An understandable reaction to an early August federal election call for an Oct. 19 vote is to declare a pox on all their houses and turn deaf ears to such an excruciatingly long campaign. Eleven weeks of insincere promises and attack ads. Who needs their summer sun darkened by those black clouds?

Attack ads rule the airwaves. Sponsored Facebook posts are trying to flush out political supporters with a click. The twitterverse is dividing up by hashtags. The 2015 vote may be four months away, but political parties are already in election mode.

Churches are also warming up for the coming vote.

Seldom does the House of Commons speak as one voice. So Parliament’s recent near-unanimous support of a motion to make palliative care a national priority was encouraging and welcomed. Yet the roar will quickly fade to a whisper without sincere government action to turn this rare cross-party unanimity into meaningful legislation. 

OTTAWA - After failed attempts in the past by Conservative MPs to reopen the abortion debate, the Liberals and New Democrats have re-ignited the issue with policy initiatives that promote an abortion agenda.