In the end I only have one vote and this year it might actually count

In federal elections I usually end up placing, what I guess you could call a protest vote.

In the past I have voted for the Rhinoceros Party (not the year that Zappa ran), some obscure independent a couple of times. Went for the Communist Party of Canada, once. It was a tough choice that year as the Marxist-Leninist Party also had a candidate, in my riding, basically splitting the ultra socialist vote.

In 2006, similarly to Kevin Newman of Global TV, my vote went to a Green candidate with a sign on the lawn and all.

However this year my riding of 160,000 only has two candidates running, so my vote might actually count.

One candidate is a 50 year old white guy, born nearby. He’s a senior partner in a fair size international law firm working on US, European and Canadian deals. He actually looks like me a bit, taking away the hair, and adding ten years and about 40 lbs.

Politically, this is his third try for the riding. He has been a stalwart party member actually managing another candidate’s campaign for the leadership of the party. Although that candidate was unsuccessful.

Overall he seems like a well balanced family type guy and one that both culturally and professionally I probably have a lot in common with.

Certainly a lot more than the incumbent candidate.

He was born in Saudi Arabia of Syrian parents, the same year as Woodstock and isn’t even 39 yet. He was educated in Canada as a mechanical engineer and got an MBA out of York.

Prior to running and winning in 2006 he was the president of the Canadian Arab Association.

He too was politically active, working for a leadership candidate in his party, also not successfully.

I have absolutely nothing in common with this very young candidate, certainly not culturally nor professionally.

I mean have you ever tried to make small talk with a mechanical engineer.

So this year, since my income taxes are current, I tend not to vote when I’m behind on my income tax. It is sort of an ethical thing with me. Anyway this year I will have to vote for one of the main stream parties.

So I’m voting for the Arab kid.

The main reason that Omar Alghabra is getting my vote is that he doesn’t trust Harper any more than I do. He told me that in a telephone call a couple months back. He actually phoned me to reply to an email that I sent him that was berating the leader of his party.

I like the kid, he’s got moxie, as my mother would have said.

Hey, Omar let me know if you want to put a sign on my lawn.