This is my first federal election as a taxpayer. Yup, that's me. I'm officially a taxpayer and all the political parties claim they represent me the best. Now that I am a taxpayer, I'm more invested in how money is spent.
When I was in university my political views were pretty straight forward. The school bubble made it easy to be passionate and lean one way on the political scale.
Then I started paying taxes. Taxes suck. I'm not a big fan of them. Of course, I understand the necessity and all, but c'mon, does the government need that much?!
Apparently they do.
So, now I face my first federal election as a taxpayer and my views have shifted since the bubble burst.
I have a little more appreciation for businesses now. Social programs? Much more complicated than I realized in my younger days.
And perhaps now I'm a little less about saving the trees and little more about finding a balance between profits and the environment.
I grew up in a political household and if I really wanted to tick off my parents I would threaten to vote against their party. Of course, at 14 it's a bit of an empty threat. But I had a rebellious spirit and it was the principle of the thing!
However, growing up in such a political household I'm very aware of how this influenced me and my beliefs now as a 20-something.
Do I agree with my parent's political views? In some ways, but on some issues I think my dinner table is a bit more like a leaders' debate -- a lot of shouting over one another.
"Let me be perfectly clear!"
"That's simply not true!"
"The good people of Canada want this!"
So, if I'm not voting along the same lines as my parents and I'm not voting with my younger self's views, who do I vote for?
This election has raised some questions for me to consider, and perhaps others in my demographic are facing the same problem.
Deciding who to vote for is a big deal. Luckily there is Google and other nifty websites on the Internet (perhaps you've heard of this great tool) that can help me decide.
However, it seems unlikely that I'll ever find a party that I agree with completely, unless the Caitlin McKay party is a thing (party of one).
Researching the different parties has helped me answer some tough questions. Do I value a universal day care system or would I prefer tax credits? How would those systems affect me? How do I feel about Canada's policies regarding refugees? What does it mean to intervene in an international crisis? Do I think it should be military led or humanitarian only?
E-Day is here. Are you ready?
If you're like me, you're a 20-something and a new member of the taxpayer's club.
Maybe you're like me and still trying to figure out where you fall on the political scale. Maybe you're not. Maybe you already know and will always know who to vote for.
Maybe you're confused because Donald Trump isn't on the ballot.
Whatever your situation, I do know this for sure. Just because the Jays game is on, does not mean you can't vote! I'm all about #ComeTogether, but the polls are open all day!
I hope this marathon election has helped you answer some tough questions about yourself and your views.
Now, can we, as a millennials, make a commitment to vote? We are like, totally getting a bad rep for not voting! #DemocracyisCool.
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