No Excuse: Resources for making an informed decision at the polls

by Karl — October 8, 2008

Voting is fundamental to a healthy democracy.  But it is understandable that between the relentless flow of propaganda, poll tracking, attack ads and campaign promises that some would feel a master’s degree in political science is necessary to make an informed decision come voting day.  These resources are to help you get more informed, whether you're unsure of what the parties stand for or how your vote will count. There are also tips on how to vote strategically, track how current MPs voted on issues you care about, or even “trade” your vote with someone else (yes, it's legal!).  Everything is covered, so no there’s no excuse not to go out and vote on October 14th!

1. Elections Canada
This should be your first stop for voter education.  Their website offers information on how to register, where your polling station is located, and what you need to bring to be eligible to vote.  There's also contact info for your electoral officer and for the party offices in your riding and at the national level.  Find the answers to everything you wanted to know about the processes behind running for office, campaign financing and other electoral policy.

2. Maple Leaf Web
This site is geared towards political education, and has a ton of resources on party platforms, leader profiles and poll predictions.  Numerous blogs are presented on a wide range of issues and if you get bored, there are even some funny cartoons!

3. Canadian Federation of Students
For those of you currently studying, what the parties plan to do concerning post-secondary education is usually near the top of your election priorities.  Whether you are concerned about tuition fee increases, copyright reform, or what candidates propose regarding graduate research, the Canadian Federation of Students can help answer your questions by giving the parties a report card.  This feature turns the tables in grading how well they value students so you can make a better choice.

4. Association of Universities and Colleges Canada
In keeping with the subject of post-secondary education, this website can help answer any questions left out by the Canadian Federation of Students.  They've taken the liberty of sending the five major parties a questionnaire that addresses the concerns of academia; all questions and each party's submitted answers are here.

5. Democratic Space
While this entire site is a useful link, the strategic voting guide should definitely be highlighted. For those of you that would rather vote against a party rather than for one, this is the reference point you’ll need.  It includes key contested ridings and lists what party you should vote for based on what party you're trying to block.  Tell your friends and have a “block party”.

6. CBC.ca Canada Votes
The CBC is Canada's national news network and provides comprehensive, balanced coverage on the federal elections.  This is a useful source that provides daily news, tracking polls and a wide assortment of voter information so you won’t be left in the dust on voting day.  You can follow the flow of the campaign by checking in daily for just a minute or two!

7. VoteForEnvironment.ca
The environment is an important issue for many young Canadians, as we have to live in it for many years to come.  For a comprehensive and elaborate perspective on how you can use your vote to help the environment, check out this page, and don’t forget to recycle.

8. Howdtheyvote.ca
Some of you might be more interested in voting along the lines of who your actual candidates are rather than for a particular party.  The usual problem is: who actually knows their candidates? All the answers can be found on this site. Although not relevant to evaluate candidates who have never held a seat in Parliament, the site lists voting records for all incumbent MPs. This can help you identify whether they spent their time in office promoting your values or crushing them, a good thing to know at the ballot box.

9. Canada’s World
A vote for the government of Canada can also be a vote for the world.  This site may be of considerable interest to those with a strong penchant for international aid and a sense of global community.  Canada’s World provides an evaluation of the major parties’ stances on everything from how (or whether) to fight AIDS in Africa to global climate change and what our role in Afghanistan should be.  A must stop before October 14th for those of you with a global conscience.

10. Pair Vote
For those of you who are still cynical about whether or not your vote counts despite all information already provided to the contrary, there’s still no excuse!  Though the founder of this site, Gerry Kirk, believes pair voting is ridiculous, he is strongly committed to the message that our vote should count.  If you feel disheartened because your party of choice has no chance of winning your riding, sign up at votepair.ca to effectively “trade” your vote with someone from another riding! This is legal and trading votes is done on the honour system, so no take-backs!

The contents of these articles are not authored by Apathy Is Boring. Apathy Is Boring is a non-partisan organization and statements made reflect only the views of their authors.