WonderCafe is featuring a series of interviews with families about their thoughts on the upcoming Federal election. Watch for more interviews in the coming days. --Ed.

Canada Votes: Hay River, NT

by Pieta Wooley

Adam Aylward’s family lives in Hay River, a small town of 3,500 people on the shore of Great Slave Lake. He’s a 36-year-old health clinic receptionist. His wife, Frances, 33, is a public health nurse. They have two sons: Ian, 4; and Jacob, 1. Running in the electoral district of Western Arctic are: Conservative Brendan Bell; NDPer Dennis Bevington; Green Sam Gamble; Liberal Gabrielle Mackenzie-Scott, and Noeline Villebrun, for the First People’s National Party of Canada. The riding is split between among the highest family incomes in Canada, and poverty and isolation.

Q: How would you describe your political involvement?

Adam: “ I tend to vote for the persons who tend to tick me off the least. I do not usually share my political views with anyone, nor do I try to tell someone else how to vote.”

Q: What is exciting to you about this federal campaign?

Adam: “It will soon be over!”

Q: Does anything about this campaign make you scared or uneasy?

Adam: “It is so easy to throw mud or discredit someone's character, it bothers me most Canadians will be voting for the party leader who will be largely left unscathed by character attacks.”

Q: Which campaign promises resonate with you, and why?

Adam: “So far, the NDP is looking good to me, only for the fact that they are at least telling us what they are NOT going to do... but again, the mud flies from them as well.”

Q: What issues that are important to your family are getting missed or underplayed by the parties?

Adam: “Crime, punishment, better equipment to the RCMP. In Hay River we lost a great community member with the death of Constable Chris Worden. He did the right thing by attending a call, but he didn't have a partner with him. Drugs in our community and the North are still a problem, as well as the rest of Canada. I'd like to hear real solutions to these problems, not just band-aid solutions.”

Q: In 2006, the Conservatives started giving all families with children under 6 $100 a month per child. In 2008, the NDP is promising between $250 and $40 per child, up to 18 years. The Liberals are promising $100 per child to age 6 ($200 for low-income families), and $350 per child once a year. The Conservatives are promising the $100 again. And the Greens would cancel the $100 cheques. What do you think of direct-to-family cash.

Adam: “Speaking from experience, the money is great! Taxing us on that income, so that when income tax comes around, is where we get screwed. My wife took the cheques and got hit the hardest for income taxes... I split my return with her because she was counting on that money.”

Q: What do you think of the Liberal `Green Shift`?

Adam: “They’re trying to get concerned Canadians to vote for them. I'd vote for the Green Party if I was to really believe that a party leader was going to be environmentally keen.”

Q: What do you think of the Conservative plan to get tough on crime?

Adam: “As far as I'm concerned, they've had since October 6th of last year (Const. Worden's death) to make a lot of change. I believe Jodie Worden (the RCMP officer’s widow) is doing more to change things than Harper ever did.”

Q: What do you think of the NDPs promise of a universal, affordable, accessble childcare system?

Adam: “I don't know enough about it to make any informed decisions”.

Q: Stephane Dion and Steven Harper are sparing over who the better leader is. How important to you is electing someone with a chasimatic leadership style?

Adam: If I had a choice I'd vote for Larry the Cable Guy... "Get 'er done!" Charisma will get you only so far. Action speaks louder than words.

Q: What do you think Canada`s role should be in Afghanistan?

Adam: “It's time to let someone else take over.” Q: What would make Canada`s federal electoral process better, or is it okay the way it is? Adam: “I guess it would be too much to ask for a caged match?”

Q: This fall, would you rather be voting for Canada`s politicians, or the Americans'?

Adam: “Too bad Obama wasn't Canadian.”