Top 10 Main Election Issues

It shouldn't surprise you that Liberal leader Stephane Dion calls this 'the most important vote in Canadian history.' Every leader of every party has at some point in past elections used the same phrase. But there's little doubt that there's a definite difference between the candidates this time around that we don't often get to see.

Here's a look at some of the issues that may loom large this go-round.

1) The economy

You've heard that old canard that when the U.S. sneezes, Canada catches a cold. Well, our neighbour to the south is full of sniffles these days, and Ontario workers have that achy feeling. With the auto industry in turmoil and jobs disappearing from this province, this could be the biggest single issue in Ontario.

Liberal leader Stephane Dion has already taken a page from Ronald Reagan's handbook, essentially asking 'are you better off now than you were two years ago?' The way you answer that question may well define who gets your check mark or your "X" on October 14^th.

2) Taxes

It's become the number one quiver in the Conservative arsenal: offer always over-taxed voters cuts in the amount of levies they have to pay to the federal government. Expect the Tories to hammer away at the issue and remind you they chopped the GST as they promised. And don't be surprised to hear them tell you that Stephane Dion is primarily campaigning on the Green Shift plan - a program few really understand but which opponents will paint as a tax you can't afford.

3) The environment

It's always an issue, but rarely has it ever been as prominent as it is this time. Stephane Dion has made it the centerpiece of his platform and both the NDP and Green Party will be harping on it, too. Except them all to remind you that the Conservatives failed to live up to Canada's commitments to the Kyoto Protocol, which we signed under the Grits in April 1998 but Stephen Harper deemed impossible to carry out.

4) Leadership

A big issue with many. One recent poll seemed to suggest that most Canadians asked didn't really seem very impressed with any of the party leaders, with the NDP's Jack Layton coming out on top of Stephen Harper over who would be the best leader. All three of the major party bosses may be vulnerable on this issue and voters could well be casting a ballot more against than in favour of a specific candidate.

5) Gas prices

They're the highest they've ever been and they could play a role in the vote. Many drivers are already openly wondering why the Conservatives refused to at least temporarily lower taxes on gas as the prices climbed ever higher. While things have improved slightly, they're far from cheap and with hurricanes, tensions in the Middle East and OPEC countries threatening to cut supply, they could go back up again at any time.

The Conservatives and some financial experts have long claimed that cutting gas taxes wouldn't significantly alter the price, but that may not be something many constituents will either believe or want to hear. And those who make their living on the road may make this a major issue.

But with world markets having most of the say, the other parties don't really have an answer for this problem either, a vulnerability for all of them.

6) Health care

This one seems to have taken a back seat to the others, and it's not the high priority it has been in past elections. But it's not out of sight or out of mind - there are still thousands and thousands of Canadians who don't have a family doctor in this country and don't know where to find one. And the waiting list at hospitals and for tests is still too long.

7) Afghanistan

With the death of the 97^th Canadian overseas and our soldiers scheduled to remain there until 2011, there could be growing pressure brought to bear over this issue. The NDP is already on record as opposing our involvement. And with each death, some of the questions surrounding our presence get a little louder.

8) Crime

The Conservative crime bill passed in the House of Commons, and is supposed to allow police and the legal system to crack down harder on law breakers. Some argue it's too tough, others that it's not harsh enough. Those in the big cities, where violent crimes are more likely to take place on a regular basis, may see this as an issue to grill all the parties on as the campaign wears on.

9) The Toronto Factor

As local and provincial politicians agitate for more support from the federal government for Canada's once proud economic engine, voters here may bluntly demand to know: what's in it for us? The Conservatives have a reputation for ignoring Toronto and the city has fallen into the red, having a tough time maintaining vital services like infrastructure.

If the Harper government hopes to have even a shot at a majority, it will have to convince those in the 416 that they matter - and this time, they may have to prove it before the big vote.

10) Nationalism

For the first time in a long time, the spectre of Quebec separation isn't a huge issue. The 'we're leaving' noises that often emanate from La Belle Province have been ramped down in recent years, as the downturn in the economy takes its toll everywhere. The Conservatives are gaining in that province, although not enough to beat the Bloc.

But it's the status of the once impregnable Liberals there that may well tell the final tale of this election. And while Stephane Dion is better known in Quebec than in the rest of Canada, that doesn't mean he's well liked.

Just like the Ontario and Toronto factors, the outcome may well rest with how many Tories and how many Liberals find a seat in this game of political musical chairs in our neighbour to the east.