Why I'm voting for Layton

Ideologically I have always loved Jack Layton. I find him to be the most earnest politician I've ever encountered. It sounds like a contradiction, earnest and politician. He stands for something though and always has. It would be good politics to merge the NDP and liberals but the NDP under Layton understands that the canadian people need a true progressive voice in parliament.

Having said this, this was going to be my first election not voting NDP. I think Harper is worse for Canada then Layton is good for it. I was ready to vote for Ignatieff as a strategic vote against Harper. I told myself the debate would cement it. I would watch the debate ready for Ignatieff to impress me, I wanted him to convince me I could feel good about him as prime minister.

As the debate began I consciously chose to take my beloved Layton out of the running and focus on the Harvard professor. Something interesting happened though, as Harper and Ignatieff did dances around their questions and acted smug and Duceppe behaved like a crazy uncle this little figure with a moustache actually answered questions being asked, offered real solutions to problems, spoke out against the broken senate. He spoke with a respect for Canadians.

I'm not voting for Ignatieff, if I'm throwing away a vote and handing Harper another government that's the risk I have to take, because whether we get a conservative or liberal government I will feel better knowing we at least have a strong new democratic presence. And crazy things have happened maybe this year will mark the first new democratic government of Canada, it will never happen though unless we learn to vote for who we want not against who we don't.