While Harper has found his groove and Dion has lost his mojo, as noted in the recent Maclean’s issue, the Green Party has made a surprise appearance in the media. Elizabeth May has emerged as a leader capable of connecting with questions and speaking passionately for the need to fight climate change. Since the recent inclusion of May in the national television debates, the Green Party’s profile has significantly increased. Poll after poll shows public support for the Green Party of Canada rising steadily to between ten and 12 per cent nationally and up to 15 per cent here in BC.

Almost one year ago a reporter wrote in The Gazette that the Liberals “used to be one of the best political brands in the country, a name so synonymous with success it has been dubbed Canada’s Natural Governing Party.” However, since Jean Chrétien resigned from office the Liberals have not been doing very well. They have slowly lost their status as the Natural Governing Party of Canada and, according to the polls, have become a distant second to the Conservative Party. Surprisingly, this presents one of the reasons given for voting Liberal: keeping the Canadian system from becoming dominated by a single party.

Do you sympathize with the proletariat? Do you pay your union dues faithfully? Do you understand the burdens that your plumber and electrician face? If so, the New Democratic Party is for you. As the champions of the underdog, the NDP has a long history of campaigning for social justice and an end to practices that benefit the rich while slowing the advancement of the poor. Though one of Canada’s major parties, the NDP has never formed the government. However, various provincial wings of the party have held a number of premierships. In this election there is a chance that, for the first time, the NDP will gain the rank of official opposition.

The world of Canadian politics can be murky. Here are features that separate the Conservative Party of Canada from the other major parties:

The upcoming election stirs the air. Yet it, and politics in general, is being met with a shocking amount of apathy. People do not seem to see politics as relevant to their lives. Now is the time: here is why it is essential that young Christians with a liberal arts education vote.

Listening to the election buzz, I wonder who you are voting for. I don’t mean which party: are you directing your vote to the leader of the party, to your regional representative or to the party itself?

You’ve complained about them before: they can’t do anything right, they don’t understand your needs, you feel misrepresented because of your young age. No, they are not your parents. But for all your complaining and mutual ranting among friends, the government remains an unseen, distant and impersonal source of power.

This may be your first opportunity to vote in a federal election. Or perhaps it is the first time you will have to vote from outside of your electoral district.

To avoid a lack of knowledge preventing you from having your say, here are the guidelines for voting in a Canadian federal election.