Canadians vote for a new leader

For the fourth time in seven years, Canadians go to the polls tomorrow in a general election. If opinion polls are to be believed, once again Canada's electorate will decline to give outgoing Prime Minister Stephen Harper enough seats in the federal parliament in Ottawa to form a government. This election was called as a result of a no-confidence vote, brought about after Harper's Conservatives were found to have misled parliament over their spending intentions. In the past five years, Harper has shown he cannot be trusted. He has moved the nation to the right, forging close ties with Israel and shunning Canada's traditional role in supporting the oppressed Palestinian people. Under Harper, relationships with the UAE have deteriorated to all-time lows. When Canadians cast their ballot tomorrow, they should look to a viable alternative as leader. Those opinion polls show that New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton is a credible alternative. From Gulf News