This weekend I canvassed for Barack Obama. Prior to last Friday, I didn’t even know what this meant, but after a weekend of attending rallies, stuffing envelopes, making posters and signs, knocking on doors and talking to people in my neighbourhood – I’ve started to get a real sense of what canvassing and democracy is really all about. And I’ve got to say, it’s a pretty amazing thing.

My wife Lauren is completely hooked. She’s been volunteering for the campaign all week and wakes up each morning more excited than the next. At Obama headquarters in Oakland, there’s an amazing energy and spirit in the air. People from all walks of life, from every ethnic group, young and old are walking in there and simply asking what they can do to help. There’s an amazing sense of unity and passion, and a real strong belief that yes, we can do something. We can make a difference. We can change this country, and right its place in the world. All we’ve got to do is stand up for change and make the difference.

I’m a Canadian citizen, so I can’t even vote in this election. But this election is far too important to let something as silly as my own inability to vote stop me from helping out. In Canada, we are constantly complaining about our government and politics, but it’s because they generally treat us very well. The Canadian government provides its citizens with excellent free universal healthcare, great schools and social programs to help those who are going through economic difficulties. We’ve come to appreciate being treated this way – so we speak out whenever there’s something we don’t like.

Up until recently in the United States, it appeared that apathy reigns supreme. It’s so expensive to get elected that politicians end up taking huge amounts of donations from large corporations. Those politicians end up working hard to protect large corporations but ignore the very people they’re supposed to be representing - the citizens of the United States. Americans have become disillusioned with this system and have lost faith in their government. This is really sad, because what happens when people stop caring about politics is that they stop voting and in a democratic system, if you don’t vote – you don’t count. Voting is essential, and you need to vote for someone who will actually represent your interests.

Barack Obama stands alone among the remaining candidates as the one true voice for the change we so desperately need. He’s managed to raise millions of dollars not from large corporate donors, but by reaching out to a broad spectrum of individuals - people like you and me. Moreover, his inspirational message has brought together a wide coalition. Young people in particular are really fired up. The cynical political world of the Bushes and Clintons in Washington almost turned them off politics completely but Obama has brought them back in droves. His appeal crosses all racial and economic divides. In the primaries so far, he’s led all Democratic candidates amongst independents and has even got some Republicans to cross over.

The fact of the matter is that this country is desperate for a candidate that can bring it together. We need to end this bitter partisanship and re-evaluate what we stand for as a nation. Bill Clinton is greatly admired amongst many Democrats and Hillary is a strong, intelligent and very cunning politician. But already in this race, the Clintons have too often embraced Karl Rove style duplicity, and remember - rightly or wrongly Bill Clinton was impeached for having sex with an intern in the Oval Office and then lying about it. Nothing gets apathetic Republicans into a frenzy and foaming at the mouth quite like the thought of Hillary Clinton in the White House.

Barack Obama rises above all of this, and America has progressed enough in the past two decades so that most Republicans would be too ashamed to openly engage in racial discrimination. Many Republicans even begrudgingly admit that while they don’t agree with his politics, they do respect him and think it would be great for America for Barack to become the next president. He is clearly the best candidate the Democrats, or America and even the world could hope for. Please stand up with me and vote for Barack Obama in the Democratic primary tomorrow on Tuesday, February 5th.

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