Blair has 5 very capable campaign managers working for him around the riding, this was merely an issue of staffing allocation and really has no bearing on either ms woods' performance or the operation of the campaign as a whole

It would seem to me that unless Stephen Harper stops smiling and once again does not make the dumb mistake of acting like he is the Prime Minister "in waiting" the deal is done.

How bad it gets will be determined by how desperate Paul Martin gets - you know - turning to the "over the top" hyperbolic and "fearmongering" rhetoric that David Peterson used against the "innocent" one - Bob Rae.

So lets talk about something more relevant to all of us because it speaks to our rights as individuals living in a civic society.

Lets talk about the many individuals out there who don't want to vote for any of the three major parties in English Canada.

Which brings me to the place where I, like many, usually find themselves - unable to vote for any of the choices that are provided and therefore having to hand my ballot back to the Election Officer to be recorded as a vote of non-confidence in "any of the above".

But this time it is different - this year because of a revision to the Elections Canada Act if you or I vote for "one of the above" we give $1.75 of OUR MONEY - "taxpayers money" - to the Party we vote for!

So what does this mean for those of us who take the time and energy to show up and vote for "none of the above".

Where is the public acknowledgment of our vote?

How is our vote to not vote for "any of the above" being recognized.

To get to the crux of the issue, what recognition do we get for fulfilling our civic responsibility?

Clearly none!

So the question remains: If we choose to vote for "none of the above" what public recognition should you and I rightfully get from the federal government for performing our civic duty under this latest revision to the federal Elections Act?

At the very least, I would suggest that we each recieve $1.75 based on the fact that our current political parties who voted for this change to the Elections Act in the last Parliament will be recieving approximately 46 million dollars of OUR MONEY - taxpayers money.

Surely, this is a suitable public acknowledgment of the fact that we have performed our civic duty.

Surely, this would be fair acknowledgement that the the federal government has impinged upon the rights of those who choose to exercise their right to vote by choosing "none of the above".

Surely, this would be good government.

The race has tightened... but was ever so in BC this time around.

The national factor is the Goodale investigation... it is working in Ontario.

Two weeks and its all over... Looks like a minority government and BC will decide whose minority it will be.

I wish, I wish but I don't care about who wins. The joke on those of us in the wilderness is that they used to have to steal from us without us knowing. Now in order to defend their right to rule, they have institutionalized their thievery and in so doing, institutionalized themselves!

And of course, what does this say about the state of democracy in Canada? A State where we now pay our existing political parties to protect it!

Prior to the IT investigation I was almost positive this would go Liberal. Now I am not a 100% sure, although I still think the Liberals have the edge for three reasons
1. Blair Wilson has pretty much been campaigning continuously since the last election so identifying your supporters and getting them to the polls is how you win elections. There are more Liberal supporters than Tory supporters, but you have to drag Liberal supporters by their neck out to the polls, whereas Tory supporters always show up no matter what.

2. John Reynolds is not running again and an incumbent typically gains five points just for being an incumbent, so with no incumbent this would give the Liberals a 2.5% lead assuming all other things equal

3. John Weston is seen as a religious fundamentalist so if this becomes widely known this will ensure those who vote for local candidate as opposed to party don't go Conservative meaning a Liberal win. He will off course win all the Tory votes who will vote Conservative no matter what, but they alone only make up about 25% of the riding's population, just as only about 25% will vote Liberal no matter what, so it really comes down to who can win the swing vote. Choosing a moderate candidate would make winning the swing vote a lot easier.

Given the many recent revelations of nepotism, I must now admit that I have had a "change of heart". I am now prepared to give my $1.75 to Sheila Fraser's Office!

As well, I must also admit that I now find myself falling asleep after I have read a chapter of Adam Bellow's book, "In Praise of Nepotism".

I find it soothing...

Check out the BC Labour Tribunals against Blair Wilson's bar on Robson Street, or the public documents in BC Supreme Court where Blair Wilson was a defendant in the cases of Multimedia Accelerator Corp and Pan Smak Pizza. Then determine how long you would want to work for a guy like that. No wonder he gets campaign staff turnover.

Harper wants to have the military help in natural disasters: Liberals scream "Soldiers in cities with guns!!!!!"

Harper gives a speech to a bunch of yanks in Montreal: Liberals scream "This is proof he is an ultra right wing neo con fascist!!!!!"

John Weston loves his kids and wants the freedom to raise them how he wants: Liberals scream "He's a religious fundamentalist!!!!!"

Give me a break. This is getting old. Yawn