I'm in a difficult riding here, the incumbant was a Reform Party representative, who quit when the Conservatives and the Reform Party merged and is now running for the Liberals. He still remains a very strong advocate of private Health Care and bringing in HMOs as an answer to problems within the system.

I take, from his literature, he believes that, permitting those with money to pay to for privately available health care and get out of the queue, will free up space and money in the public system. As this already occurs, for those who have the means to pay for private care in the States, with no positive effect on the current public system, I have requested that he clarify his reasoning, but so far I have not had a reply from his office.

In his literature he has also stated that he has personally spoken to Martin about his ideas and Martin is in favour of changing the Health Care Act???

Then we have another Reform Party Conservative running too, so my choice is between a devil I do know and a devil I do know. Some choice there.....

Which leaves the NDP, which used to do well in this riding, and the Greens, both of which may be buried in the attempt to keep Reform from getting a majority.

I guess I will wait to the final moment to vote and check out what disaster has been generated from Ontario, eastward, before attempting to nullify someone's vote out there, with my miserable choice. It will be odd voting for the first time in an election, where I will already know the results in the eastern part of the country, prior to casting my ballot. I'm not sure I believe that is a good idea.