Canadians Vote on Oct. 19th

Notwithstanding some of the attention-grabbing promises being made by the Liberals and NDP, the Ottawa Citizen's Friday editorial has effectively narrowed the focus to what ought to be the current priority of Canadians, particularly the reference to ongoing economic uncertainties. With our economy closely tied to what happens south of the border, Canadians cannot afford to ignore what is currently happening in the United States. Earlier this year when the price of oil started to drop there was considerable speculation that lower gasoline prices would provide consumers with more discretionary spending and that would help boost spending in other areas, including retail. That has not happened. Wal-Mart's revenue, the world's largest retailer, is actually down. Our economic growth requires a prudent approach and not one based on conjecture. While the craving for change can be a powerful motivation when it comes to elections, voters should be careful in not allowing themselves into being lead down a rose garden path. Sometimes the conditions dictate going with the devil you know, even if it means doing so holding your nose.