June 10, 2004 - The Canadian voter is above all lonely.

Trust no one.

Don't take any source at face value.

Don't trust the media.

These are the watchwords of today's voters.

"Vote no to Liberal liars," said a yellow sign at a garage outside of Smith Falls, Ontario. The sign is the type that requires a person to slip each letter into place.

Hidden motives, backroom deals, shadow agendas are at play and no one vying for power wants the Canadian voter to see them.

The Canadian voter's opinion is play-do for the trained teams of manipulators who are trying to win votes through fear and promises.

Call elections what you will, but they are psychological operations run by "war rooms" and the voter is the enemy. Canvassers gather intelligence about the voters going from door-to-door, through telephone calls, surveys. Good, bad, persuadable?

Platforms announced today could be discarded tomorrow. Promises are likely to be forgotten. Rhetoric replaces action. Reaction replaces thought. The militarization of election campaign's is seen as the only way to win.

"They are all lying. We know that. So who is lying the least?" said a recent graduate from the University of Ottawa in conversation. For the parties, her indecision is dangerous. For Canadian democracy? Well, if that is her choice, then democracy is in big trouble.

Paradoxically, Prime Minister Martin would blame her for being a cynical voter. But her skepticism is healthy in this smoke-and-mirrors election campaign.

After all, skeptics are not the problem of Canada's democracy.

Lies are.