THOUGHTS BEHIND ONE VOTER'S CHOICE

To the editor:

The turning point in the election polls was the dreadful Boxing Day
Shooting of a 15 year old girl in Toronto. The next day the
Conservative support increased by six per cent.

Understandably, those persons polled, made an emotional choice. And
the reaction by party leaders was immediate. Get tough on crime,
mandatory minimums.

However, the Conservative Party was the only party that did not make
any effort to address the real issues that underlie violence. If the
Conservative Party becomes the ruling party, I fear for the country.
Surely the people of Canada are smarter than to be sucked into "get
tough on crime" rhetoric. It's all feel good nonsense that makes a
surface appearance of doing something.

The gun violence in Canada has little to do with being "soft on
crime" and everything to do with the highly unsuccessful American
style "war on drugs," a drug war that the Conservatives would support
and perpetuate.

Let's not forget the horrible violence during alcohol prohibition and
how it stopped overnight when alcohol was made legal and became a
regulated substance.

Even right wing Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan has stated emphatically
in a recent interview on CBC Newsworld that the gun violence problem
in his city will not be solved by more "get tough on crime" legislation.

If you are thinking of voting Conservative, please reconsider. Think
about what is truly best for the country. Please don't condemn our
sons, daughters, nephews, nieces and grandchildren to death on the
battlefield in a U.S. initiated war. Don't re-stigmatize our gay
citizens who want to marry. Don't condemn our young women who choose
abortion to dangerous back alley surgery. Don't endanger our
environment further by voting for a government that thinks nothing of
breaking an international agreement by pulling out of the Kyoto
accord. And don't let the poor suffer while waiting for surgery,
while our country's surgeons are busy operating on rich people who
don't have to wait in line.

Katherine Couch,

Nelson