Post-debate report

For the record, everyone knows my Liberal bias, so it should come as no surprise that I don't find much comfort in Conservative policy and ideology. At least, not today's policy and ideology. Just to get that out of the way. Now on to my observations.

Mr. Harper used the word 'clear' at least 5 million times. Yes, that's a clear exaggeration. But holy crap, man. I think I can state without reservation that his position is basically that Parliamentary rules be damned, the only thing that is important is the economy. He stated quite simply that all that Canadians should care about is that the economy is rolling along nicely and nothing else matters. Too one-dimensional.

Mr. Ignatieff did not impress me at all. It's not that I don't like or respect him - I do. But he didn't engage me with the kind of passion and focus that I expect from a leader. He trotted out a lot of repeated lines in the first half of the debate, which lost me. He spoke a little more off the cuff in the last half of the debate, but it may have been too little, too late. You don't have to keep mentioning the jets and prisons and corporate tax breaks. We get it. I also didn't appreciate Mr. Ignatieff's attitude toward Mr. Layton about his chances of ever leading the country. Too presumptuous.

Mr. Duceppe may not represent the entire country, but he does represent his jurisdiction well. Some have said in the past that the same could be said for Mr. Harper, he just isn't as overt about it. Mr. Duceppe did a good job of taking every party to task for any waffling they have done on policy over the years. But a regional party doesn't work in our type of parliament.

Mr. Layton seemed to be the only leader that didn't repeat the same old lines over and over. He also seems to have a real plan. I may not agree with everything that he proposes, but this is the party that unequivocally opposes the copyright bill proposed by the last government that would make criminals out of ordinary Canadians. He wants to make life better for veterans and pensioners. He wants to fix the health care while it's still fixable.

I still haven't made up my mind who will get my vote, but it was interesting to see the boys make their pitches.