Election Day is less than a week away and many Canadians have already cast their ballots to vote for their vision of our future government. It’s an exciting time. 

This campaign has been one of the most memorable and dramatic federal election campaigns in recent history. With big issues up for discussion, Canadians have had a lot to think about over the last few months. The decision about who to vote for is a highly personal one.

But when it comes to Stephen Harper? Just Say No.

Stephen Harper is digging our country into a hole. And it needs to stop.

Under Harper’s government, we have seen Canadians suffer. 

Women have suffered as Harper voted down efforts to close the gender wage gap. He cut funds for women’s shelters and advocacy groups. When it comes to reproductive issues, he has been clear that he does not support a women’s right to choose. And let’s not forget about the infamous Bill C-36, which largely ignored the voices of sex workers and women all across this country. 

First Nations people have also suffered. Under Harper’s direction, they have spent over one hundred million in taxpayer dollars to dispute aboriginal land claims in court, while simultaneously denying the need for an inquiry into the issue of murdered and mission First Nations women. Although they are well aware of it, the Harper government has done very little to close the educational gap between aboriginal and non-aboriginal children. Over all, Harper treats First Nations people as an inconvenience. 

Over the last few months, our prime minister all but refused entry to Syrian refugees, who were fleeing in desperation from a war torn country. He is now attempting to restrict the religious rights of our citizens by leading an Islamophobic, racist, and sexist charge against the niqab—a simple article of clothing—while spinning it into a hot-button election issue. 

We have seen our economy suffer. Under Harper’s leadership, Canada is primed to enter into an economic recession. Our dollar is being hammered on the international markets and economists are troubled by the fact that our gross domestic product has consistently shrunk over the last quarter. All of this while our prime minister funnels hundreds of millions in tax payer dollars to fight ill-advised court battles, which he is surely set to lose. 

We have seen our environment suffer. Prime Minister Harper’s record on environment issues has been beyond dismal. He has removed protections from nearly all Canadian waters, including lakes and rivers. He has encouraged logging and drilling operations that have adversely impacted native animal populations, while refusing to impose regulations for oil and gas emissions in this country. The Keystone XL pipeline controversy has polarized our country and has pitted Harper against President Obama, who has expressed his concerns about the project and has made the environment a priority during his second term in office—but it seems our prime minister has been too busy muzzling scientists speaking out on the issue of climate change to worry about that.

We have seen our international reputation suffer. Once seen as a peace-keeping nation, Harper’s militaristic approach to international policy is reminiscent of former U.S. President and world-wide laughing stock, George W. Bush. Once a leader in the United Nations, Canada has dropped to 68th amongst 193 UN member states under Harper’s rule. We were also recently denied a seat on the United Nations Security Council. 

This comes as a particularly serious blow to Canada. Only a decade ago, we were leading the international community in the fight to ban land mines, establishing an International Criminal Court and leading the charge in creating international doctrines to help intervene in states that could not or would not protect their own citizens. Our fall in the UN is an obvious reflection of the fact that our international reputation is suffering under our current leadership. It should serve as a deep humiliation for our country. Harper's focus on the military and other domestic affairs with a protectionist approach has created a country that no longer plays an active role in international peace-keeping and humanitarian missions. 

And last but not least—let’s not forget about the nightmarish embarrassment that is Bill C-51.

In the words of Justin Trudeau, “We are a country with a great deal to offer.  It’s time for us to reclaim our place.” It’s time for us to take Canada back from Stephen Harper.

When you go to the polls on Monday (October 19), please remember—Stephen Harper: Just Say No.