Celebrating our election.

• Author: Robinson, David

Election day is a week off as I write this. I have been going door to door with a bundle of party leaflets, listening to people talk. Not as a candidate --as a foot soldier. You may have seen me--or one of the thousands of other Canadian marching up the streets in all weather because we love the country and want to make it better.

It's always fun. You come home liking your fellow Canadians. You come home with funny stories and a lot to think about.

In Sudbury last week, for example, a family-sized van pulled up outside the Green Party campaign office. Out pops Mike Whitehouse, the Chief of staff for Sudbury Liberal MP, Paul Lefebvre. And Mike's son. They had an armful of Green Party signs signs that they found in ditch. Some jerk was out pulling up signs. Mike was returning them. Another friendly and generous Northerner. Mike was in a hurry because he also had some signs for the NDP candidate.

In some places you can put election signs on city property. One woman was outraged about the perfectly legal Green Party sign that appears on city property in front of her house. She took it down and hid it in her garage. She demanded that the campaign office take it away. When she heard it was legal she said, "You people are just so inconsiderate. I don't want to look at that THING. You should have checked with me." And the campaign manager said, "You just committed a criminal act. Which is worse?"

And when the volunteer came to move the sign ten metres down the street he found it lying on the lawn with a blanket over it so the neighbours wouldn't see it!

That story echoes another odd misunderstanding of how elections work. A householder told me she had already voted. I asked if she would tell me who she had voted for. I often ask, and most people are happy to tell me. It is an election--we are all in a big discussion about what is best for the country. They are proud to be participating. This woman replied, "Its a secret ballot." I think she thought I was committing an election crime.

Secret ballots are a semi-sacred feature of democratic elections. The law is there to make sure no one influences you while you...