The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Although Canadians may not be able to agree on who to vote for in the upcoming election, they can agree on one thing: they need more options. In fact, over 80 per cent of respondents to a Leger Marketing poll indicated that there were "limited" or "no" options available to choose from in the upcoming federal election. "The sentiment across the country is clear," explained Duncan Cameron, University of Ottawa Political Science Professor. "There is a very real concern among Canadians about the amount of options available to them in the next election." According to this research, over three quarters of all respondents would consider voting for a viable new political party that presented new options. In addition, 19 per cent of Canadians not planning to vote in the upcoming election are abstaining because they feel that there are no major differences between the parties. "These statistics both amaze and concern me," continued Cameron. "We clearly need bold new political voices in order to engage and excite voters." Finally, over one third (39 per cent) of respondents said that they didn't know of any current party leaders who could offer real options for Canadians. "Canadians are tired of hearing the same old messages and of witnessing the same old party politics," said Cameron. "This election will be won or lost based on a party's ability to connect with voters. I'm looking forward to seeing how that plays out."
