanting to vote Liberal to prevent a Conservative government, but the Liberals are almost as bad. I’m equally as tired of the Liberals as I am scared of the Conservatives and I will never sacrifice my beliefs just to keep one person or party out of power. Even if I knew that my vote would make the difference between Galipeau or Godbout (or between Harper and Martin) winning, I would still vote NDP.

http://www.paulmartinisacrook.com sums it up nicely

I believe that all Candidates in our riding are decent individuals who sincerely would want to work towards the prosperity of Ottawa-Orléans. I also believe that anyone with a minute sense of politics would realize that the Conservatives have little to no chance to form a majority government. Comments or actions to persuade residents to vote not their conscience but rather strategically due to a Liberal scare tactic that the Conservatives would form a majority government if strategic votes were not to come into play, in my opinion, stem from a Party that has smelled defeat but not yet tasted it and is desperately trying to hold its head above water.I am undecided, I should have perhaps mentioned. I am also not here to encourage anyone to vote for one Party as oppose to another. However, like most Canadians I do read and try to elect the best Candidate for my riding. Let us not forget that our primarily duty is to elect the best person who can represent our riding not to be too concerned to vote strategically to sway votes. This is very disappointing and un-Canadian. I, personally, had a few but separate encounters with Mr. Godbout. At least to me, in person, he was rude, made an unethical reference to my background, never returned my 2 phone calls, and never responded to my 3 emails. Maybe, my issue was not of national importance, I realize that. But I voted for Mr. Godbout in the last election to represent me and my riding not the entire Nation. I am not affiliated with any political party, but I know this that Mr. Godbout due to his own conduct, completely separated from what has happened with the Liberal Party and the Gomery issue, has lost my vote.

I totally agree with DJ and Anonymous. In any other Ottawa riding, a vote for the NDP would be the most reasonable thing to do, but not in Orleans. I wouldn’t care if Leahy were about to win. Hey! More power to the people! But this is not the case. Ontario is already giving seconds thoughts about voting conservative, so this riding could represent the difference, and it will be terrible if a vote for the NDP in Orleans puts Harper in power.

I could just imagine how many votes Mark Lahey would get if everyone voted by their beleifs and their heart…I suggest that we vote for him eventhough he doesn’t have a chance to get in…Let’s get the momentum going for the following elections…Let’s show Orleans that there is NDP presence in this riding!

All I have to say is that if the Conservatives win this riding, i’m packing up and moving some place where my needs will be met. In other words Any Candidate in my mind is better than Royal Galipeau and his western backed Republican party Junion Conservatives.

One thing that’s ticking me off about this election is the accusing people of having “American views”… so what? What a biggoted thing to say. I think Paul Martin has Japanese views and Jack Layton has Chinese views (I’m kidding BTW). Are people so biggoted that if a person shares views with people of a different nationality they are suddenly evil? Get over it, America is our best friends and I know a LOT of Americans and they are all fine people.

Just because western conservative may have some views that differ fron some easterners does not men they are not proud loyal Canadians. Ontario is not Canada only part of it. Vote for the party that most represents you views, the west bashing and American bashing does nothing to promote unity and tolerance of the views of fellow Canadians

My friends and I are all students and are very engaged in Canadian politics. I, my friends, and my family have always backed the NDP since the day we were eligible to vote. I have always scoffed at some of my friends who claim they will vote Liberal only because they feel threatened by a Conservative win. I tell them they are cheating their own principles by voting this way.

This time around, I feel like I can’t afford to vote NDP. Conservatives are leading in the polls and it looks like, this time, we will have a Conservative minority gov’t. If I can use my vote to help prevent them getting this one seat in the House, I will do so in the most effective way possible. This, unfortunately, means voting for Liberal.

I don’t feel good doing this. It especially pains me to see such a bright, idealistic young politician like Mark Leahy get shut out as a result. I have always voted NDP in this riding knowing full-well they would never win it. This time, people, that luxury will only bring about what we want the least: a Conservative MP representing Orleans.

For those of you who, like me, are voting strategically for the liberal candidate and who, like me, feel bad about it, you can always join the NDP or Greens and contribute some money to the party. Might not be as a good as a vote, but it does help. You could also join the council of canadians.

norm

To ‘DarExc’, concerning the accusations of Stephen Harper being too much an ‘American-style’ candidate.

The implication is not that Americans are not good people. Most of my family is American, and they are. The point is, there is a dangerous, irresponsible political movement loose in that country, backed by greed and fuelled by fear, anger, blindness, and distorted religion. That movement is just as bad for America and Americans as we fear its counterpart in Canada, Harper-neoconservativism, would be for Canada and Canadians.

The point is, most Canadians find it far easier to see how bad the American incarnation of this movement is than the Canadian wing. Highlighting the parallels and mutual support between these two groups is not anti-Americanism; it is simply the easiest way to let people know exactly what it is Stephen Harper represents.

Since I have already voted, and not for one of the three main parties I find these obseveations interesting.

I keep seeing here and hearing from the Liberals what Harper represents,yet when I listen to Harper and read party policy, I see a moderate right of center adgenda.

When I listen to Martin, I have trouble making out his position from day to day. They keep changing.

Layton offers utopia, mom and apple pie.