As I sat down to pen this, my first column written in 2012, the year was but a few days old, but already the silly season had begun in the United States. For those who don't keep up, this year, our neighbours to the south will choose a new leader to guide them through these perilous times.

I find it amazing that Americans devote so much time - almost a year -to the process of choosing a new president, and yet four years down the road, so many denigrate their leader with all manner of abuse. In the end, they are no better off than their Canadian cousins are.

In Canada, our parties select their leaders at a time of their choosing. By the time an election rolls around, most people have seen the party leaders at their best and their worst. We usually know the bill of goods we are getting by the time we cast our ballot.

Does it help? It's hard to say. It always amazes me how Canadian voters make their choices.

Did Torontonians realize they were electing two people for mayor when they choose Rob Ford (Doug came with the package). I would bet they had no idea.

Again, I also have to wonder, did Canadians realize the bill of goods they were buying when they gave Stephen Harper a majority government last year? In the past year, his party has eliminated the gun registry over the objection of police chiefs, eliminated the Canadian Wheat Board over the objection of farmers' groups, vilified those who are against a proposed gas pipeline and cancelled the long form census over the objection of social planners.

His MPs have engaged in denigrating the good name of one of the country's leading human rights experts, Liberal MP Irwin Cotler, calling it a freedom of speech exercise.

At the same time, our country was being named one of the worst polluters per capita in the world as the government continued to promote the oil sands.

Some would say, "Jeff, you're being naive. The Alberta oil sands produce thousands of jobs and bring in millions of dollars in economic activity." I get it. I really do, but there has to be a better way. Canada should be looking towards the future and promoting new sources of energy.

I realize that many in the community back the Conservatives for a variety of reasons, chief among them their strong pro-Israel stance. I laud their efforts in these matters as well. However, does it weigh off against what I see as damage on the domestic front? Being a diehard Liberal, I admit to being biased. One wonders though what people will tell their grandchildren in 20 to 30 years when they ask why they supported a government that was so against improving the environment and the air they breathe?

Have a great year.

Shalom

Jeff Rosen